Purpose The studies on contractor prequalification focus more on the review of models and algorithms rather than review of the criteria for contractor prequalification. However, the basis of every prequalification model primarily relates to the measurement and judgement of prospective contractors based on a set of decision criteria. This paper aims to address the gap by reviewing academic papers on contractor prequalification criteria. Design/methodology/approach A desktop search was conducted under the “T/A/K (title/abstract/keyword)” field of the Scopus search engine. A total of 49 papers were initially identified; however, only peer reviewed journals were selected for the study; therefore, a sample of 36 was subsequently used. Further filtering was done in which 26 papers were found valid for further analysis as it was realized that, not all the identified papers presented empirical arguments about the issue of contractor pre-qualification criteria. The selected 26 papers were subjected to content analysis to identify the key contractor pre-qualification criteria. Findings A total of 41 criteria were identified which were subsequently classified into six main categories, namely, technical considerations, management considerations, financial considerations, reputation considerations, general experience considerations and health, safety and environmental considerations. There was an indication that, the involvement of health, safety and environmental considerations in contractor prequalification proceedings is limited. Research limitations/implications The major limitation of this research was the limited number of papers selected for further analysis based on the Scopus search engine. The identified criteria serve as a basis for further empirical studies on contractor prequalification criteria. Practical implications The outcome of this study broadens the understanding of practitioners and researchers on the various criteria for contractor prequalification. Originality/value By critically reviewing available literature on contractor prequalification, the study sets the tone for further empirical studies on contractor prequalification.