If you are building a bid list for an upcoming project, a short prequalification step before invitations go out catches most problems before they cost anyone time.
Why prequalify before bidding
Inviting an unqualified subcontractor to bid wastes their time and yours, and awarding to one creates risk that shows up mid-project rather than at bid time. A short prequalification step before the bid list is finalized catches most of this early.
Licensing and certification
Confirm the electrical contractor holds a current licence to work in the province where the project is located, and that the electricians on staff hold the appropriate certification. Licensing requirements are set provincially, so a contractor licensed in one Atlantic province is not automatically licensed in another. Ask directly rather than assuming.
Insurance and bonding
Request current certificates for general liability and workers' compensation coverage, and confirm bonding capacity if the project requires a bid bond or performance bond. A subcontractor unable to produce current insurance documents on request is a warning sign worth taking seriously before award, not after.
Safety record
Ask for a recent safety record or experience rating, and ask how the company runs safety on site: toolbox talks, site orientation, incident reporting. On a commercial site with multiple trades, one subcontractor's safety practices affect everyone else working there.
Capacity and current workload
A subcontractor can be well qualified and still be the wrong fit for your schedule if their current workload does not leave room for your project. Ask directly about crew availability and other committed work during your construction window, rather than finding out after award that your project is behind others on their list.
References
Ask for references from recent projects of a similar size and type, and actually call them. A reference check takes a few minutes and asks straightforward questions: was the work completed on schedule, how were changes handled, would the reference hire the subcontractor again. A subcontractor confident in their work will readily provide references. Reluctance to do so is worth noting.
Financial stability
A subcontractor in financial difficulty can struggle to pay for material or retain crew partway through a project, regardless of how qualified their electricians are. This is harder to check directly, but a subcontractor's ability to provide bonding, current insurance and clean references is a reasonable indirect signal. For a larger project, a bank or surety reference is a fair thing to ask for.
Relevant experience
Ask for examples of similar work: comparable building type, similar service size, similar systems such as standby power or medium voltage distribution. A contractor strong in residential work is not automatically the right fit for a commercial project needing turnkey electrical delivery with a service upgrade and standby generator, and the reverse is also true.
Putting the checklist to use
None of these checks need to be elaborate or slow down your bid list. A short prequalification form covering licensing, insurance, safety, capacity and references, sent to each candidate before they are invited to bid, takes little time to complete and gives you a documented basis for the bid list you assemble. Keep the completed forms on file, since they are also useful evidence of due diligence if a dispute ever arises later in the project.
Applying the checklist consistently
Use the same checklist for every subcontractor on your bid list, not a stricter one for a new name and a lighter one for a company you have worked with before. A subcontractor's circumstances change between projects, licensing lapses, insurance certificates expire, workload shifts, and a consistent process catches these changes rather than relying on memory of how a past project went.
Talk to Puffin Power
Puffin Power is licensed to work in Newfoundland and Labrador and serves projects across Atlantic Canada. If you are building a bid list and want our qualifications on file, contact us or learn more about our company.
Published 2026-09-23 · About 3 minute read