Contractor Questionnaire Template
What this is
The long-form questionnaire a surety asks a contractor to complete before it will write bonds for you. It covers ownership, experience, accounting, references, insurance, and prior bonding history — the qualitative half of underwriting that sits alongside your financial statements.
You fill this out once when you start a surety relationship, and refresh it when something material changes: new owners, new geography, new type of work, new CPA.
Handle this document carefully. This form collects Social Security numbers and dates of birth for every officer and shareholder, plus personal ownership percentages. A completed copy is a ready-made identity theft kit for your entire ownership group.
- Transmit it only through a secure channel — your surety's or broker's encrypted portal, or an encrypted file transfer. Never as a plain email attachment, and never through consumer file-sharing links that anyone with the URL can open.
- Store it encrypted. A password-protected folder on a shared drive is not encryption. Use full-disk or file-level encryption, and keep the key off the same drive.
- Restrict access to the two or three people who genuinely need it. Do not leave a printed copy in the accounting binder or on a desk.
- Destroy old copies. Shred paper, securely delete files. Superseded versions serve no purpose and carry the same risk as the current one.
- If you must send partial information, send the questionnaire without the SSN and DOB column and provide those separately, directly to the underwriter.
When you use it
- Starting a relationship with a new surety, or adding a second surety
- Moving to a new broker or agency, who will re-submit you
- Your existing surety asks for a refreshed file after a change in ownership
- You are stepping up in size or into a new type of work and the underwriter reopens the file
- A large owner runs its own prequalification and asks for equivalent information
How to fill it in
Answer every question. "N/A" is an answer; blank is not. An underwriter reading a form with fifteen blanks assumes the worst about all fifteen. If a question genuinely does not apply, write N/A and move on.
Question 3 — the ownership table — is the one people get wrong. List every officer, every key employee whose departure would hurt, and every shareholder, including minority ones. Percentages must total 100%. If an entity (a trust, a holding company) owns shares, name it and then name the humans behind it.
Question 4 — personal indemnity. The honest answer is almost always yes. Sureties require the owners and their spouses to sign a general indemnity agreement (a contract promising to repay the surety for any loss it pays out on your bonds). Answering "no" here without a real explanation ends most submissions. If there is a reason — a divorce decree, a shareholder who is a passive investor — explain it in a sentence rather than leaving it.
Questions 6 and 7 — continuity and buyout. If your business is one 62-year-old owner with no succession plan and no key-man life insurance, the surety already suspects it. Say so and say what you are doing about it. A contractor with an honest gap and a plan underwrites better than one with a vague answer.
Question 9 — bankruptcy and prior surety loss. Disclose. The surety will find it. A disclosed problem from nine years ago is a conversation; an undiscovered one found later is a misrepresentation on a signed form, and it can void your program.
Question 17 — largest uncompleted work. This is the number the underwriter compares against what you are now asking for. It is the total value of work under contract but not yet finished, at the peak moment, not annual revenue. If you have never carried more than $8M of open backlog, asking for $20M of aggregate capacity needs a story.
Question 18 — three largest completed contracts. Include gross profit, and use real numbers. This is where an underwriter checks whether you make money on big jobs or only on small ones. A contractor whose largest jobs produced the thinnest margins has just told the underwriter where their capacity ceiling is.
Questions 29 to 31 — references. Call them first. Reference calls get made, and a supplier contact who left two years ago reads as sloppiness.
Question 32 — previous sureties and reason for leaving. "The agent retired" and "they non-renewed us" are both acceptable answers. Only one of them is acceptable if it is not true.
Rule of thumb. Budget half a day for a first-time completion, and pull the financial attachments at the same time. The questionnaire alone is not a submission — the document list at the bottom is what actually moves the file.
Watch out. The signature block authorizes the surety to pull personal credit on the owners. That is normal and you should expect it. What it also means is that the person who signs is representing that the whole form is accurate, so the person who signs should be the person who read it.
The template
1. Applicant
| Field | Answer |
|---|---|
| Name of firm | |
| Phone number | |
| Address (street, city, state, ZIP) | |
| Federal Tax ID # | |
| Website (added) | |
| Contractor license #(s) and state(s) (added) | |
| DUNS / UEI number, if you bid federal work (added) |
Organization
2. Type of business
- Corporation
- Partnership
- Limited Liability Company
- Proprietorship
Year business started: _______________
Years operated under current management: _______________
State of formation (added): _______________
3. Officers, key personnel, and shareholders
| Name | Date of birth | Social Security number | % ownership (if any) | Position | Years in construction | Years w/ company | Previous employer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ownership percentages must total 100%.
