In Singapore, a BCA Registered Contractor refers to a company that is officially registered with the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) under the Contractors Registration System (CRS).
This registration is important because many public sector construction and building projects require contractors to be BCA-registered before they can tender for works. It serves as a mark of credibility, showing that the contractor meets the necessary standards of experience, financial capacity, and track record.
When a contractor is registered, it is classified under specific Workheads and Grades.
What Are Workheads?
A workhead is a classification system used by the BCA to categorize contractors based on their area of expertise. When a company registers with the BCA, it applies for one or more workheads that correspond to the type of construction work it performs. There are five major categories of workheads:
- Construction Workheads (CW): For general building and civil engineering.
- Construction-Related Workheads (CR): For specific trades like interior decoration, waterproofing, and demolition.
- Mechanical and Electrical Workheads (ME): For mechanical and electrical engineering services.
- Trade Heads (TR): For subcontractors.
- Regulatory Workheads (RW): For specific regulatory functions.
What Are Grades?
A grade is a further classification within each workhead that determines the maximum value of a public sector project a firm is eligible to tender for. The BCA assigns a grade to a firm based on its financial capacity and track record. A higher grade indicates a greater capacity to handle larger and more complex projects.
For example, for a Construction Workhead (CW), the grades can range from A1 (for projects with an unlimited tendering limit) down to C3 (for projects with a lower tendering limit).
Similarly, for Construction-Related Workheads (CR), grades may range from L6 (unlimited) down to L1 or a Single Grade. The higher the grade, the more stringent the registration requirements are.
Together, the workhead and grade provide a clear indication of a contractor’s capabilities and the types of projects they are eligible to undertake in Singapore’s construction industry.
Construction Workheads (CW)
These workheads are for general building and civil engineering works. Grades for this category are A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2, and C3. A1 has the highest tendering limit (unlimited), while C3 has the lowest.
| Workhead | Description | Grades |
| CW01 | General Building Covers all types of building works for residential, commercial, and institutional projects, including construction of multi-story car parks, industrial plants, and utility plants, as well as addition and alteration works involving structural changes. | A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2, C3 |
| CW02 | Civil Engineering Involves the construction of bridges, roads, drainage systems, underground structures, sea and river walls, and land reclamation works. | A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2, C3 |
Construction-Related Workheads (CR)
These workheads are for specialized construction services. The grades for most CR workheads are L6, L5, L4, L3, L2, L1. Some specific workheads have a single grade. L6 has the highest tendering limit (unlimited) for this category, while L1 has the lowest.
| Workhead | Description | Grades |
| CR01 | Minor Construction Works Minor building and civil engineering works not governed by the Building Control Act, such as minor roadworks, drainage, and landscape works. | Single Grade |
| CR02 | Corrosion Protection For contractors specializing in corrosion protection works. | L1, L2, L3 |
| CR03 | Demolition For works involving the demolition of structures. | Single Grade |
| CR04 | Fencing & Ironworks For the installation of fences and ironworks. | L1, L2, L3, L4, L5 |
| CR05 | Concrete Repairs For the repair of concrete structures. | L1, L2, L3, L4, L5 |
| CR06 | Interior Decoration & Finishing Works Covers interior design, planning, and decoration, including works like partitions, ceilings, plastering, and tiling. | L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6 |
| CR07 | Cable / Pipe Laying & Road Reinstatement For contractors involved in the laying of cables and pipes and the subsequent reinstatement of roads. | L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6 |
| CR08 | Piling Works For works related to the installation of piles for structural foundations. | L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6 |
| CR09 | Repairs & Redecoration For the repair and redecoration of buildings. | L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6 |
| CR10A | Automated Precast Concrete Production For the production of precast concrete components using automated processes. | Single Grade |
| CR10B | Precast Concrete Production For the production of precast concrete components. | L1, L2, L4, L5, L6 |
| CR11 | Signcraft Installation For the installation of signs. | L1, L2, L3, L4, L5 |
| CR12 | Ground Support & Stabilisation Works For works involving the stabilization and support of ground structures. | L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6 |
| CR13 | Waterproofing Installation For the installation of waterproofing systems. | L1, L2, L3, L4, L5 |
| CR14 | Asphalt Works & Road Marking For contractors specializing in laying asphalt and applying road markings. | L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6 |
| CR15 | Site Investigation Works For works related to the investigation and analysis of a construction site. | Single Grade |
| CR16 | Curtain Walls For the installation of curtain walls. | L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6 |
| CR17 | Windows For works related to the installation of windows. | Single Grade |
| CR18 | Doors For works related to the installation of doors. | Single Grade |
Mechanical & Electrical Workheads (ME)
These workheads are for mechanical and electrical installation and maintenance services. The grades for this category are L6, L5, L4, L3, L2, and L1.
| Workhead | Description | Grades |
| ME01 | Air-Conditioning, Refrigeration & Ventilation Works For the installation and maintenance of air-conditioning, refrigeration, and ventilation systems. | L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6 |
| ME02 | Building Automation, Industrial & Process Control Systems For the installation and maintenance of building control and process control systems. | L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6 |
| ME03 | Solar PV System Integration For the integration of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. | L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6 |
| ME04 | Communication & Security Systems For the installation of communication and security systems. | L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6 |
| ME05 | Electrical Engineering For electrical installation and engineering works. | L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6 |
| ME06 | Fire Prevention & Protection Systems For the installation and maintenance of fire prevention and protection systems. | L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6 |
| ME07 | High & Low Tension Overhead Line Installation For the installation of high and low tension overhead power lines. | L1, L2, L3 |
| ME08 | Internal Telephone Wiring for Telecommunications For works related to internal telephone wiring. | L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6 |
| ME09 | Lift & Escalator Installation For the installation of lifts and escalators. | L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6 |
| ME10 | Line Plant Cabling / Wiring for Telecommunications For works related to line plant cabling and wiring for telecommunications. | L1, L2, L3, L4, L5 |
| ME11 | Mechanical Engineering For general mechanical engineering works. | L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6 |
| ME12 | Plumbing & Sanitary Works For plumbing and sanitary works. | L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6 |
| ME13 | Traffic Light Systems For the installation of traffic light systems. | L1, L3, L6 |
| ME15 | Integrated Building Services For the integration of various building services. | L2, L3, L4, L5, L6 |
Other Workheads
BCA also has other categories for specific contractor types.
| Workhead | Category | Description | Grades |
| TR | Trade Heads | For sub-contractors and specialists for various trades, such as steel reinforcement, sheet piling, and scaffolding. | Single Grade |
| RW | Regulatory Workheads | These are regulatory workheads, and specific licenses or registrations may be required. | Not applicable |
