- An SQ asks “are you suitable?”. An ITT asks “how will you deliver, and for how much?”.
- The SQ is mostly pass/fail. The ITT is scored, usually on quality, price and social value.
- PQQ is the old name for the SQ. Under the Procurement Act 2023 it has become the Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ).
- Most suppliers who fail at selection fail on turnover, insurance or accreditations, not on writing.
SQ vs ITT at a glance
Both documents arrive as part of the same tender, which is why they get confused. They do completely different jobs.
| SQ (Selection Questionnaire) | ITT (Invitation to Tender) | |
|---|---|---|
| The question | Are you suitable to deliver this contract? | How will you deliver it, and at what price? |
| What’s assessed | Your company: finances, insurance, experience, compliance | Your bid: method, people, quality, price |
| How it’s marked | Mostly pass/fail, sometimes scored to shortlist | Scored against published award criteria |
| When | Stage 1, or alongside the ITT in a single-stage tender | Stage 2, or alongside the SQ in a single-stage tender |
| What you send | Company details, accounts, certificates, declarations, references | Method statements, case studies, pricing schedule |
| Old name | PQQ (Pre-Qualification Questionnaire) | Also called the tender documents or ITT pack |
| Under the 2023 Act | Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) plus your Central Digital Platform record | Part of the tender documents |
What is a Selection Questionnaire (SQ)?
A Selection Questionnaire is the buyer’s way of checking that a supplier is capable, reliable and financially safe before looking at any bid. It replaced the PQQ (Pre-Qualification Questionnaire) in 2016, which is why you’ll still hear people talk about “PQQ vs ITT”.
A typical SQ has these parts:
Supplier information
Company name, registration number, address, ownership, and who would deliver the work.
Exclusion grounds
Declarations about convictions, unpaid tax, insolvency and past serious failures.
Economic and financial standing
Turnover, accounts and sometimes financial ratios, often against a minimum level.
Technical and professional ability
Examples of similar contracts, with references the buyer can contact.
Insurance
Public liability, employer’s liability and professional indemnity levels.
Policies and accreditations
Health and safety, quality (ISO 9001), Cyber Essentials, modern slavery and, for some contracts, a Carbon Reduction Plan.
What is an Invitation to Tender (ITT)?
The Invitation to Tender is where you make your actual offer. It contains the specification, the quality questions, the pricing schedule and the contract terms, and tells you exactly how each answer will be scored.
- Quality questions: method statements on how you’ll deliver, staffing, mobilisation and managing risk.
- Price: a fixed pricing template. Change the format and you may be rejected.
- Social value: often 10% or more of the score, such as local jobs, apprenticeships or carbon reduction.
- Contract terms: what you agree to if you win.
The two-stage tender process
In a two-stage tender process, the buyer shortlists suppliers with the SQ first, then invites only the shortlist to tender. This saves suppliers who would fail the basic rules from writing a full bid.
- 1Tender noticeThe opportunity is published on Find a Tender.
- 2SQ / PSQYou submit your suitability information.
- 3ShortlistSuppliers who pass, or score highest, go through.
- 4ITTThe shortlist receives the invitation to tender.
- 5EvaluateBids are scored on quality, price and social value.
- 6AwardAssessment summaries, standstill, then contract.
In a single-stage tender (the open procedure), you send the SQ and the ITT response together. The buyer checks the pass/fail rules first and only scores bids from suppliers who pass. So if you fail the SQ, the hours you spent on the ITT are wasted. That is the most common and most painful mistake in public sector bidding.
The SQ under the Procurement Act 2023: meet the PSQ
For procurements started on or after 24 February 2025, selection works differently. Most online guides haven’t caught up yet.
- Central Digital Platform
- You register once and store your core supplier information there: basic company details, financial information, connected persons and exclusion declarations. You then share it with each buyer instead of retyping it.
- Procurement Specific Questionnaire
- The PSQ is the government’s standard questionnaire for the questions specific to one procurement, such as relevant experience, insurance and any extra conditions.
- Conditions of participation
- The legal name for the pass/fail suitability rules. They must be proportionate to the contract.
- Fairer for small firms
- Buyers generally can’t demand audited accounts from suppliers who aren’t legally required to have them, or insist that contract insurance is in place before award.
