Who are Achilles?
Achilles works to identify, qualify, evaluate, and monitor suppliers on behalf of major organisations worldwide. We build and support buyer-supplier communities in many industry sectors, creating unique and powerful global networks. Our services for sustainable procurement help create opportunities for business and reduce risk in the supply chain.
Joining an Achilles Supplier Management Service enables businesses to connect to a network of potential buyers with increased opportunities across a whole industry sector. With just one pre-qualification questionnaire to be completed, once this data has been verified, a supplier’s details can be viewed by every single buyer registered in that particular regional industry sector. At the same time, registered suppliers also have the opportunity of discovering more about industry standards and quality requirements, improving their existing service levels and enabling a better appreciation of what is required to match and beat the competition.
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What is the UVDB Supplier Management Service?
Achilles operates the Utilities Vendor Database (UVDB) Supplier Management Service on behalf of all the major UK utility organisations. By registering, this service enables you to pre-qualify and market your company to an entire industry sector through a single questionnaire. UVDB helps towards reduction in costs, time and administrative workload and is a service that gives you access to tender opportunities that match your capabilities.
Established in 1996 UVDB is now recognised as the standard approach to supplier pre-qualification within the UK Utilities Sector.
There are three registration options: UVDBstandard - pre-qualify your business to major UK utility organisations that have millions of pounds worth of spend:
- Provide your detailed information once and then just maintain it
- Save time and effort associated with the completion of repetitive pre-qualification documents
- The Utility Buying Community use the UVDB system to source suppliers and so do not need to re-issue as many of their own questionnaires.
UVDBshowcase - do you need to increase market exposure through an industry dedicated web-directory? Support your UVDB registration through a personalised profile of your company. UVDBshowcase allows you access to UVDBstandard, and in addition showcase your latest products and services in an area dedicated to the Utilities Sector. Differentiate your business from your competitors by using your own words and images.
UVDBnotice - Do you need to be informed of relevant contract opportunities in the UK and Europe? UVDBnotice gives you access to a search facility and a database of thousands of contract opportunities, as published on the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU). There are thousands of opportunities published every year and UVDBnotice enables you to target the ones appropriate to your company by specifying commodity codes (CPV codes), keywords and countries of interest. UVDBnotice includes access to UVDBstandard and UVDBshowcase.
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How does the service work?
The Utilities Vendor Database (UVDB) pre-qualifies suppliers and contractors under various headings. There are over 900 standard codes and 2500 standard keywords used and controlled by the Utilities.
UVDB is operated as a 'qualification system' under article 30 of the EC Utility Directives. Information is gathered about suppliers, e.g. financial performance, health, safety, environmental policy, CSR, products and services data and is checked for accuracy and that it is up-to-date. The information is then made available on-line to the buyer.
The Utility organisations for example, National Grid, Anglian Water, CE Electric, Thames Water, United Utilities, E-on and EDF are able to access the UVDB and utilise the system for identifying potential suppliers and managing information on their existing suppliers. When a buyer has a requirement for a contract or other purchase, the UVDB allows them to search for potential suppliers or contractors in a fair and consistent manner, by applying objective criteria against the information registered by each supplier.
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Who has access to my information?
Your company information will be made available to buyers from all of the Utility buyer members via an online search system. To view the current list of buyer members click here.
How do the buyers access my information?
The buyers have access to a secure on-line search system. The search system enables the buyers to search for companies by name or by selecting products and services codes. To download a copy of the Product and Service Code Guide click here. As a registered supplier if a buyer searches for the products and services that your company is registered to supply then your company will be displayed and the buyers can view your information as supplied through the questionnaire.
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How will I receive buyer enquiries?
Once the buyers have identified suppliers through the UVDB search system that they wish to consider for an up-coming tender or contract opportunity, they will either contact you directly for example by sending you a Request for a proposal or by sending you an e-Qual. If you have been sent an e-Qual enquiry you will be notified by email and asked to log into the system to review the details and respond to the buyer’s questions.
When do I need to update my information?
You can update your information for no additional cost at any time during the year. It is strongly recommended that you do this if there are any changes within your organisation so that the buyers have the latest information about your company and can contact you easily. As a minimum you will be asked to renew your registration and update your information at least annually and you will receive a reminder from Achilles in advance.
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Why join the UVDB?
