Vendor Onboarding Checklist
For Vendor Network Coordinators on company-side campaigns. After this page you will be able to take a new vendor from first application to Active status, check every document correctly, and spot problems before they cost the client.
Track: Property Preservation · Role: Vendor Network Coordinator · Time to complete: 25 min
How to use this checklist
Copy this checklist into the vendor's row or folder when they apply. Tick each item only when it is received, checked and recorded. A vendor moves to Active only when every required item is ticked and the Team Lead (or client, if required) signs off.
Each preservation company sets its own requirements and limits. This is the common standard. The client's current vendor requirements always win. Keep the client's list pinned in your campaign notes and check it monthly for changes.
Status flow
| Status | Meaning | Moves forward when |
|---|---|---|
| Prospect | Contacted, interested | Application received |
| Onboarding | Collecting and checking documents | All required items ticked |
| Pending approval | Waiting for Team Lead or client sign-off | Sign-off received |
| Active | Can receive orders | Stays Active while compliant |
| Hold | Missing or expired item, or quality issue | Issue resolved |
| Inactive | Left the network or removed | Re-application only |
Section 1: Application and company profile
- Legal company name and any trade name
- Owner name and main contact person
- Phone, email and business address
- Years in business and years in preservation work (if any)
- Services offered (grass, securing, winterization, debris, cleaning, repairs, roofing, other)
- Counties and ZIP codes covered, per service, without extra trip charges
- Number of crews and workers
- Equipment (trailer size, mowers, tools, vehicle)
- How the vendor confirms a house is vacant before entering
- How the vendor handles personal property found in a house
- Sample rates if the client asks for them
- Smartphone with date stamp and location turned on for photos
Section 2: Tax and payment
- US tax form for contractor payment received
- Legal name on the tax form matches the application and insurance
- Payment details collected through the client's secure method only
Never do this: never ask for or send tax ID numbers, bank details or personal ID images by text, team channel or plain email. Use only the client's secure upload or e-signature process. Never copy these numbers into the tracker; record only "received" and the date.
Section 3: Insurance
Insurance protects the client if something goes wrong at a property. It is the most common reason a vendor is put on Hold.
| Coverage | What it covers | Commonly requested (verify with client) |
|---|---|---|
| General liability | Damage or injury caused by the vendor's work | Often around USD 1 million per occurrence and USD 2 million aggregate |
| Workers' compensation | Injury to the vendor's workers | Required by many clients and by law in many states when the vendor has employees; some clients accept an exemption form where the state allows |
| Commercial auto | Vehicles used for the work | Often around USD 1 million combined |
| Errors and omissions (professional) | Mistakes in reporting or inspections | Required by some clients, often around USD 1 million |
Certificate review checklist
- Certificate came from the source the client requires (often directly from the insurance agent or carrier)
- Named insured matches the vendor's legal name exactly
- Every required coverage type is present
- Limits meet or exceed the client's minimums
- Policy dates are current (effective date passed, expiry date in the future)
- Client listed as additional insured where required
- Other required wording present (for example primary and non-contributory, waiver of subrogation, advance notice of cancellation), if the client requires it
- Certificate holder name and address correct
- Expiry dates entered in the compliance calendar with alerts at 30, 15 and 5 days
Coach's note: read the certificate slowly, box by box. The two problems found most often are a named insured that does not exactly match the vendor's company name, and a policy that expires within a few weeks. Catch both at onboarding and you save a hold later.
Section 4: Background screening
- Background screening completed through the client's required method
- Screening covers the owner and, if required, every worker who enters properties
- Screening date and renewal date recorded
- Result handled only by authorised people, as the client directs
Section 5: Licences and certifications
- Business licence (where required by the state, county or city)
- Trade licences for licensed work (plumbing, electrical, roofing, general contracting, as needed by services offered)
- Lead-safe work certification if the vendor will disturb paint in older homes, where required
- Other client-required certifications
- Licence numbers and expiry dates recorded
Section 6: Agreements and forms
- Vendor services agreement signed
- Confidentiality agreement signed
- Data security questionnaire completed (if the client requires one)
- Code of conduct or policy acknowledgments signed
- Any state or client-specific forms signed
- All signed documents saved in the vendor's folder
Section 7: Portal and training
- Portal account created with the vendor's own login
- Mobile photo app set up as the client requires
- New vendor training completed (client webinar, guide or Narqix walkthrough)
- Photo requirements guide sent and acknowledged
- Vendor knows who to contact on the desk and during which hours
Section 8: Coverage and rates
- Coverage entered in the coverage map by county, ZIP and service
- Rates confirmed and recorded as the client directs
- Trip charge rules explained
Section 9: Final sign-off
- Every required item ticked
- Team Lead review completed
- Client approval received (if required)
- Status set to Active with date
- Welcome message sent with first steps and contact details
- First order assigned is a simple type, reviewed closely by Photo QC
Red flags during onboarding
| Red flag | What to do |
|---|---|
| Certificate looks edited (fonts, alignment, dates) | Do not accept. Request it directly from the agent. Tell Team Lead. |
| Name on tax form, insurance and application all differ | Ask the vendor to explain and correct before continuing |
| Vendor refuses background screening | Explain it is required. If still refused, stop onboarding. |
| Vendor claims coverage of a very large area with one crew | Ask how they plan routes. Assign carefully at first. |
| Vendor asks to use someone else's insurance or account | Not allowed. Stop and tell Team Lead. |
Onboarding timeline (Narqix starting target)
| Day | Target |
|---|---|
| Day 0 | Application received, checklist created, document request sent |
| Day 2 | First follow-up with a list of missing items |
| Day 4 | Second follow-up, phone call if quiet |
| Day 7 | All documents in; review done |
| Day 10 | Active status, first order assigned |
Check yourself
1. The certificate shows the right limits, but the named insured is "J and R Lawn" while the application says "JR Property Services LLC". What do you do?
Do not accept it yet. Ask the vendor and their agent to correct it so the named insured matches the legal company name, or explain the relationship in writing for Team Lead review.
2. A vendor emails a photo of their tax form. What do you do?
Thank them, do not forward it, and ask them to upload it through the client's secure process. Delete the email attachment as your campaign's data policy requires and tell your Team Lead.
3. Which items must be entered in the compliance calendar with alerts?
Every insurance policy expiry, background screening renewal date, and licence expiry.
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