You adopt a two tier approach with a pre-qualification questionnaire picking up items such as insurance, memberships, certifications, bank account details etc.

When contractors are tendering for jobs is when you want the RAMS as this should ensure they are specific for the site and the task.

At the end of the day how you vet suppliers is down to your company rules and requirements although these will adapt if your customers have their specific requirements such as CRB checks.

Hi Stewart

Whilst not all contractors are doing "construction work" the guidance for such work gives some clues that are valid for contractors doing other types of work.

The word "competence" has taken a bit of a battering over the years when it comes to prequals and such like.

So, one of the changes from CDM 2007 to CDM 2015 was to remove references to "competence" and replaces these with SKE - skills, knowledge and experience + if an organisation, "organisational capability". 

You might think that this means "competence" but apparently not!!

One of the other things that happened with CDM 2015 was to go for guidance that has been described as "lite".

So L153 isn't particularly helpful in guiding you in what to ask a prospective supplier.

The Approved Code of Practice and Guidance that supported CDM 2007, L144 was much more helpful, with a very firm attempt to encourage those vetting NOT to take an overly bureaucratic approach.

Nice question set which you might with to adapt to your circumstances.

L144 for still available to download from the HSENI website.