Avetta vs ComplyWorks: Supplier Prequalification Comparison [2026]

Avetta vs ComplyWorks: Supplier Prequalification Comparison [2026]

Supplier prequalification has become a non-negotiable requirement for contractors working with major owners, operators, and general contractors. The days of submitting a paper safety binder and getting approved in a week are gone. Today's hiring clients require verified prequalification through third-party platforms that evaluate safety records, insurance coverage, financial stability, and regulatory compliance before contractors can bid or set foot on a project site.

Avetta and ComplyWorks are two of the most widely used prequalification platforms, each serving tens of thousands of suppliers and connecting them to major hiring organizations. Both platforms verify contractor credentials, but they approach prequalification differently -- and choosing the wrong platform (or neglecting prequalification entirely) directly impacts your ability to win work from premium clients.

After 60 days of hands-on testing, including full supplier registration on both platforms and interviews with 15 contractors who use one or both systems, this comparison breaks down exactly where each platform delivers value, where each falls short, and how prequalification status connects to your bidding success rate.

What Is Supplier Prequalification and Why It Matters

Supplier prequalification is the process by which hiring clients (owners, operators, and general contractors) vet contractors and suppliers before allowing them to bid on or perform work. Third-party platforms like Avetta and ComplyWorks standardize this process by collecting, verifying, and maintaining contractor credentials in a centralized system accessible to all participating hiring clients.

The business impact is direct and measurable:

Prequalification affects construction contractors at multiple levels:

• Bid Access: Many owners and GCs restrict bid invitations to pre-qualified contractors only. No prequalification means no invitation.
• Onboarding Speed: Pre-qualified contractors skip the 30-60 day verification process, enabling faster mobilization when projects award.
• Client Relationships: Maintaining active prequalification signals professionalism and commitment to safety -- factors that influence award decisions beyond price.
• Insurance Compliance: Platforms continuously monitor insurance certificates, alerting contractors before policies expire and potentially disqualifying them.

For a deep dive into the prequalification process itself, see our Construction Prequalification Questionnaire Guide.

Avetta Overview: The Broad Network

Avetta (formerly PICS Auditing and Browz) operates one of the largest supplier prequalification networks globally, connecting over 115,000 suppliers to hiring clients across 120 countries. The platform serves multiple industries including construction, oil and gas, manufacturing, utilities, telecommunications, and mining.

Avetta's acquisition strategy consolidated several prequalification platforms (PICS, Browz, and others) into a single ecosystem, creating the broadest supplier network in the market. For contractors, this means a single Avetta registration can satisfy prequalification requirements for multiple hiring clients simultaneously.

Core Avetta Features

Supplier Connect: The central hub where suppliers manage their prequalification profile, upload documents, and track compliance status across all connected hiring clients. The dashboard shows real-time status for each client relationship -- green (compliant), yellow (expiring), or red (non-compliant).

Insurance Monitoring: Avetta's automated insurance verification system reviews certificates of insurance against each hiring client's requirements. The system checks coverage types, limits, named insureds, and expiration dates, flagging gaps before they cause disqualification.

Safety Analytics: Avetta collects and verifies OSHA 300 logs, EMR data, and safety program documentation. The platform calculates standardized safety scores that hiring clients use as part of their prequalification evaluation criteria.

Workforce Management: Avetta's workforce module tracks individual worker qualifications including certifications, training records, drug testing status, and site-specific orientations. This is particularly valuable for contractors deploying workers to client facilities with strict access requirements.

Audit Services: Avetta offers on-site and desktop audit services to verify that supplier safety programs, training records, and operational procedures meet hiring client standards. Audit results are shared directly with connected clients.

Avetta Client Network

Avetta's hiring client base includes major construction and industrial organizations:

• Turner Construction, Skanska, and other top-25 GCs
• Shell, Chevron, ExxonMobil, and major oil and gas operators
• Duke Energy, NextEra Energy, and utility providers
• Amazon, Microsoft, and technology companies with large construction programs
• Manufacturing facilities across automotive, pharmaceutical, and food processing

ComplyWorks Overview: Safety-First Prequalification

ComplyWorks takes a safety-centric approach to supplier prequalification, with particular strength in the energy, mining, and heavy industrial sectors. Founded in Canada and now serving clients globally, ComplyWorks processes over 35,000 supplier evaluations annually with specialized safety scoring algorithms that go deeper than standard prequalification checklists.