4. Will shareholders and spouses personally indemnify the surety? [ ] Yes [ ] No
If no, explain: ______________________________________________________________
5. Are any shareholder assets held in trusts? [ ] Yes [ ] No
If trusts exist, will they indemnify the surety? [ ] Yes [ ] No
If no, explain: ______________________________________________________________
6. Is a formal continuity plan in place for the succession of future management? [ ] Yes [ ] No
7. Is a formal buyout plan in place? [ ] Yes [ ] No
If so, is the buyout plan fully funded by life insurance or other means? [ ] Yes [ ] No
8. Subsidiary / affiliated companies
| Name | % of common ownership | Function / purpose of company | Operating company? |
|---|---|---|---|
| [ ] Yes [ ] No | |||
| [ ] Yes [ ] No | |||
| [ ] Yes [ ] No | |||
| [ ] Yes [ ] No | |||
| [ ] Yes [ ] No | |||
| [ ] Yes [ ] No |
9. Has any individual or company listed above ever filed for bankruptcy, or held a senior management position with a firm that caused a surety or a bank a loss? [ ] Yes [ ] No
If yes, explain on a separate sheet.
Experience and operations
10. What percentage of the firm's work is normally performed as:
- Prime contractor:
______ % - Subcontractor:
______ %
11. Type(s) of construction contracts sought: _________________________________
12. Within the kind of construction usually sought, which sub-specialties are typically performed by your own forces and which are subcontracted?
| Performed in house | Subcontracted |
|---|---|
13. What percentage of the firm's work is typically subcontracted? ______ %
14. What criteria does the firm use to determine if a subcontractor will be bonded?
______________________________________________________________________________
Subcontractor default insurance (SDI) used instead of bonds? [ ] Yes [ ] No (added)
15. Approximate % of work annually performed for the following owner types
| Owner type | % |
|---|---|
| Governmental | |
| Institutional | |
| Utilities | |
| Industrial | |
| Developers | |
| Private / commercial (added) |
16. Approximate % of contracts by payment terms
| Payment terms | % |
|---|---|
| Fixed price | |
| Cost-plus | |
| Cost-plus a fixed fee | |
| Cost-plus with a maximum upset price | |
| Design-build / GMP (added) | |
| Others |
17. What is the largest amount of uncompleted work undertaken by your firm (100% basis)?
Amount: $_______________ Year: _______________
18. Your three largest completed contracts
| Description | Year completed | Contract price | Gross profit | Owner | Contact / phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
19. Describe the two most technically difficult projects (regardless of size) you have undertaken, and why each was difficult.
| Name of project | Why it was technically difficult |
|---|---|
20. Is the organization applying for suretyship a:
- Union
- Non-union
- Double-breasted
- Open shop contractor
21. In what geographic area do you work? ___________________________________
Have you ever worked outside your normal geographic area? [ ] Yes [ ] No
If so, where? _______________________________________________________________
22. Has the applicant and/or its related companies and owners engaged in:
| Activity | Yes | No | Activity | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joint ventures | [ ] | [ ] | Turn-key contracts | [ ] | [ ] |
| Foreign contracts | [ ] | [ ] | Design work | [ ] | [ ] |
| Real estate development | [ ] | [ ] | Contracts lasting more than two years | [ ] | [ ] |
| Public-private partnerships (P3) (added) | [ ] | [ ] | Self-performed design-build (added) | [ ] | [ ] |
Accounting
23. Name of accounting firm: _______________________________________________
How long? _______________ Contact / phone: _______________________________
24. On what level of assurance are financial statements prepared, and how often (annual / semi-annual / quarterly / monthly)?
- CPA audit:
_______________ - CPA review:
_______________ - CPA compilation:
_______________ - Internal:
_______________
Revenue recognition method (percentage of completion / completed contract) (added):
_______________
25. Do you have a full-time accountant on staff? [ ] Yes [ ] No
Years of experience: _______________
26. In-house software: ___________________________________________________
27. Are job records kept? [ ] Yes [ ] No
If yes, how often reviewed? _______________ How often updated? _______________
Do they show job detail? [ ] Yes [ ] No Frequency? _______________
Do you produce a work-in-progress (WIP) schedule showing costs to date, estimated cost to
complete, billings and earned revenue by job? [ ] Yes [ ] No Frequency? ______ (added)
Bank lines of credit
28.
| Name of bank | Contact / phone | Type of line / amount | Expiry / renewal date (added) | Amount currently drawn (added) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
References
29. List three architects or engineers
| Name of architect / engineer | Contact / phone | Owner / project |
|---|---|---|
30. List five major suppliers
| Name of supplier | Contact / phone | Type of service / project |
|---|---|---|
31. List five subcontractors
| Name of subcontractor | Contact / phone | Type of subcontractor |
|---|---|---|
Previous bonding companies
32.
| Name of surety | How long? | Reason for leaving |
|---|---|---|
Any bond claim, default, or loss paid by a prior surety? [ ] Yes [ ] No (added) If yes, explain on a separate sheet.
