Company Qualification / DPS

Once a Flexibility Service provider (FSP) is registered on Piclo, the next step is to complete the company qualification for each relevant System Operator (SO).

SOs may require FSPs to complete a Company Qualification form (DPS) on Piclo Flex. This helps SOs to pre-qualify the contracting entity of the Flexibility Service Provider before bidding.

This will require collecting company documentation, including insurance and audited accounts. It may also require a signed contract, such as a Framework Agreement, to be uploaded to the platform by the System Operator.

Provider assets will not be eligible for competitions requiring Company Qualification, until the provider has been approved by the System Operator.

It is strongly advised to begin the application process in advance. Applications may take time for System Operators to review.

The information supplied in the form should relate to the entity that you expect to sign contracts with the System Operator. If you are representing multiple contracting entities, such as accounts representing multiple customers or Special Purpose Vehicles, please describe this in the form. Supporting documentation in ZIP files can be uploaded in the form to accommodate further documentation from multiple entities which cannot fit within the form.

The process is as follows:

Go to via Manage > Applications to view the available DPS applications to choose from, from each System Operatoer (SO)
Select the relevant DPS application and select ‘Apply’ in the top right corner.
Fill in all of the required fields.
1. Documentation on the organisation will be required, such as insurance policies and accounts, and possibly a Framework Agreement Contract (see further details and a summary of the DPS content below).
Once the application is submitted, the SO receives a notification of the new application.
The SO will then review the application and can decide to approve or reject.
If an application is rejected, the SO is required to provide a reason. An email will be sent to notify the FSP of this decision.
After a rejected application, it is possible to edit the application and re-submit any number of times.
If an application is approved, an email notification is sent, but no further action is required. FSPs will now qualify for competitions where applicable, assuming qualifying assets are in competition areas and meet the qualification criteria, which can be viewed in asset qualification.

Please note: no assets will qualify for a competition where an application has yet been completed and approved. It is heavily advised to begin the application process in advance. Applications may take time for SOs to review and confirm applications.

Details of Each Stage of the Application

1. Organisation profile

Information about the contracting entity in the Flexibility Services contract with the System Operator, including details about what relationship it has with the assets. This section includes:

Organisation type
Registered number
VAT number
Parent organisation details
Legal relationship with assets

2. Organisation status

Information relating to the historic and current financial status of the business.

3. Auditing, insurance and legal

Copies of audited accounts, insurance policies, and relevant legal liabilities.

Please note - only 1 file can be uploaded per question (this can be a ZIP file to accommodate multiple)

4. Declare and submit application

Final declaration of truth in the form. The System Operator may also require a signed contract to be submitted at this stage.

Submission History

Once an application has been submitted, a new entry will appear under submission history which will allow the FSP to view the status of the application. There are three application statuses detailed below:

Pending approval
- The application has been submitted and is in the process of being reviewed by the SO.
Approved
- The application has been successfully approved by the SO.
Rejected
- The application has been rejected and a reason will be provided by the SO. An FSP can then reapply, making any necessary corrections.

Instructions for Applying within US

Please refer to the below table, organised by section, when completing your company application:

Section	Question(s)	Guidance for FSPs
1. Organisation profile	Registered address postcode	Enter organisation's ZIP code
	Organisation type	Select one of the following depending on your organisation's entity type: If Corporation, select 'Private company limited by shares' If Limited Liability Company (LLC), Limited Partnership (LP), or Limited Liability Partnership (LLP), select 'Limited Liability Partnership' If Non-profit, select 'Charity' If none of the above, select whichever type is the closest fit
	What is this organisation's registration number?	Enter Federal Tax ID / EIN
	Country of registration Year of registration	Enter if registration is applicable
	VAT number	Ignore this field
	What is the legal relationship with the flexibility assets?	Provide details of contractual obligations pertaining to the assets (i.e., are they owned by the organisation, or owned by third parties that you rely on to dispatch?, does your organisation or the parent organisation own the assets?)
	Describe the asset management and ownership structure?	Provide details of organisation's ownership by a parent organisation (i.e., is your organisation owned by an international company with local corporation or LLC entities?, does your organisation set up special-purpose entities to own assets regionally or locally?)
2. Organisation status	Is this organisation currently, or has it ever been in receivership?	Select ‘Yes’ and provide details if your organisation is or has been placed under custodial administration of another entity, due to circumstances such as being insolvent, unable to meet financial obligations, or breaching laws or regulations
	Is this organisation currently, or has it ever been in administration?	Select ‘Yes’ and provide details if your organisation is or has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
	Is this organisation currently, or has it ever been in liquidation?	Select ‘Yes’ and provide details if your organisation is or has had to sell off its assets to pay off a lender's debts, typically during bankruptcy process
	Is this organisation currently, or has it ever been unable to pay its debts as they fall due (within the meaning of Section 268 Insolvency Act 1986)?	Select ‘Yes’ and provide details if your organisation is or has been unable to pay its debts when the lender has requested them to pay
	Is this organisation currently, or has it ever had, in the past 3 years, any petitions for winding up (other than vexatious petitions)?	Select ‘Yes’ and provide details if your organisation is or has been legally forced by a court to settle debts and liquidate assets, to dissolve the organisation
	Is this organisation currently, or has it ever been convicted of any of the offences or has any discretional exclusion occurred, as contained in Regulation 80 of the Utilities Contract Regulations 2016 (UCR), and listed in Regulation 57 (1) and 57 (8) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR)?	Select ‘Yes’ and provide details if your organisation is or has been excluded, by regulation, from utility RFPs, tenders, and contracts, such as due to noncompliance, unfair business practices, or the like
3. Auditing, insurance and legal	Please upload a file of your most recent audited financial accounts (covering at least two years or as much as you have). The file should also include a report of your credit history (e.g. Equifax report) as well as a Profit and Loss statement.	Provide three years of audited financial accounts. If your organisation a) intends to upload planned assets or new builds (as opposed to assets that are already operational or currently in development) to the Flex platform, and b) is funding these planned assets via a third party lender (as opposed to funding internally), please also obtain and upload a Letter of Credit from the lender.
	Does this organisation hold Public Liability Insurance?	Provide details of your organisation’s General Commercial Liability Insurance, if any policies are in place. Please enter current policy limits in USD, do not convert from GBP
	Does this organisation hold Professional Indemnity Insurance?	Provide details of your organisation’s Professional Liability (otherwise known as Errors & Omissions) Insurance, if any policies are in place. Please enter current policy limits in USD, do not convert from GBP
	Does this organisation have any outstanding insurance or legal claims (other than for routine matters)?	Please enter details only for claims >$500,000 USD
4. Declare and submit application	Add any other documentation that may support this application.	Please upload the following documentation to supplement your application: Documentation of health and safety policies and/or ISNetworld registration number Please provide information on the following (1 page max): Identify likely technology(ies) to be utilized (if known at this time) Describe your organisation's prior experience and success utilizing these technologies Describe your organisation's overall approach to procuring, installing, and dispatching these technologies If your organisation subcontracts construction of assets to another partner (e.g., EPC), provide details of your approach to vetting them
	Do you expect that this organisation’s Registered name, Trading name, or Parent name will be the entity named in any resulting contracts?	Please select "No" and provide the correct entity's name if the signatory of a competition / RFP / tender contract will be different from the registered legal, trading, or parent organisation entity entered above. Otherwise, select “Yes”