If you have started bidding for public contracts, "PQQ" and "SQ" are two acronyms you will run into early — at the stage where the buyer checks whether your business is suitable before looking at your full bid. Here is what they mean.
At a glance
- A PQQ (Pre-Qualification Questionnaire) was the standard document buyers used to shortlist suppliers.
- It was replaced by the Standard Selection Questionnaire (SQ) — a single, standardised template.
- The SQ happens at the selection stage: the buyer checks you're suitable before assessing your full tender.
- It covers things like your company details, financial standing, relevant experience, and grounds for exclusion.
What is a PQQ?
A Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) was the questionnaire suppliers completed at the start of a procurement so the buyer could assess basic suitability — financial standing, capability, relevant experience — and shortlist who could go forward to bid.
You will still hear "PQQ" used informally to mean "the selection-stage questions", but the formal standard document has changed name.
The Standard Selection Questionnaire (SQ)
The Standard Selection Questionnaire (SQ) replaced the PQQ as the standard template. It was drafted to bring together the supplier-selection questions from the old standard PQQ and questions from the European Single Procurement Document into one consistent form.
Suppliers complete the SQ as part of the selection stage — the step where buyers shortlist suitable suppliers before inviting (or moving on to evaluate) full tenders. Using a standard template means the same core questions appear across many procurements, so once you have your answers prepared, you can reuse much of them.
The current guidance for the SQ template is set out in Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 03/23, which updated and replaced the earlier PPN 08/16.
What the selection stage actually checks
Broadly, the selection stage looks at whether you are a suitable, low-risk supplier — typically covering:
- Basic details about your organisation
- Grounds for exclusion (for example serious criminal or financial issues)
- Financial standing (can you support a contract this size?)
- Technical and professional ability (relevant experience and capability)
Crucially, this is separate from the award stage, where your actual bid — price and quality — is scored. (See how bids are scored.)
How this fits under the Procurement Act 2023
The Standard Selection Questionnaire and PPN 03/23 sat under the previous regime (the Public Contracts Regulations 2015). Under the Procurement Act 2023, buyers assess suitability through conditions of participation — but the principle is the same: the buyer confirms you are a capable, eligible supplier before your full bid is assessed. The exact forms and wording vary by procurement, so always read the specific documents. (See the Procurement Act 2023 explained.)
Tips for the selection stage
- Prepare a reusable answer bank. The same core questions recur — keep good answers, financial figures and policies ready.
- Keep evidence current. Insurances, certifications and accounts go out of date; refresh them.
- Read the specific questionnaire. Standard templates vary in how each buyer applies them.
Do this work once, properly, and reuse it. Most of what a selection questionnaire asks — insurance certificates, accounts, policies, case studies, named CVs — is the same on every bid you will ever submit. Keeping a current, well-organised bid library turns the selection stage from a fortnight of scrambling into an afternoon of assembly.
Frequently asked questions
What is a PQQ?
A Pre-Qualification Questionnaire — the document buyers used to shortlist suitable suppliers before the bidding stage. It has been replaced by the Standard Selection Questionnaire (SQ).
What is the difference between a PQQ and an SQ?
The SQ is the standardised replacement for the PQQ, combining the old PQQ's selection questions with European Single Procurement Document questions into one template.
Is the SQ the same as the tender?
No. The SQ is the selection stage (are you suitable?). The tender / award stage is where your actual bid is scored on price and quality.
What does the selection stage check?
Typically your organisation's details, grounds for exclusion, financial standing, and technical and professional ability.
Sources
- GOV.UK — PPN 03/23: Standard Selection Questionnaire (SQ)
- GOV.UK — Procurement Policy Note 8/16: Standard Selection Questionnaire (SQ) template
- Procurement Pathway (Civil Service) — PA 2023 procurement specific questionnaire