Contractor Pre-Qualification Support
Get pre-qualified and stay work-ready. TSQA helps New Zealand contractors and suppliers meet IMPAC PREQUAL, SiteWise, SHE Pre-Qual, and Tōtika.
Pre-qualification is how principals, councils, and main contractors check that a contractor manages health and safety to a recognised standard before awarding work. TSQA helps you build the systems and evidence these schemes look for, then prepares your submission.
Below you will find a section on each major New Zealand scheme with its own answers to common questions. If you are not sure which one you need, start with the general questions and get in touch.
Contractor & Supplier Safety Management
The contractors you engage are your responsibility. We help you build robust systems for selecting, onboarding, and monitoring contractors and suppliers, ensuring the people working alongside your team meet your health and safety standards at every stage.
Pre-Qualification FAQs
What is contractor pre-qualification?
Contractor pre-qualification is a check that confirms a business has the health and safety systems, documentation, and processes in place to work safely before it is awarded work.
Many principal organisations, councils, and main contractors in New Zealand require suppliers to hold a current pre-qualification before they can go on site. It gives the client confidence that the contractors they engage manage risk to a recognised standard.
Which pre-qualification scheme do I need?
The scheme you need usually depends on who you want to work for, because different clients and sectors specify different schemes.
Some principals ask for SiteWise or Totika, while certain councils and organisations require IMPAC PREQUAL or SHE Pre-Qual. The simplest approach is to ask the client or main contractor which scheme they recognise, then build your evidence to suit. TSQA can help you focus on the right scheme.
Can one health and safety system cover more than one scheme?
Yes, a single well-built health and safety management system can support submissions to several pre-qualification schemes.
The schemes assess similar things, such as your policies, risk management, training records, incident processes, and evidence that your system works in practice. Building one solid system means you can reuse much of the same evidence across IMPAC PREQUAL, SiteWise, SHE Pre-Qual, and Totika rather than starting again each time.
IMPAC PREQUAL
IMPAC PREQUAL is used by councils, government agencies, and large organisations to verify that a contractor has the right health and safety systems in place before work is awarded. It focuses on how your systems perform in practice, not just what is written in your documents. TSQA assesses your existing documentation, identifies gaps, builds your evidence base, and prepares your submission for a successful PREQUAL outcome.
IMPAC PREQUAL FAQs
What is IMPAC PREQUAL?
IMPAC PREQUAL is a health and safety pre-qualification service used by councils, government agencies, and large organisations to verify that a contractor has the right health and safety systems in place before work is awarded.
It focuses on how your systems perform in practice, not just what is written in your documents. TSQA assesses your documentation, identifies gaps, builds your evidence base, and prepares your submission.
What documents do I need for IMPAC PREQUAL?
You generally need evidence of your health and safety management system, including your policies, risk assessments, training and induction records, incident reporting and investigation processes, and proof that these are used day to day.
The exact requirements depend on your industry and the risk level of the work you do. TSQA reviews your existing documentation, identifies gaps, and helps you build the evidence base your submission needs.
How long does IMPAC PREQUAL take?
PREQUAL aims to deliver your assessment report within 20 working days of submitting your material, which includes the 14 days allowed for resubmitting evidence.
You generally have 6 months from registration and payment to complete your submission, or 2 months if a client formally initiated the process. How ready your existing health and safety system is will affect how quickly you can submit, and TSQA helps you prepare a complete submission to avoid avoidable delays.
Does IMPAC PREQUAL need to be renewed?
Yes, PREQUAL is maintained on an ongoing basis and is typically renewed annually, with updated evidence required at each renewal.
Some higher-scoring contractors may move to a longer cycle, and your renewal cycle is confirmed by PREQUAL based on your assessment. TSQA can help you keep your system and evidence current so renewal is straightforward.
SiteWise
SiteWise is administered by Site Safe New Zealand and grades a contractor's health and safety capability. That grade is visible to main contractors and principal organisations, directly influencing whether you get selected for work. TSQA works with you to achieve a strong SiteWise grade, giving you a measurable advantage when tendering.
SiteWise FAQs
What is SiteWise and do I need it?
SiteWise is a health and safety pre-qualification scheme administered by Site Safe New Zealand that grades a contractor's health and safety capability.
You are likely to need it if the main contractors or principals you want to work for use SiteWise grades to decide who they engage. A strong grade is visible to those clients and can directly influence whether you are selected for work.
