If you’re a contractor hoping to work with Amazon, you’re likely encountering more than just high expectations—you’re facing multiple systems designed to ensure you’re safe, compliant, and operationally sound. Two of the most critical platforms you’ll run into are Avetta and Bolt. These aren’t interchangeable systems—they serve entirely different functions and are both essential to working successfully with Amazon.
Understanding and navigating both platforms requires not just initial setup, but active, ongoing account management. Contractors who treat these systems as one-time checkboxes often fall behind, delay payments, or lose eligibility to work on high-value projects.
Here are the top five things you need to know about Avetta and Bolt—and how to ensure your company stays ahead.
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Avetta is for Prequalification and Safety Compliance
Amazon uses Avetta to prequalify contractors based on their safety and risk profile. To become eligible, you’ll need to:
- Upload written safety programs
- Provide current insurance certificates
- Submit OSHA logs or incident rate reports
- Verify training and documentation
This is where your company’s safety culture is evaluated before you’re awarded any work. A missed submission or low score can disqualify you from bidding on Amazon projects.
In addition, Amazon may request supplementary documentation at any time, including updated certificates of insurance, safety audit evidence, and even corrective action responses if issues arise during project execution. These requests must be addressed quickly and thoroughly to maintain compliance.
Get Avetta Compliance now with Cascade QMS’ Help!
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Bolt is Amazon’s Procurement and Invoicing Portal
While Avetta handles safety compliance, Bolt is used once you’re hired. It’s Amazon’s internal system for:
- Managing purchase orders and contracts
- Submitting invoices and getting paid
- Uploading project-specific documentation
- Communicating with procurement and finance teams
Bolt is a crucial part of doing business with Amazon. If your company doesn’t manage the platform correctly—by uploading documents on time, tracking PO status, or resolving discrepancies—it can delay payment and affect your relationship with Amazon’s procurement teams. Bolt is also where compliance-related documentation may need to be uploaded post-contract, making coordination between both platforms essential.
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Amazon Requires You to Stay Compliant Over Time
Getting approved in Avetta is just the beginning. You must maintain ongoing compliance by:
- Submitting annual OSHA logs
- Updating safety documentation regularly
- Maintaining accurate employee counts
- Uploading current COIs and EMR letters
The same goes for Bolt: your company’s profile must stay current with active POs, invoicing status, and documentation. This is where many contractors fall short without dedicated support. Compliance is not a static achievement—it’s a continual requirement that evolves as Amazon’s expectations increase and safety regulations change.
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Safety Maturity Index: More Than a Checkbox
Amazon’s use of the Safety Maturity Index (SMI) within Avetta goes deeper than basic compliance. It asks you to rate how frequently your company:
- Delivers toolbox talks
- Conducts root cause analysis
- Trains subcontractors
- Enforces stop-work authority
- Sets and reviews safety goals
Amazon uses this to gauge how embedded safety is into your company culture—not just whether policies exist, but how they’re implemented. Your responses—”always,” “sometimes,” or “never”—paint a picture of your safety culture maturity. A higher score not only improves your standing with Amazon but positions you for more complex and high-paying contracts.
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Training, Documentation, and Proof Matter
It’s not enough to say you do the right things—Amazon wants to see proof. That includes:
- Documented training records
- A robust employee handbook
- Site-specific orientation processes
- Digital and physical safety training tools
- Regularly held and recorded safety meetings (Toolbox Talks)
Amazon may request this evidence during audits or as part of contract renewals. Contractors that keep organized, updated records have a clear advantage over those who scramble to gather documentation after a request is made.
Why You Need Ongoing Avetta Account Management
Staying compliant isn’t passive. Avetta requires continuous updates, annual verifications, and responses to new client requests. Without active management, your grade can drop—leading to suspension or disqualification. Bolt, likewise, must be maintained to ensure financial transactions run smoothly.
This is why many contractors invest in account management services. At Cascade QMS, we provide ongoing Avetta account oversight with our Management Plans so contractors:
- Never miss a submission deadline
- Receive alerts when client requests or audits are issued
- Stay organized with current COIs, safety logs, and documentation
- Retain a high-grade status across all metrics
We integrate Avetta updates into your ongoing operations so you don’t lose business over administrative issues.
How Avetta and Bolt Work Together—And Why You Need Both
These platforms are interconnected. While Avetta qualifies your safety credentials, Bolt handles your execution and payments. If you’re deficient in one, it can jeopardize your standing in the other.
For example, failure to maintain your Avetta compliance may trigger a hold on your Amazon POs within Bolt. On the flip side, ignoring Bolt communications can result in delayed payments—even if you’re fully compliant in Avetta. Contractors must view both systems as part of a unified Amazon onboarding and retention strategy.
Success with Amazon Requires Operational Discipline
Securing and maintaining Amazon work means proving you are reliable, safe, and responsive at every level—from safety policy to invoicing. This level of discipline isn’t accidental; it requires time, tools, and support.
That’s why many top-performing Amazon contractors rely on third-party management services to stay ahead. Cascade QMS offers an Avetta Management Plan tailored to help you:
- Build and maintain high-scoring safety profiles
- Submit documentation correctly and on time
- Communicate consistently with Amazon’s compliance systems
- Avoid costly mistakes that could delay or disqualify your participation
We also coordinate with your Bolt users to ensure your work isn’t held up by paperwork. This integrated approach helps streamline both compliance and payment, so you can focus on doing the work—not chasing approval.
Amazon’s Growth
Now that we’ve covered the logistics, let’s discuss the opportunities. Amazon is projected to continue its robust growth through 2025 and 2026, driven largely by expansion in e-commerce logistics, data centers, and cloud services. According to reports from Bloomberg and Reuters, Amazon plans to invest more than $150 billion globally in infrastructure, fulfillment centers, and AI-powered data capabilities over the next several years. Analysts forecast Amazon’s capital expenditures to exceed $70 billion in 2025 alone, with continued year-over-year growth in web services, last-mile delivery, and sustainability initiatives. For contractors, this means a significant increase in procurement opportunities—but only for those who can meet Amazon’s rigorous compliance and operational standards.
Want to streamline your Amazon contractor experience? Contact Cascade QMS to learn how our full-service Avetta Management Plan can keep your company qualified, compliant, and ready to grow.