§ 09 — Suppliers
Supplier & Procurement
Wepex Group procures $14.2 billion annually across 26 countries. Our supply chain is the backbone of every project we deliver. We seek suppliers who share our commitment to safety, quality, sustainability, and ethical conduct.
Overview
Working with Wepex Group
Wepex Group's global procurement function manages over 12,000 active supplier relationships spanning raw materials, fabricated steel, specialist subcontracts, professional services, plant and equipment, and logistics. Our annual procurement spend of $14.2 billion represents approximately 62% of group revenue, reflecting the capital-intensive nature of the infrastructure we deliver.
We structure our supply chain around three principles: resilience — every critical category has at least two qualified sources; transparency — all tenders are conducted through our digital procurement platform with full audit trails; and responsibility — all suppliers must meet Wepex Group's Standards for Suppliers, which cover labour rights, environmental management, anti-bribery, and data protection.
Our procurement teams are organised by category — civils and structural steel, mechanical and electrical, marine and dredging, digital and technology, and professional services — each led by a Category Director with deep market expertise. This structure ensures that we engage suppliers who understand the technical and regulatory demands of the sectors we serve.
Requirements
Vendor requirements & standards
Pre-qualification
All new suppliers must complete our online pre-qualification questionnaire before participating in any Wepex Group tender. The questionnaire assesses financial stability (minimum Dun & Bradstreet rating of 4A2 or equivalent), technical capability, quality management systems (ISO 9001 or equivalent), health and safety performance (incident frequency rates below industry median), and environmental management (ISO 14001 certification preferred). Pre-qualification is valid for 24 months and must be renewed thereafter. We process pre-qualification applications within 15 business days.
Standards for Suppliers
Every supplier with a contract value exceeding $50,000 must comply with the Wepex Group Standards for Suppliers. These standards address: zero-tolerance policy on forced labour, child labour, and human trafficking; maximum working hours and minimum wage compliance in all jurisdictions; freedom of association and collective bargaining rights; environmental management including waste, emissions, and biodiversity; anti-bribery and anti-corruption, including hospitality and gifts registers; data protection and information security; and health and safety, including Wepex Group's Life Saving Rules. Non-compliance may result in contract suspension or termination.
Due diligence & audits
Wepex Group conducts risk-based due diligence on all suppliers at onboarding and throughout the contract lifecycle. For suppliers in high-risk categories or jurisdictions, this includes: Enhanced KYC (Know Your Customer) checks; on-site audits by Wepex Group ESG assessors; review of supply chain traceability for conflict minerals and timber; anti-bribery due diligence per the UK Bribery Act and US FCPA; and sanctions screening against OFAC, EU, and UN lists. We completed 847 supplier audits in FY2024 across 31 countries.
Insurance & bonding
Suppliers must maintain minimum insurance coverage appropriate to the scope of work: employer's liability of not less than $10 million per occurrence; public liability of not less than $20 million per occurrence; professional indemnity of not less than $5 million per claim; and motor vehicle liability as required by applicable law. For contracts exceeding $5 million, Wepex Group may require performance bonds and retention guarantees from A-rated sureties.
Payment terms
Wepex Group standard payment terms are 45 days from receipt of a valid invoice. We are committed to the Prompt Payment Code and have achieved an average payment time of 34 days across the group. For small and medium enterprises (fewer than 250 employees), we offer accelerated payment terms of 30 days. Suppliers submit invoices exclusively through our digital procurement platform, which provides real-time tracking of payment status.
Diversity
Supplier diversity programme
Wepex Group's Supplier Diversity Programme was established in 2017 with a commitment to ensure that businesses owned by underrepresented groups have equitable access to our procurement processes. We define diverse suppliers as those that are at least 51% owned, operated, and controlled by members of the following groups: women; ethnic and racial minorities; veterans and service-disabled veterans; LGBTQ+ individuals; and persons with disabilities. We also recognise small and medium enterprises operating in economically disadvantaged regions.
Our programme operates across three pillars: access — ensuring diverse suppliers are aware of Wepex Group opportunities through outreach events, trade fairs, and partnerships with organisations including the National Minority Supplier Development Council, Women's Business Enterprise National Council, and Minority Supplier Development UK; capability — providing mentoring, training, and access to finance through our partnership with the Wepex Foundation; and accountability — tracking diverse supplier spend at the division level with targets reviewed by the Board annually.
$1.4B
Diverse supplier spend in FY2024
2,340
Active diverse suppliers
10%
Target diverse spend by 2028
Registration
How to become a Wepex supplier
01
Register on the Wepex Procurement Portal
Create an account at procurement.wepexgroup.com. You will need your company registration number, tax identification number, Dun & Bradstreet D-U-N-S number, and primary contact details. Registration takes approximately 20 minutes.
02
Complete pre-qualification
Submit the pre-qualification questionnaire. Attach your ISO certifications, insurance certificates, health and safety statistics for the past three years, and financial statements. Our team will review your submission within 15 business days.
03
Category review
Once pre-qualified, your profile will be reviewed by the relevant Category Director. They will assess whether your capabilities align with Wepex Group's current and anticipated needs. You may be invited to an introductory meeting or site visit.
04
Receive tender invitations
Approved suppliers receive automatic notifications for tenders matching their category, geography, and capacity. All tenders are published on the procurement portal with full specifications, evaluation criteria, and submission deadlines.
05
Contract and onboarding
Successful bidders execute Wepex Group's standard terms and conditions, which incorporate our Standards for Suppliers, data protection addendum, and anti-bribery warranty. You will be assigned a Supplier Relationship Manager and onboarded onto our digital procurement platform for invoicing, document exchange, and performance tracking.
Contact Procurement
For questions about registration, pre-qualification, or the supplier diversity programme, please contact our Global Procurement team.
Email: procurement@wepexgroup.com
Portal: procurement.wepexgroup.com
Diversity: diversity@wepexgroup.com