How is a SiteWise grade calculated?
A SiteWise grade reflects an assessment of your health and safety management system against a set of questions covering your policies, processes, and evidence, scored as a percentage.
Site Safe sets the grade bands: Red is 0 to 49 percent, Amber is 50 to 74 percent, Green is 75 to 89 percent, and Gold is 90 percent or above on your annual assessment. TSQA works with you to strengthen the areas that carry weight so you can achieve a strong grade.
How long does a SiteWise assessment last?
A SiteWise grade runs on an annual cycle, so it is valid until your next yearly assessment.
Site Safe aims to turn around online assessments in 5 to 10 working days, and first-year registrations include three assessment attempts. Keeping your health and safety evidence up to date through the year makes renewal much easier.
Can TSQA guarantee a particular SiteWise grade?
No. TSQA helps you build and evidence a strong health and safety system and prepares your submission, but the grade is determined by Site Safe as the scheme operator.
We focus on giving you the best possible foundation and evidence, while the assessment outcome rests with the scheme.
SHE Pre-Qual
SHE Pre-Qual is a health and safety pre-qualification pathway widely used across the building and construction sector, and it now operates on the Totika-accredited framework, using Totika categories and pricing. Many councils require contractors to hold a valid SHE assessment before undertaking high-risk or long-term work. TSQA helps you build and evidence an active safety management system that meets SHE Pre-Qual standards, not just on paper, but demonstrably in practice.
SHE Pre-Qual FAQs
What is SHE Pre-Qual?
SHE Pre-Qual is a health and safety pre-qualification assessment widely used across the building and construction sector.
Many councils and principal organisations require contractors to hold a valid SHE assessment before undertaking high-risk or long-term work. It checks that you have an active safety management system that works in practice, not just on paper. SHE Pre-Qual now operates as a Totika-accredited pathway, using Totika categories and pricing.
Who requires SHE Pre-Qual?
SHE Pre-Qual is commonly required by councils and larger organisations in the construction and infrastructure sector, particularly for higher-risk or ongoing work.
Whether you need it depends on the clients you want to work for, so it is worth confirming with the principal or main contractor which pre-qualification they accept before you apply.
What does a SHE Pre-Qual assessment cover?
A SHE Pre-Qual assessment reviews your health and safety documentation and evidence, including your policies, risk management processes, training and competency records, and incident management.
It looks for proof that your system is actively used rather than simply written down. TSQA helps you build and evidence a system that meets these expectations.
How long does SHE Pre-Qual take to complete?
Turnaround depends on your business category and how complete your evidence is when you submit, and SHE Pre-Qual does not publish a single standard timeframe.
Because SHE Pre-Qual now runs on the Totika-accredited framework, it is best to contact SHE Pre-Qual for current timeframes. TSQA helps you prepare a complete submission so avoidable delays are minimised.
Tōtika
Tōtika is New Zealand's national health and safety pre-qualification scheme, developed by CHASNZ to create one consistent standard across the construction and contracting sector. Complete it once and have it recognised across multiple clients and industries. TSQA guides you through the Tōtika assessment from start to finish, helping you achieve certification that is recognised nationally.
Tōtika FAQs
What is Totika?
Totika is New Zealand's national health and safety pre-qualification scheme, developed by CHASNZ to create one consistent standard across the construction and contracting sector.
It is designed so you can complete it once and have it recognised across multiple clients and industries, rather than repeating separate pre-qualifications for each principal.
How long does Totika certification take?
Assessment timeframes depend on which accredited provider you assess through, and express options are available, including a two working day turnaround through PREQUAL's Totika service.
Certification validity is set by category: Sole Trader and Category 1 assessments are valid for 2 years, while Category 2 and 3 assessments are valid for 1 year. TSQA guides you through the process from start to finish to keep it moving.
How is Totika different from SiteWise or IMPAC?
Totika is not a separate assessment that competes with schemes like SiteWise or IMPAC PREQUAL. It sits above them as a national register that recognises approved pre-qualification schemes under one consistent standard.
In practice this means an approved assessment can feed into your Totika status, reducing duplication across clients that accept it.
Is Totika recognised nationally?
Yes, Totika is designed as a national scheme so that a single recognised assessment can be accepted by multiple clients across the construction and contracting sector.
This is intended to reduce the need to complete a different pre-qualification for every principal. Recognition still depends on the individual client accepting Totika, so it is worth confirming with your target clients.