Qualification Assessment Document
All Systems Integration Testing (SIT) and Non-SIT participants that planned to Qualify in the MHHS arrangements should have reviewed and provide comments on this document.
The Qualification Assessment Document (QAD) set out the information and evidence that all Suppliers, Supplier Agents (Data Agents and Meter Equipment Managers (MEMs)), and Licensed Distribution System Operators (LDSOs) were required to provide to the Balancing & Settlement Code (BSC) and Retail Energy Code (REC) Code Bodies to be MHHS Qualified to operate the new arrangements. The QAD also covered the information that participants needed to provide to the Data Integration Platform (DIP) Manager for its assurance activities.
The QAD was developed through discussions with the MHHS Qualification Working Group (QWG) and Qualification Advisory Group (QAG).
The Code Bodies published the updated QAD for industry consultation, which closed on 26 February 2025. Thank you to all participants who submitted comments or confirmed review of the artefacts.
The Code Bodies reviewed and responded to all participant feedback. An update was given at the Qualification Working Group (QWG) on 11 March 2025, followed by approval of the updated document at the Qualification Advisory Group (QAG) on 20 March 2025, and the REC and BSC Performance Assurance Boards (PABs) on 25 and 27 March 2025, respectively.
You can view the latest versions (in PDF and Word format) including a red-lined version of QAD v5.0 below:
Qualification Assessment Document - PDF version
Qualification Assessment Document - Word version
Qualification Assessment Document (red-lined)
If you have any questions, please email MHHSQualification@elexon.co.uk
Qualification Assessment Document (QAD) Guidance
Ofgem approved the Balancing & Settlement Code (BSC) Modification, P476 Exemption from MHHS Requirements for Smart Meter Segment (SMS) Supplier Qualification on 23 January 2025.
P476 sought to allow the BSC Performance Assurance Board (PAB) to have the authority to exempt Suppliers from Smart Segment Qualification obligations, allowing Suppliers operating in the advanced market segment that do not have the systems, processes or controls in place to meet these obligations to be exempted from Design, Test and Build.
A paper was taken to the Retail Energy Code (REC) Performance Assurance Board in February 2025 to approve the principle that a Supplier may be granted a derogation on obligations around Smart Segment Meter Points when they complete MHHS Qualification with an approved exemption.
Following Ofgem’s approval of BSC Modification P476, the Code Bodies updated Section 5.1.1 of the Qualification Assessment Document (QAD), setting out additional criteria and expectations for participants that are seeking a SMS exemption. This includes asking Suppliers to provide detail on the controls they have in place to identify, prevent the onboarding and migration, and de-register any SMS Meter Points in their QAD Submissions.
Please note that the updates only applied to participants seeking a Smart Meter Segment exemption and did not impact Systems Integration Testing (SIT) participants or Non-SIT Licensed Distribution System Operators (LDSOs).
The Code Bodies created an Exemption Process for Smart Market Segment Guidance document that set out further details on the timescales and process steps for the exemption application. You can view this document below:
Completing the QAD
To support efficient review of information and evidence from parties, there were two formal QAD submission stages. The timeframes for submission were set out in Appendix C of the Qualification Approach & Plan (QA&P), which you can view on the Qualification Approach and Plan page of this website.
Please note that although we provided a PDF version of the QAD, the format of the QAD submission was via the QAD Portal. We also provided a Word version so that participants could prepare and draft their responses ahead of accessing the QAD Portal.
All Non-Systems Integration Testing (SIT) Suppliers & Agents were onboarded to the QAD Portal in the two weeks before the opening of their Initial QAD submission window, which was dictated by participants allocated Qualification Wave.
The Code Bodies and Data Integration Platform (DIP) Manager published clean and red-lined versions of the latest Qualification Assessment Document (QAD) Guidance (v2.2) to support participants to prepare their QAD submissions. This document provided guidance to all participants undergoing MHHS Qualification, specifically in relation to the Qualification Assessment Document (QAD) and the QAD Portal. You can view the clean and red-lined versions below:
Qualification Assessment Document Guidance v2.2 (Clean Version)
Qualification Assessment Document Guidance v2.2 (Red-lined Version)
The Code Bodies and DIP Manager regularly updated the guidance to ensure that frequently asked questions and lessons learnt were captured and published as participants progressed through Qualification.
For further guidance, please also visit the MHHS Webinars and Open Days page of this website for the QAD webinar slides and recordings that took place last year.
You can view the Q&A document that was developed following these webinars below:
Qualification Assessment Document Webinars Q&A
The Code Bodies issued a feedback questionnaire to all SIT participants and facilitated a feedback session with all Non-SIT Licensed Distribution System Operators (LDSOs) in April 2025 to better understand and capture participant feedback regarding the Initial QAD submission process.
The Code Bodies collated and responded to all the feedback received, which you can view in the document below:
Initial QAD Submissions Participant Feedback Comments Log
The Code Bodies assessed, prioritised and implemented the feedback to enhance the Final QAD submission process for SIT participants and LDSOs, as well as the Initial QAD submission process for Non-SIT Suppliers and Agents.
If you have any questions about the QAD, please email the Code Bodies and DIP Manager at MHHSQualification@elexon.co.uk
Work Off Plans Guidance and QAD Action Plan Template
The Code Bodies published the Work Off Plans Guidance Note, which you can view below, to support participants with outstanding defects from Systems Integration Testing (SIT), Qualification Testing (QT) and/or QAD to enter live operation.
This guidance provided details on Testing Work Off Plans and QAD Action Plans, including:
- What they are
- The criteria for eligible plans
- Information on completion and approval of these plans
- The monitoring mechanism for these plans, including completion and escalation
The QAD Action Plan Template is available below. The QAD Action Plan was used to capture any work off items that arose as part of the QAD process. The template aimed to provide sufficient information to the Code Bodies and Data Integration Platform (DIP) Manager so they could assess the impact of proposed items. QAD Action Plan items should have aligned with the Code Bodies' and DIP Manager’s Assessment Criteria, Qualification Approach & Plan and Risk Registers.
You can view the template below:
The completed template should have been submitted as part of QAD finalisation.
Please note:
- Providing early sight of QAD Action Plan items was highly encouraged.
- A QAD Action Plan added risk to participants' Qualification being approved by Code Bodies and DIP Manager in planned timeframes, so it is was strongly recommended that these items were resolved in QAD finalisation rather than as an action plan item.
If you have any questions, please email the Code Bodies at MHHSQualification@elexon.co.uk
Letter of Delegated Authority
MHHS participants needed a Director to sign off their Qualification Assessment Document (QAD) submission in line with the Qualification Approach and Plan.
For Meter Operator Agents (MOAs) there was an option for a Director to sign a Letter of Delegated Authority (LoDA), delegating another member of the team to sign off on their behalf.
You can view this LoDA below:
Letter of Delegated Authority Template
The signed letter should have been uploaded to the Your Files section in the REC Portal and you needed to notify enquires@recmanager.co.uk that you had uploaded it.
