Shortlists in the construction industry
A shortlist is a list of candidates – things, people, or companies, etc – which have been reduced from a larger list with the intention of narrowing down the list further to leave just one candidate for the award of a prize, accolade, commission, selection and so on. The shortlist is usually an intermediate stage between the long list and the final choice.
People draw-up shortlists for all sorts of reasons: an individual may create a shortlist of cars before deciding which one to opt for; an employer may draw-up a shortlist of potential candidates to interview for an advertised job, while a judging panel may compile a shortlist of designs submitted to an architectural competition. In all these cases, the shortlist facilitates making a final choice and is sometimes inevitable if there are a large number of candidates to choose from initially.
Most design competitions are held in two stages: the total number of entrants is first reduced to create a shortlist (typically five or six) and the winner subsequently selected from that shortlist. A client may select the winner on the basis of track record compared to the other entrants; or may select on the basis of the design response, and so will be looking for an entry that embodies creativity, excitement and innovation.
The use of shortlists is also common in the selction of other suppliers in the construction industry. A pre-qualification process may be used to reduce a long-list of potential suppliers to a shortlist that will be invited to tender. This not only reduces the number of candidates that the employer has to consider, but also prevents innapropriate suppliers from wasting time and money preparing a detailed tender that is unlikely to be successful.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
From Chaucer to Fawlty Towers.
Electrotechnical excellence, now open for entries.
Net zero electricity grids BSRIA guide NZG 5/2024
Outlining the changes needed to transition to net zero.
CIOB Global Student Challenge 2024
Universitas Indonesia wins for second year running.
New project and cultural district described in detail.
The nature of EPCs, crticism and inaccuracies.
History, issues and redesign.
From waste recycling to energy performance the hierchy.
An introduction to WERCS and WEEE responsibilities
Dealing with 2 million tonnes of waste equipment a year.
Global BACS Market: analytics and optimisation
A BSRIA glance at building automation and control systems.
What it is and how to use it.
Types of insulating plaster by binder and insulant.
Investors in People: CIOB achieves gold
Reflecting a commitment to employees and members.
Scratching beneath the surface; a guide to selection.
ECA 2024 Apprentice of the Year Award
Entries open for submission until May 31.
UK gov apprenticeship funding from April 2024
Brief summary the policy paper updated in March.