I'll add to what Thandolwethu said, the second one seems more correct to me because prequalification is part of a decision making process. Someone else prequalified them, we're using the passive voice because it isn't important right now WHO prequalified them, just that they WERE prequalified. So, the committee deciding who would get to host the national laboratory looked at these 100 companies and said "these look pretty good, we'll come back later to give them extra attention."