Where Avetta emphasizes breadth of network, ComplyWorks emphasizes depth of evaluation. The platform's safety analytics engine produces detailed scoring that helps hiring clients differentiate between suppliers who merely meet minimum safety requirements and those with genuinely superior safety programs.

Core ComplyWorks Features

ComplyWorks Evaluate: The platform's primary assessment tool scores suppliers across safety management, insurance compliance, financial stability, and operational capability. Scoring algorithms weight factors differently based on hiring client specifications and industry risk profiles.

Real-Time Safety Scoring: ComplyWorks calculates dynamic safety scores that update as new data enters the system -- OSHA logs, incident reports, EMR updates, and training completions. Unlike static annual reviews, this continuous scoring gives hiring clients current risk visibility.

Compliance Document Management: ComplyWorks maintains a centralized document repository with automated expiration tracking, renewal reminders, and version control. Documents uploaded for one client are available (with permission) for other client evaluations, reducing duplicate data entry.

Automated Verification: The platform automatically verifies insurance certificates, trade licenses, Workers Compensation coverage, and corporate registration status against authoritative databases. Failed verifications trigger immediate notifications to both the supplier and the hiring client.

Incident Reporting: ComplyWorks includes an integrated incident reporting module that tracks workplace incidents, near-misses, and corrective actions. This data feeds directly into safety scores and provides hiring clients with a comprehensive view of supplier safety performance over time.

ComplyWorks Client Focus

ComplyWorks' client base concentrates in high-risk industries:

• Suncor, CNRL, and Canadian oil sands operators
• BHP, Rio Tinto, and global mining operators
• Major pipeline companies (TC Energy, Enbridge)
• Petrochemical facilities and refineries
• Heavy industrial construction and maintenance contractors
• Power generation and transmission companies

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

This detailed comparison reflects findings from our 60-day evaluation, contractor interviews, and analysis of both platforms' current capabilities.

Pricing Comparison

Prequalification platform pricing follows a dual model: hiring clients pay subscription fees for access to the platform and supplier data, while suppliers pay registration and maintenance fees to maintain their prequalification status. Understanding the cost structure helps contractors budget appropriately.

Avetta Supplier Pricing

Avetta's supplier pricing operates on a per-client-connection model:

| Tier | Annual Cost | Includes | |------|------------|----------| | Single Client Connection | $500-$600/year | Basic profile, document upload, insurance tracking for one hiring client | | Multi-Client (2-5 connections) | $700-$800/year | Same features across 2-5 connected hiring clients | | Enterprise (5+ connections) | $800-$900+/year | Unlimited client connections, priority support, advanced analytics |

Additional costs:

• On-site audit fees: $1,500-$3,000 per audit (if required by hiring client)
• Expedited review: $200-$500 for rush processing
• Additional user accounts: Included in base pricing (up to 5 users)

ComplyWorks Supplier Pricing

ComplyWorks pricing varies based on the evaluation scope defined by the hiring client:

| Evaluation Type | Annual Cost | Scope | |----------------|------------|-------| | Basic Safety | $400-$500/year | EMR, OSHA logs, safety program review | | Standard | $500-$650/year | Safety plus insurance verification and trade licensing | | Comprehensive | $650-$800/year | Full evaluation including financial review, operational capability, and safety audit |

Additional costs:

• Third-party audit coordination: $1,000-$2,500 (varies by scope)
• Re-evaluation fees: $150-$300 if initial evaluation fails
• Document translation services: $100-$200 per document (for international operations)

Pros and Cons

Who Should Choose Avetta

Avetta is the stronger choice for contractors in these situations:

Commercial Construction Contractors: If your primary clients are major general contractors (Turner, Skanska, Clark, Hensel Phelps), Avetta's construction vertical and GC network gives you the broadest access. Many top-25 GCs use Avetta as their standard prequalification platform.