Procurements started before 24 February 2025 still use the old standard SQ until they finish. Read our Procurement Act 2023 guide for suppliers →
SQ pass/fail criteria: why suppliers get disqualified
These are the SQ pass fail criteria that stop most suppliers, in the order I saw them knock people out:
- 01Turnover below the minimumOften set at around twice the annual contract value. Check it before anything else.
- 02Insurance levels too low£5m or £10m public liability is common. A letter from your broker confirming you’ll increase cover if you win is often accepted.
- 03Missing accreditationISO 9001, Cyber Essentials, CHAS or Constructionline, CQC or SIA ACS, depending on the trade.
- 04Weak or old examplesExperience that isn’t similar enough in size or type, or references who don’t reply.
- 05A missed declaration or documentAn unsigned form, an expired certificate or an unanswered question can mean automatic rejection.
Know if you’ll pass the SQ before you start it.
tenderITT checks the selection rules in each tender against your turnover, insurance and accreditations, using the checks our procurement team applied as buyers.
Check tenders for my business- ✓Public liability £5mInsurance
- ✓ISO 9001 certifiedMandatory
- ✕Turnover £1m min. You: £640kFinancial
SQ or ITT: which stage am I at?
Not sure what you’re holding? Look at what the document asks for.
It’s an SQ if it asks for…
- Turnover, accounts or financial ratios
- Insurance certificates or levels
- Declarations about convictions, tax or insolvency
- Examples of past contracts and references
- Copies of policies and certificates
It’s an ITT if it asks for…
- Method statements with word limits
- A pricing schedule or rate card
- How you’ll mobilise and staff the contract
- Social value commitments
- Agreement to contract terms
If it asks for both, you’re in a single-stage tender. Check the pass/fail rules first.
How to pass the SQ and win the ITT
- Check the pass/fail rules first, before you read the specification.
- Keep a bid library: current policies, certificates, insurance documents and three strong case studies, ready to attach.
- Register on the Central Digital Platform and keep your core supplier information up to date.
- Track expiry dates. An expired certificate on deadline day is an easy way to fail.
- Brief your referees so they answer when the buyer calls.
- At ITT stage, mirror the scoring criteria and prove each claim with numbers and named examples.
- Read your assessment summary win or lose. It shows exactly where marks were lost.
SQ vs ITT FAQs
What is the difference between an SQ and an ITT?
An SQ (Selection Questionnaire) checks whether your business is suitable to bid: finances, insurance, experience and compliance. It is usually pass/fail. An ITT (Invitation to Tender) asks for your actual bid, meaning how you will deliver the contract and at what price, and it is scored against published criteria. In short, the SQ tests the company and the ITT tests the bid.
Is a PQQ the same as an SQ?
Yes, in practice. PQQ (Pre-Qualification Questionnaire) is the older name. Government replaced the PQQ with the standard Selection Questionnaire in 2016, and many people still search for “PQQ vs ITT”.
What is a Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ)?
The PSQ is the government’s standard selection questionnaire for procurements under the Procurement Act 2023. Your core company information sits on the Central Digital Platform, and the PSQ asks only the questions specific to that procurement.
Is the SQ pass/fail?
Mostly. Questions about finances, insurance, exclusion grounds and accreditations are usually pass/fail. In a two-stage tender, some experience questions may be scored to decide who is shortlisted for the ITT.
Does my SQ score count at the ITT stage?
Usually not. Selection (are you suitable?) and award (which bid is best?) are assessed separately. Once you are through to the ITT, your bid is scored on its own answers and price.
Why did I get the SQ and ITT at the same time?
In a single-stage tender (the open procedure), buyers ask for the selection information and the full bid together. They check the pass/fail rules first and only score the bids of suppliers who pass.
What is a two-stage tender process?
The buyer runs a selection stage first (the SQ or PSQ) to shortlist suitable suppliers, then sends the ITT only to the shortlist. Under the Procurement Act 2023 this is commonly run as a competitive flexible procedure.
- Procurement Act 2023, legislation.gov.uk
- The Central Digital Platform (enhanced Find a Tender service), GOV.UK
- Procurement Act 2023 guidance documents, GOV.UK
Last reviewed 10 October 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice; always follow the instructions in each tender pack.