Once your completed online questionnaire has been submitted and uploaded to UVDB you will have met the pre-qualification needs of the major UK utilities, and some of the major contractors in the UK. These companies use the UVDB to source pre-qualified suppliers to work with them on projects, as well as the supply of goods and services. Over 2500 individuals regularly use the UVDB to create both long and short lists of suppliers and contractors. The service provides:
- A primary route to new and continued business. Pre-qualify your business to over 50 Utility companies who have millions of pounds worth of spend
- An opportunity to give your company’s detailed information once, and then just maintain it on a regular basis
- The opportunity to save time and effort associated with the completion of repetitive pre-qualification documents.
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I am a relatively small company. How can I benefit?
The Utility members are keen to encourage all of their suppliers to register as it makes the process of supplier identification and management more efficient for both the buyers and their suppliers.
What is the cost of registration?
The UVDB annual registration fee for suppliers is set by the Utilities Steering Group. This fee is based upon the number of product codes your organisations registers against and includes your registration on UVDB for one year and the quality checking and validation of your questionnaire by Achilles.
Click here to see the subscription fees.
Click here to download UVDB Supplier Terms and Conditions.
The costs of operating the UVDB Supplier Management Service are shared between the buyers and the suppliers. Suppliers pay an annual registration fee to cover the cost of registration and the quality checking and validation of their information by Achilles. The information is independently validated and thus reduces the duplication of effort between the members and their suppliers and providing confidence to the buyers that they can rely on the information available to them.
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How do I join? - the registration process
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- First step is to pay and complete the online registration form. Once your registration form and payment have been processed you will be issued with a password, and logon details where you will need to submit your completed online questionnaire.
- Complete questionnaire
The questionnaire collects information regarding your business to enable members of the UVDB service to consider your business for potential or continued work.
- Submission & evaluation of questionnaire
Upon receipt of your completed questionnaire Achilles will perform various quality checks on the information provided. If there are any concerns these will be flagged and you will need to revisit the questionnaire. On passing the quality procedure the questionnaire details will be published to the live UVDB supplier management system.
Your questionnaire will be shown on the UVDB portal for all members of the service to have access to when sourcing and selecting suppliers against the product codes that you have registered or qualified for. You are advised to regularly review your questionnaire and ensure that the information available to members is kept up-to-date.
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Are multiple registrations necessary for different branches?
Companies with multiple branches may have different sales regions and organisational structures. Suppliers can choose to register more than one branch to expand their business opportunities, or to register as a single company. In the questionnaire suppliers can add details of their associated companies and locations but there is one main contact point displayed on the system per supplier registration.
Can I join online?
Yes – all Achilles UK services are available for purchase online. Simply click here for the e-shop. Alternatively, click here for a call back.
What type of company should register?
Any company can register as long as you can provide a product or service to the UK Utilities Sector.
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Can I contact the utility companies direct?
Once registration is complete a contact list for utility companies is available.
Can I search the UVDB?
UVDB searches can only be carried out by subscribing buyer companies. These are UK Utilities and major contractors. If you would like to talk to someone about buyer subscription, please click here.
How does the UVDB fit in with Link-up and Verify?
Achilles manages over 28 suppliers management schemes worldwide and these schemes have been developed by specific industry needs. UVDB is the UK Utility Industry specific service and Link-Up is the UK rail and transport industry supplier management service. Because each questionnaire has been developed by the industry they require specific information appropriate to their sector therefore your organisation will need a separate subscription. If you would like to learn more about Link-up please, click here.
Where supplier verification and assessment is applicable for contracts of high operational risk, the Utility second stage pre-qualification scheme UVDB Verify applies. UVDB Verify allows your company to demonstrate compliance to health, safety, environment and quality requirements. Over 30 Utilities and more than 35 of their contracting partners use the system to qualify their supply chain through a standard assessment of their management systems and site performance. If you would like to learn more about UVDB Verify please, click here
To see other communities and countries Achilles works in, please click here.
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Does the UVDB conform to EC Legislation?
UVDB is operated as a ‘qualification system’ under Article 30 of the EC Utility Directives. This means that subscribing organisations do not need to individually publish notices in the journal – Achilles publish quarterly Qualification System Notices (QSN’s) on their behalf.
Utilities using the UVDB no longer need to publish individual calls for competition in the OJEU.
Further assistance
For more information, please contact the UVDB Team:
Achilles Information Limited
30 Park Gate
Milton Park
Abingdon
Oxfordshire OX14 4SH
T: +44 (0)1235 861118
E: UVDB@achilles.com
Last updated September 2009