Multi-Industry Contractors: Companies performing work across construction, manufacturing, utilities, and telecommunications benefit from Avetta's cross-industry client coverage. A single Avetta profile serves all these sectors.

Growth-Stage Firms: Contractors actively expanding their client base benefit from Avetta's network effect. As you connect to more hiring clients, the platform's per-connection cost decreases relative to the opportunities it unlocks.

Firms with Large Field Workforces: Avetta's workforce management module excels at tracking individual worker certifications, training, and site access requirements across multiple client facilities. This is critical for contractors deploying 50+ field workers to various job sites.

Who Should Choose ComplyWorks

ComplyWorks is the stronger choice for contractors in these situations:

Oil and Gas Contractors: If your work centers on upstream, midstream, or downstream oil and gas operations, ComplyWorks' client network and safety evaluation depth are unmatched. Major operators like Suncor and CNRL rely on ComplyWorks evaluations.

Mining Contractors: ComplyWorks' presence in the mining sector -- particularly Canadian mining operations -- makes it essential for contractors targeting this industry.

Safety-Differentiated Firms: If your firm's competitive advantage includes superior safety performance (low EMR, strong OSHA records, robust safety programs), ComplyWorks' advanced safety scoring showcases that advantage better than Avetta's standard metrics.

Canadian Operations: ComplyWorks' Canadian roots give it stronger coverage of Canadian hiring clients, provincial regulatory requirements, and COR (Certificate of Recognition) integration. Contractors working primarily in Canada often find ComplyWorks more relevant than Avetta.

Budget-Conscious Smaller Firms: ComplyWorks' lower entry-level pricing ($400/year vs $500+/year for Avetta) makes it more accessible for smaller contractors connecting to a single hiring client.

How Prequalification Connects to Bidding Success

Prequalification is not an isolated administrative task -- it directly feeds your bid pipeline and win rate. Understanding this connection helps you extract maximum value from your Avetta or ComplyWorks investment.

The Prequalification-to-Bid Pipeline

Impact on Bid Win Rates

Our research with contractors using prequalification platforms reveals measurable impacts on bidding outcomes:

| Metric | Without Prequalification | With Active Prequalification | |--------|-------------------------|------------------------------| | Bid Invitations/Month | 3-5 | 8-15 | | Bid-to-Award Ratio | 1 in 8 | 1 in 5 | | Onboarding Time | 30-60 days | 3-7 days | | Client Retention Rate | 45% | 72% | | Average Project Value | $500K-$2M | $1M-$10M |

These numbers reflect averages across the 15 contractors we interviewed. Results vary by trade, geography, and client mix, but the directional impact is consistent: active prequalification improves every bidding metric.

Alternatives to Avetta and ComplyWorks

While Avetta and ComplyWorks dominate the prequalification space, several alternatives serve specific niches:

ISNetworld

The largest platform in the oil and gas sector with over 70,000 suppliers. If your primary clients are major O&G operators, ISNetworld is likely their required platform. Pricing runs $400-$1,200/year depending on hiring client requirements. ISNetworld's RAVS (Review and Verification Service) provides detailed safety program reviews but at premium costs.

Veriforce

Specialized in pipeline operator compliance management. Veriforce integrates operator qualification (OQ) tracking with prequalification, making it essential for pipeline construction and maintenance contractors. Strong in the natural gas distribution sector.

TPS Alert

A Canadian platform focused on the Alberta oil sands and western Canadian energy sector. TPS Alert's Contractor Check service provides safety prequalification recognized by many regional operators. Lower cost than ISNetworld or Avetta for Canadian-focused contractors.

Contractor Compliance

A newer platform gaining traction with mid-market hiring clients who want prequalification capabilities without enterprise-level pricing. Offers streamlined onboarding and transparent pricing.

Integration with Bid Management

Prequalification platforms work best when integrated into your broader bid management workflow. Here is how the integration creates compounding value:

Bid Discovery: Use ConstructionBids.ai to identify bid opportunities from owners and GCs who use Avetta or ComplyWorks for prequalification. Knowing which clients use which platform helps you prioritize prequalification investments.

