The government has today published the Supply Chain Plan guidance and questionnaire for Allocation Round 5. 

Key changes to Supply Chain Plans for AR5:
•    Floating Offshore Wind projects smaller than 300MW will be included in the Supply Chain Plan (SCP) process
•    Raising the SCP pass mark from 50% to 60% (except for Floating Offshore Wind projects smaller than 300MW for whom the pass mark will be 50%)
•    Introduction of feedback sessions into the Supply Chain Plan process to give applicants the opportunity to make amendments to a plan during the assessment process.
•    Introduction of a new template for the supply chain plan questionnaire to provide more clarity
 
In order to qualify for a Contract for Difference (CfD) Allocation Round, CfD applicants for a generating station with generation capacity of 300MW or more - and from Allocation Round 5, CfD applicants for Floating Offshore Wind projects of any size - will be required to provide National Grid ESO (as Delivery Body) with a statement by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy approving the Supply Chain Plan submitted in respect of that station.
The applicant’s responses to the scored sections of the Supply Chain Plan questionnaire will be assessed to determine award of this Supply Chain Plan statement of approval, and hence eligibility to participate in the CfD scheme.
 
These documents set out the process for submitting and assessing supply chain plans for Allocation Round 5:
•    the Supply Chain Plan questionnaire for projects over 300MW
•    the Supply Chain Plan questionnaire for Floating Offshore Wind projects under 300MW
•    guidance on how to complete the questionnaire and on the Supply Chain Plan process as a whole
•    a copy of the relevant tables to complete as part of the Supply Chain Plan questionnaire

Successful applicants also need to receive a Supply Chain Implementation Statement from the Secretary of State confirming they have successfully passed their Supply Chain Plan implementation assessment in order to fulfil one of their CfD Operational Condition Precedents (OCP).