Asset and Facility Owners

Why specify QP as an asset or facility owner?

As a facility owner, you recognize the importance of protective coatings when it comes to safeguarding facilities and other corporate or government assets. To preserve and maintain structures, coatings and linings are the best long-term value.

Selecting the right coating is just one aspect of a successful project. It is critical that work is done according to specification including proper surface preparation, and application. You need trained professionals familiar with current standards and practices with a proven track record. That’s what you get with an SSPC QP contractor (now AMPP QP)—the experience, knowledge, and equipment to produce quality work that meets all applicable guidelines.

Sample Specification Language Find a Contractor

Learn about solutions for Asset Owners to help protect and lengthen asset life and promote sustainability.

Get more for your project when you specify QP

Pre-qualification

The QP Program can be used as a pre-qualification process for the selection of coatings contractors for your projects.

Risk reduction

Risks are reduced with the use of properly trained personnel along with industry-approved processes for coatings work.

Experienced contractors

When using QP Accredited contractors, you know that they have the experience, qualifications, and internal procedures to do the job right.

Asset longevity

Increase the life of valuable assets through properly applied coatings that will extend asset life as well as reduce the risk for asset failure.

Need help getting started or with contractor selection?

Hear from a specifying facility owner

What was your experience using non-accredited contractors?

What was the cost to your business using non-accredited contractors?

Painting contractor accreditation programs

The painting contractor accreditation programs are based on consensus standards developed by a diverse committee of industry professionals. It is a nationally recognized independent contractor evaluation program, as well as a pre-qualification tool developed for asset and facility owners and others who hire industrial painting contractors.

Each program reviews the industrial painting contractor’s primary ability to provide quality work in accordance with applicable safety, health, and environmental compliance standards. The program is divided into the following categories:

QP 1 evaluates contractors who perform surface preparation and industrial coating application on steel structures in the field.

QP 2 is a supplement to QP 1 that evaluates the contractor’s ability to perform industrial hazardous paint removal in a field operation. Two QP 2 categories are available based on the type of equipment and containment

  • Category A – Negative Air Containment
  • Category B – No Negative Air Containment

QP 3 evaluates a contracting company’s ability to perform surface preparation and protective coating application in a fixed shop facility. SSPC issues three categories of shop accreditation:

  • Enclosed Shop
  • Covered Shop
  • Open Shop

QP 6 evaluates the qualifications of industrial thermal spray (metallizing) contractors and defines a minimum standard to evaluate the contractor’s capability to evaluate and accept the preparation of the surface to be metallized and to thermally spray:

  • (1) coatings of aluminum, zinc, and their alloys for corrosion protection of steel and/or
  • (2) zinc anodes on steel reinforced concrete.

QP 7 is the Painting Contractor Introductory Program, which is designed to verify the capabilities of contractors with less than 6 months experience performing industrial surface preparation and coating application in the field.

QP 8 evaluates the qualifications of contractors hired to install polymer coatings or surfacings on concrete and other cementitious surfaces in commercial, institutional, and industrial facilities.

QP Overview Brochure

Sample specification language

The below language can be used as a guide to communicate your requirement for QP to your contractors as well as language to include in your specifications.

Notice to Contractors for Field or Shop Application:
This is to advise all concerned parties that projects advertised on or after ________ will require that any painting contractors engaged in surface preparation and coating application be accredited according to AMPP SSPC-QP 1 for field application and AMPP SSPC-QP 3, Enclosed Shop, for shop application.

Notice to Contractors for Field Removal of Hazardous Coatings:
Please be advised that projects advertised on or after ________ will require that ANY contractor or subcontractor engaged in hazardous coating removal or disturbance during the surface preparation process be accredited by AMPP under AMPP SSPC-QP 2, Category “A.” This accreditation is in addition to the AMPP SSPC-QP 1 accreditation currently required for any contractor/subcontractor engaged in surface preparation and coating application on steel structures or other industrial structures and components required in the contract. If only surface preparation and coating application are required by the contract (for new steel applications) then only AMPP SSPC-QP 1 accreditation will be required.

For Project Specifications Related to Field or Shop Coating Application:
All contractors and subcontractors that perform surface preparation or coating application shall be accredited by the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP) to the requirements of AMPP SSPC-QP 1 for field application and AMPP SSPC-QP 3 for shop application prior to contract award and shall remain accredited while accomplishing any surface preparation or coating application. The painting contractors and painting subcontractors must remain so accredited for the duration of the project. If a contractor’s or subcontractor’s accreditation expires, the company will not be allowed to perform any work until the accreditation is reissued. Requests for extension of time for any delay to the completion of the project due to an inactive accreditation will not be considered and liquidated damages will apply. Notify the Owner of any change in contractor accreditation status.

Coating & lining inspection company accreditation

QP 5 is an accreditation for Inspection Companies whose focus is the industrial coating and lining industry. QP 5 evaluates an inspection company’s ability to provide consistent quality inspection of coatings & linings for its clients.
Why choose a QP5 inspection company

QS 1 is the standard procedure in the SSPC PCCP program that requires participating contractors to implement and document more stringent (ISO 9001 Compliant) quality control and record-keeping procedures than those included SSPC-QP 1, SSPC-QP 3, etc. Owners and specifiers who require a higher level of quality control for their projects may request that contractors already qualified to standards such as SSPC-QP 1, QP 3, QP 6, QP 8 or others also present evidence that their quality systems meet the requirements of QS 1.

Painting contractors who apply architectural paints and coatings

QP 9 contains requirements for evaluating the qualifications of painting contractors who apply architectural coatings on commercial or institutional structures, and defines a minimum standard for qualification.

Disciplinary Action Criteria (DAC)

The Disciplinary Action Criteria, first released in January 1998, is the consensus document that establishes criteria to discipline SSPC accredited contractors who violate safety, quality, environmental, and ethical practice standards of performance as is outlined in SSPC’s contractor accreditation programs (QP 1, QP 2, QP 3, QP 6, QP 8, QP 9, QN 1, and QS 1).

Once certified, each contractor must work within the rules and standards outlined in the program. If the standards are not met, the contractor is subject to the DAC’s penalties: warning, probation, suspension, or revocation.

DAC Violations Page

Select your next contractor with ease

Specifying QP for your industrial coating project means a simplified contractor selection process by leveling the playing field of requirements. This allows you to only look at contractors that satisfy your criteria and then allow you to select the lowest qualified bid.

Here is how to specify QP for your upcoming project

Contact us to get started on including the language necessary for your upcoming project. We can advise on the best course of action to help in your selection process that will deliver the best match for your business.

QP Asset Owners