How long should pre-qualification take?

A well-run pre-qualification process takes 5–10 business days from the sub returning the completed questionnaire to the onboarding decision. The bottleneck is usually the reference calls (need to reach 3 GCs and get them to take a 15-minute call) and the COI turn-around from the sub's insurance agent. For urgent same-week onboardings, the process can compress to 2–3 days if all parties move quickly.

What's a passing EMR for a subcontractor?

The industry baseline EMR is 1.00. Below 1.00 indicates a safer-than-average loss history; above 1.00 indicates worse-than-average. Most general contractors will pre-qualify subs with EMR up to 1.20 without additional questions; 1.20–1.50 warrants a discussion of the specific incidents driving the rate; above 1.50 is typically a fail for high-risk work, though small subs with only a year or two of comp history may have rates that aren't yet statistically meaningful.

Do I really need an MSA, or is a PO enough?

A PO sets scope and price for a specific job. An MSA establishes the terms of the relationship across all jobs — payment terms, change-order process, insurance requirements, indemnification, lien rights, termination, dispute resolution. When a dispute arises, the MSA is what governs. Issuing POs without an MSA in place means you have no master terms to fall back on. Every meaningful GC-sub relationship should have an MSA before the first PO.

Can I require subs to be drug-tested?

Generally yes, subject to state law. Most states allow GCs to require subs to maintain a drug-testing program as a condition of working on the GC's jobsites, particularly where federal contracts or safety-sensitive work is involved. Some states (notably those with recreational cannabis laws) restrict what testing can be required. Confirm with state-specific labor counsel before mandating testing.

What happens if a sub's COI lapses mid-project?

You have a sub on your jobsite without coverage, which puts you on the hook for incidents that should have been covered. The realistic mitigation is: stop work, notify the sub in writing, require updated COI before resumption, and document the gap. Ongoing COI monitoring (via the Sub Compliance Tracker) catches lapses before they create exposure; reactive monitoring catches them after.

Subcontractor Pre-Qualification Kit — The Onboarding Workflow in One Bundle

$37.00

Subcontractor Pre-Qualification Kit — The Onboarding Workflow in One Bundle

$37.00

Small GCs spend 2–4 hours onboarding every new sub — gathering the questionnaire, calling references, sending the MSA, requesting the COI, collecting the W-9 — from five different ad-hoc sources. This kit bundles all of it so the onboarding becomes a 60-minute repeatable workflow.

What's inside

Sub Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (Word) — 15-question intake covering entity, licensing, insurance, references, safety, capacity
Reference Check Form (Word) — 10-minute phone-call template for 3 references
Safety Record Questionnaire (Word) — EMR, OSHA citations, incident history (last 3 yrs)
Master Subcontractor Agreement — Starter (Word) — MSA template with COI rider; ATTORNEY REVIEW REQUIRED before use
COI Request Email Template (Word) — copy-paste email to the sub's broker, with additional-insured and primary-and-noncontributory language
Excel workbook — Scoring Rubric (1–100 auto-score), W-9 / 1099 tracker, COI request log, onboarding-status board
Setup Guide PDF — the 60-minute repeatable workflow

Pair with the Sub Compliance Tracker

This kit handles the onboarding. The Sub Compliance Tracker ($37) handles the ongoing (COI expiration, license renewal, OSHA re-cert). Together for $74, you have the full subcontractor lifecycle in templates.

Important — please read

The included Master Subcontractor Agreement is a STARTER template. It is NOT a finished legal document. Have your construction attorney review and customize it for your jurisdiction before using it with any subcontractor. Anti-indemnity statutes vary by state and may make certain provisions in the starter MSA unenforceable as-is.

Insurance requirement language is illustrative only — work with your own insurance broker for scope-of-work-specific coverage. W-9 / 1099 tracking is a record-keeping tool, not tax advice — consult your CPA.

LaunchLocal is not affiliated with the IRS, OSHA, any state contractor board, or any insurance broker/carrier. Full disclaimers in the workbook "Disclaimers" tab and the included PDF.

  Disclaimer · Onboarding templates
  Any prequalification form, scope document, or contract template included is a starting point, not legal advice and not attorney-drafted for your jurisdiction. The forms and templates have not been reviewed for compliance with your state's contractor licensing statutes, prevailing-wage rules, or mechanics-lien requirements. Consult a licensed construction attorney before using on jobs over $50,000 or on commercial work. Affiliation notice: LaunchLocal is not affiliated with the IRS, OSHA, any state contractor board, or any insurance broker or carrier. Verify subcontractor insurance status directly with the issuing carrier before mobilization. Full LaunchLocal disclaimer.

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