The PAS91 pre-construction qualification questionnaire has formally been withdrawn by BSI. Public sector construction procurements are being encouraged to  move instead to the Common Assessment Standard (CAS).

YORhub has received clarification from the Department for Business & Trade on the decision, and will begin migrating to CAS over the next 6 months. The advice includes:

• withdrawal of a PAS standard means that BSI will no longer promote or maintain it, but the standard may still be used. PAS91 remains accessible, and as it is approved as being consistent with the Procurement Regulations, public bodies subject to those can continue to use it.
• there is currently no specific deadline for the replacement of PAS91 by CAS and currently either can be used in accordance with PPN 03/23: Standard Selection Questionnaire (SQ). However, since PAS91 is no longer being maintained there is a risk that it becomes increasingly obsolete and/or inconsistent with changes to the regulations.
• CAS is recommended for reasons of efficiency and driving modernisation in the sector.
• use of CAS should be proportionate to the works being tendered and it may not always be necessary to use the full questionnaire.

YORhub is reviewing this guidance and will begin arranging training to assist with the changeover, followed by updates to our template procurement documents.

In the interim we will continue to use PAS91. We currently anticipate the full change to CAS will coincide with the new procurement regulations, estimated by Cabinet Office to be spring 2024.

If you have any questions please contact your area Framework Manager.