RISQS – Qualifying Utilities Dynamic Market for Rail Industry Supplier Assurance

Descriptions

RISQS is a Qualifying Utilities Dynamic Market within the meaning of Section 34 to 40 of the Procurement Act 2023 which allows subscribing utilities to select suppliers for invitation to tender or negotiation and is operated by Rail Safety & Standards Board Ltd (RSSB) for Products & Services. RISQS provides a dynamic market for subscribing (member) utility entities to select suppliers for invitation to participate in regulated procurement procedures. The utility entities which subscribe to the scheme are given at the following RISQS Buyer Member List RISQS (https://www.risqs.org/buyers/risqs-buyers-members-list) is an impartial compliant commercial tool designed for regulated utilities in the UK (and Tier 1 and 2 suppliers for assurance purposes) which hosts a list of qualified suppliers that are eligible to participate in future procurements, it also identifies Suppliers that have applied for qualification with limitations for Buyers to identify new entrants to the scheme and encourages VCSE and SME engagement. RISQS is overseen by an Impartiality Committee on which representation from Buyers and Suppliers alike collaborate through working and consultation groups to set or influence standards and the scheme to ensure high standards and compliance with legislative requirements. RISQS may also be used in the compilation of tender lists below the UK thresholds or the subscribing utility entities may alternatively make separate calls for competition in the Find a Tender Service (FTS) for certain individual requirements. RISQS Buyer members use the Railways Industry Commodities Classification List (RICCL) for products and services, with various lifecycles as described by industry and hosted by the RSSB. The RICCL can be found at URL - https://www.rssb.co.uk/-/media/Project/RSSB/RssbWebsite/Documents/Public/Public-content/Services/rail-industry-commodity-classification-list-january-2023.pdf. The RICCL and the Scheme dictate the level of review requirement by our Members and is detailed in the RICCL and in our portal. The current levels are Verified and Audited, dependent on the level of risk mitigation required. The RICCL is maintained by the RSSB and may change from time to time to react to increased safety concern, risk, incident or accident. The RICCL can also be challenged through RISQS to the RSSB. RISQS publish the content of their protocols at RISQS Audit URL - https://www.risqs.org/about-risqs/risqs-audit. These protocols have been designed and built by the industry for the industry over the last decade, as the industry failed to locate any ISO, EN or BS Standard that has the equivalent level of rigour for this safety critical industry. Buyers through the RICCL and through Contract requirements may require additional evidence, verification, audit or other, in order to mitigate risk or report on their successful engagement with VCSEs, SMEs, Social Responsibility, Sustainability and genuine safety concerns for example, Cyber Security, Environmental, Social Value or other, whether possible RISQS seeks to influence industry on providing clear guidance on how entities can comply and improve. RISQS has created a maturity ranking system, this is not for scoring purposes (that is a compliant certificate) this is for self-improvement purposes helping entities identify their own strategies for improvement over time. The protocols do get amended in part to react to safety concern, risk, incident or accident in the industry, any amendment will be advised to our membership with a compliance timeline commensurate to the change. Network Rail Infrastructure Limited have converted these protocols into standards for the purpose of approving Supplier Assurance Providers assuring Suppliers in the rail sector including for Sentinel access to their Infrastructure and that of other Infrastructure Managers. RISQS is annually audited by Network Rail Infrastructure Limited against those standards which other Buyers can choose to recognise or apply their own audit at their own cost. RISQS is seeking establishment of the scheme as a certification body by an impartial accreditation service. RISAS is an assurance level required for some very specific Products and Services in the rail sector, which is expanding scope to reflect the changes that will be applied to the RICCL, whilst Buyers may require a RISAS audit by contract it may not require one for procurement purposes as the assessment is much mor in depth an detailed led by Lead Auditors and subject matter experts, failure to evidence a third party audit against these products will only create a limitation so that the Buyer can mitigate risk directly with the Supplier. Suppliers not already registered on RISQS can apply to do so at any time by following the process linked below, this will ensure their details are available to contracting authorities and utilities using RISQS as their QUDM can see your details and offer. Whilst you are going through the process of the application as soon as you meet the minimum requirement for membership (selection of membership status, RICCL codes and answered the questionnaire) RISQS will make you visible to our Buyers with any limitation on outstanding evidence, verification or audits required. This will enable Buyers to invite you to tender against the codes selected but they will require compliance and continued membership of RISQS going forward to contract and during contract. RISQS is also used as an assurance mechanism for some Buyers in the rail sector a safety critical industry. Existing Suppliers who were already registered have had their details transferred but must ensure that all relevant questions and details are up to date to remain visible to the Buyers in RISQS, in some instances they may have a limitation raised against them to allow Buyers to mitigate risk in the contracting process.