Beyond Standard Screening Packages: What is Contractor Endorsement and What Is it Used For? 

When searching the web, a lot of terms are thrown around referring to different documents you should collect and steps you need to take to qualify contractors and vendors before they arrive on-site. You may wonder, what exactly does contractor endorsement mean?  Or maybe, when can I use a contractor endorsement service?  

Our goal at Certified Contractors is to help you simplify finding qualified contractor vendors screened to your standards and provide as much clarity as possible so you can manage contractor site access like a pro. The more you know, the better prepared you are to confidently identify the steps you need to take to meet your site’s needs for any contracted role. In this article, we will cover what contractor endorsement is, its limitations, and what qualifications you can use an endorsement service for. 

What is Contractor Endorsement?

Endorsements help fill the gaps in standard contractor screening packages by providing formal documentation and screening results that are not part of a standard contractor screening package. They involve formal acknowledgement and a copy of the contractor's screening results for specific roles that legally require complete and clear documentation for certain screening types.  

Example: A school may legally require a Child Abuse Registry search and documented proof on file for contractors. However, a Child Abuse Registry is not included in a standard contractor screening package; an endorsement could be used to document and confirm that screening results have been cleared to fulfill the requirement.  

In short, endorsement is a form of documentation for screening that standard screening packages do not cover. It is usually used for more sensitive and regulated positions. Endorsements also include a copy of the screening results for positions that require physical proof that a particular test has been cleared.  

Usage and Limitations of Contractor Endorsements 

It may sound like using an endorsement service is always a good idea, but it’s important to understand when it’s appropriate to use one.  While they can help you identify the best contractors for the job and be necessary in some scenarios, endorsements can also introduce legal complexities that don't align with specific regulatory requirements in other cases. For example, some states do not allow Abuse Registry checks for non-employment purposes, which can include contractors, and not all states have an Abuse Registry. While a completed and cleared Abuse Registry search may be a legal requirement for contractors to access a job site in one scenario, it is not legal in other contexts in some states.  Some roles may legally require sites to have documented proof on file that contractors have passed a particular screening or test in your industry, which requires endorsement.  

The bottom line: Circumstances can vary depending on the specific details of your situation, so you should always consult your legal counsel before determining if an endorsement suits your contractor credentialing.  

What Qualifications Can You Use an Endorsement Service For? 

Endorsement services can be used for various screening applications that are not included in a standard screening package. Some examples of common use cases certifying an endorsement for contractors are:  

• Adult Abuse Registry  
• Child Abuse Registry  
• E-Verify  
• Media Records Search Basic  
• Motor Vehicle Report  
• Professional License  
• OIG (Office of Inspector General) Sanctions Report  

For certain roles, an endorsement service is an important step in verifying that contractors who work on your site meet the screening qualifications you need, backed by documented proof. Certified Contractors offers multiple screening levels to fit your needs and is free for sites to use. We make searching for a qualified vendor easy by allowing sites to choose from any of the standard screening packages to find qualified vendors. To help support sites that require contractor endorsement, Certified Contractors now allows sites to add an endorsement requirement to standard screening levels for roles requiring additional screening and documentation!   

Interested in learning more? Talk with a team member to discover how Certified Contractors can seamlessly incorporate vendor endorsements into your standard screening package to support compliance and help you find qualified vendors. Get started here.  

The use cases in this article are for informational purposes only. Legal requirements and laws can vary substantially. All sites should meet with their legal counsel to determine the best course of action in each scenario.