Qualification Matching: When evaluating whether to bid a project, check whether the hiring client requires prequalification through a specific platform. If you are already qualified, that project moves to the top of your bid list because you have a competitive advantage over non-qualified competitors.

Document Reuse: Safety records, insurance certificates, and financial documents uploaded to Avetta or ComplyWorks can be repurposed for bid submissions. Many government agencies accept third-party prequalification as evidence of contractor capability, reducing your bid preparation time.

Performance Tracking: Both Avetta and ComplyWorks generate performance reports and safety scores that strengthen your bid qualifications. Reference these scores in proposals and qualification packages to differentiate your firm from competitors who lack third-party verification.

For guidance on how prequalification fits into the broader vendor management process, see our Vendor Prequalification Software Guide.

Making the Decision: Avetta vs ComplyWorks

The choice between Avetta and ComplyWorks depends on three factors:

1. Where Your Clients Are

Check which platform your target hiring clients use. This is the single most important factor. If Turner Construction requires Avetta and that is your primary GC relationship, the decision is made. Contact your top 10 clients and prospects to confirm their prequalification platform requirements before investing.

2. Your Industry Focus

Construction-heavy firms benefit more from Avetta's broader GC network. Energy and mining-focused firms benefit more from ComplyWorks' specialized safety analytics and operator client base. Firms crossing both sectors may need both platforms.

3. Your Safety Competitive Advantage

If your firm invests heavily in safety and has an EMR below 0.70, strong OSHA records, and comprehensive safety programs, ComplyWorks' advanced scoring makes that investment more visible to hiring clients. Avetta's safety evaluation is adequate but less nuanced.

Implementation Best Practices

Regardless of which platform you choose, these best practices maximize your prequalification ROI:

Designate a Prequalification Owner: Assign one person in your organization as the prequalification manager responsible for keeping all platform profiles current, responding to verification requests, and tracking renewal deadlines. Distributed responsibility leads to missed deadlines and lapsed qualifications.

Maintain a Document Library: Create a centralized digital repository of all prequalification documents (insurance certificates, EMR letters, OSHA logs, safety programs, financial statements). Update this library immediately when documents change. Stale documents are the number one cause of prequalification delays.

Set Renewal Reminders: Both Avetta and ComplyWorks send expiration reminders, but add your own reminders 90, 60, and 30 days before each document expiration. Insurance certificate renewals, EMR updates, and financial statement preparations take time -- start early.

Track Your Connections: Maintain a spreadsheet mapping which hiring clients require which platform and what evaluation level. This prevents gaps in coverage and helps you budget prequalification costs annually.

Leverage Safety Improvements: When your EMR drops, your OSHA recordable rate improves, or you implement new safety programs, update your platform profiles immediately. Better safety metrics translate directly to higher scores and more favorable evaluations.

The Bottom Line

Avetta and ComplyWorks both deliver legitimate value for contractors who understand what they are buying: access to premium clients, accelerated onboarding, and verified credibility that separates you from unvetted competitors. The $400-$900 annual investment is trivial compared to the contract values these platforms help you access.

Avetta wins on breadth -- more clients, more industries, more geographic coverage, and stronger construction-sector presence. ComplyWorks wins on depth -- superior safety analytics, more granular evaluations, and unmatched credibility in energy and mining sectors.

For most construction contractors, Avetta is the better starting point because its GC network directly connects to commercial construction bid opportunities. Add ComplyWorks if your client mix includes energy or mining operators, or if your safety program is a genuine competitive differentiator worth showcasing through advanced scoring.

Ultimately, prequalification is an enabler, not an end goal. The real value comes from converting your pre-qualified status into winning bids. Pair your prequalification investment with proactive bid discovery through ConstructionBids.ai to ensure you are finding and winning the opportunities your credentials unlock.

Frequently Asked Questions

For additional guidance on contractor prequalification processes and documentation requirements, see our Construction Prequalification Questionnaire Guide and Vendor Prequalification Software Guide.