Life insurance on key personnel
33.
| Name of key personnel | Amount | Beneficiary | Policy owner (added) |
|---|---|---|---|
Insurance
34.
| Coverage | Single limit | Aggregate limit | Name of carrier | Expiration date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General liability | $ | $ | ||
| Auto liability | $ | $ | ||
| Umbrella | $ | $ | ||
| Workers compensation | $ | $ | ||
| Professional / contractors pollution (added) | $ | $ | ||
| Builders risk (added) | $ | $ | ||
| Cyber (added) | $ | $ |
Miscellaneous
35. Are the companies or shareholders listed above acting as guarantors for bank, surety, or other obligations for companies not already listed on this questionnaire? [ ] Yes [ ] No
If yes, provide details on a separate sheet.
36. Through what fiscal year have your accounts been cleared as a result of an IRS audit?
_______________
37. Is your company involved in lien actions or lawsuits not already noted in your latest financial statement? [ ] Yes [ ] No
If yes, explain briefly: _____________________________________________________
Safety (added)
39. Experience modification rate (EMR) for the last three policy years:
| Policy year | EMR | Rating bureau / state |
|---|---|---|
40. OSHA 300 recordable incidents:
| Year | Recordables | Lost-time cases | Total hours worked | TRIR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
41. Do you have a written safety program? [ ] Yes [ ] No
Full-time safety personnel? [ ] Yes [ ] No How many? ______
Any OSHA citations in the last three years? [ ] Yes [ ] No If yes, explain on a separate sheet.
Any fatality on a company project, ever? [ ] Yes [ ] No
Substance abuse policy and testing program in place? [ ] Yes [ ] No
Technology and systems (added)
42. Describe the systems you run the business on. Underwriters read this as a proxy for how quickly you would know a job was going bad.
| System | Product / version | In use since | Who owns it internally |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting / job costing | |||
| Estimating | |||
| Project management | |||
| Scheduling | |||
| Field time capture / payroll | |||
| Document control / plans |
How often is job cost data updated from the field? _______________
How long after month end do you close the books and produce a WIP schedule? ______ days
Do you carry cyber insurance and run offsite backups? [ ] Yes [ ] No
Comments
38. Use this space for additional information about your work experience, history, unique capabilities, level and degree of computerization, and anything else that helps the surety understand your company.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Signature
The applicant represents that the above statements and responses are accurate and authorizes the surety, its affiliates, and/or their agents to contact the references listed above. In addition, as part of the underwriting process, the surety retains the right to investigate personal credit history. To the extent required by law, the surety will, upon request, provide notice whether or not a consumer report has been requested, and if so, the name and address of the consumer reporting agency furnishing the report.
| Prepared by (name) | Position | Signature | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
Information needs — send these with the questionnaire
The form on its own does not start underwriting. These attachments do.
- Last three fiscal year-end financial statements with supporting schedules
- Job schedules (both open and closed jobs)
- Accounts receivable and accounts payable aging schedules
- G&A schedule
- Current interim financial statement with supporting schedules
- Related party financial statements with supporting schedules, if any
- Personal financial statements for all owners with supporting schedules, including:
- Real estate schedule
- Marketable securities schedule
- Investment schedule
- Trust agreements, if any owner assets are held in trusts
- Operational information: organizational chart, resumes for owners and key personnel, reference letters, business plan outlining type of work, growth and profit objectives
- Bank information: copy of bank lines and agreements
- Continuity plan: life insurance, buy-sell agreement
- LLC articles and operating agreement, if applicable
- Certificates of insurance for all coverages listed above (added)
- Copy of your contractor license(s) (added)
- Two most recent business tax returns (added)
- Current work-in-progress schedule as of the interim date (added)
Notes and common mistakes
Sending it as a plain email attachment. Read the callout at the top again. This is the single most common handling failure with this document, and it is entirely avoidable.
Filling it in and never updating it. The questionnaire is a snapshot. When ownership changes, when you add a new state, when your CPA changes, tell your producer. Underwriters dislike learning about a change in ownership from a financial statement footnote.
Understating backlog on question 17 to look conservative. It works against you. Question 17 is evidence you have carried size before, and carrying size before is the main argument for being given more.
Leaving gross profit blank on question 18. Contractors leave it blank because it feels private. The surety will get it from your job schedules anyway, and the blank just reads as evasive.
Treating the reference lists as a formality. Reference calls are made, and a good supplier reference from someone who genuinely knows your payment habits is one of the cheapest credibility wins in the whole file.
Ask your surety. How often do they want this refreshed — annually with the year-end statement, or only on a material change? Practice varies, and knowing the answer keeps you from redoing a four-hour form for no reason.
Once the questionnaire is in, the rest of the submission is documents. Work through the surety submission checklist and see getting bonded for what happens next.