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Buying Green! A Handbook Buying Green! A Handbook on environmental public on environmental public

procurementprocurement

DG EnvironmentDG Environment

Further promotion of GPPFurther promotion of GPPand Eco-labeland Eco-label

CE has published a Handbook on GPP - CE has published a Handbook on GPP - August 2004 (SEC(2004/1050)August 2004 (SEC(2004/1050)

The Handbook The Handbook

Published in August 2004 Published in August 2004 Translated in all other EU languages in Translated in all other EU languages in

20052005 Clear overview of all stages of public Clear overview of all stages of public

procurement procedure and procurement procedure and corresponding possibilities for introducing corresponding possibilities for introducing environmental considerationsenvironmental considerations

Many best practice examples Many best practice examples EUROPA - EUROPA - EnvironmentEnvironment - - TheThe greeninggreening ofof

public public procurementprocurement

Green purchasing strategiesGreen purchasing strategies

Public purchasers are recommended toPublic purchasers are recommended to

Train purchasing staffTrain purchasing staff

Set priorities – opt for : Set priorities – opt for : step-by-step approach (first win-win’s, then more step-by-step approach (first win-win’s, then more

complex procedures..)complex procedures..) focussed approach (energy efficiency, recycled focussed approach (energy efficiency, recycled

content..) content..)

Make available guidelines, databases..Make available guidelines, databases..

Some examplesSome examples

The Nordic Council of Ministers has produced two The Nordic Council of Ministers has produced two brochures on the subject of green public brochures on the subject of green public procurement. One aims at local politicians and procurement. One aims at local politicians and public sector managers. The other is aimed at public sector managers. The other is aimed at procurement officers.procurement officers. http://www.grip.no/Innkjop/English/nordic_brochuhttp://www.grip.no/Innkjop/English/nordic_brochures.htmres.htm

Some examplesSome examples

Environmental practice Environmental practice guide in Barcelona guide in Barcelona

GreenOfficeGuide.pdfGreenOfficeGuide.pdf

Some examplesSome examples

Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment - Resources and Environment - Environment Service CyprusEnvironment Service Cyprus

Site promotes products and services which are : Site promotes products and services which are :

• more energy efficient and in general more more energy efficient and in general more economic in their operation. economic in their operation.

• either less or preferably not polluting as either less or preferably not polluting as compared to other products that serve the compared to other products that serve the same purpose. same purpose.

• durable, easily upgraded and repairable. durable, easily upgraded and repairable. • reusable and markets and the infrastructure reusable and markets and the infrastructure

exist for recycling them at the end of their life. exist for recycling them at the end of their life.

How to organise a « green » public How to organise a « green » public procurement process?procurement process?

Identify your need = subject matter of Identify your need = subject matter of contract contract

Technical specificationsTechnical specifications

Selection criteriaSelection criteria

Award criteriaAward criteria

Contract clausesContract clauses

Subject matterSubject matter

i.e. furniture stemming from sustainably i.e. furniture stemming from sustainably harvested woods..harvested woods..

Most transparent way to inform bidders Most transparent way to inform bidders

May be inappropriate if public purchaser May be inappropriate if public purchaser lacks knowledge on existence/availability lacks knowledge on existence/availability or cost of « green » alternatives to or cost of « green » alternatives to product/service purchasedproduct/service purchased

Some examplesSome examples

Food from Organic Food from Organic farming in Ferrara, Italy farming in Ferrara, Italy

After feasability After feasability study=> list of products study=> list of products with equivalent cost => with equivalent cost => now 50 % of all food now 50 % of all food offered in public offered in public canteens = organic, 80 canteens = organic, 80 % of food in nurseries% of food in nurseries

Technical specificationsTechnical specifications

Defined Defined

EITHER by reference to standards EITHER by reference to standards OR by reference to performance based or OR by reference to performance based or

functional requirementsfunctional requirements

=> to allow tenders based on different kind of => to allow tenders based on different kind of technical solutions, including environmental technical solutions, including environmental requirements requirements

Can include environmental friendly production Can include environmental friendly production processesprocesses

GPP and Environmental GPP and Environmental TechnologiesTechnologies

By using performance based By using performance based specifications, Public authorities can specifications, Public authorities can

act as launching customers and support act as launching customers and support diffusion of recently developed diffusion of recently developed Environmental Technologies Environmental Technologies

trigger the development of new trigger the development of new technologies technologies

Environmental DatabaseEnvironmental Database

Basic environmental information – refers Basic environmental information – refers to national and EU eco-labels where to national and EU eco-labels where appropriate appropriate

Useful for « starters » - to be Useful for « starters » - to be complemented complemented

http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/gpp/guhttp://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/gpp/guidelines.htm#databaseidelines.htm#database

Some examplesSome examples

Construction sector Construction sector => French HQE => French HQE method (« Haute method (« Haute Qualité Qualité Environnementale ») Environnementale ») focuses on focuses on designing buildings designing buildings that use less water that use less water and energy and and energy and require less require less maintenance maintenance

GPP and eco-labelsGPP and eco-labels

Underlying technical specifications can be Underlying technical specifications can be used in tender documentsused in tender documents

Eco-label can be recognised as a (non-Eco-label can be recognised as a (non-exclusive) proof of compliance with exclusive) proof of compliance with technical specificationstechnical specifications

i.e. : Europen eco-labeli.e. : Europen eco-label

mostly for products : refrigerators, mostly for products : refrigerators, copiers, computers, paper..copiers, computers, paper..

Some examplesSome examples

EU eco-label for EU eco-label for light bulbs light bulbs prescribes minimum prescribes minimum life-span of 10 000 life-span of 10 000 hours => could be hours => could be set as a minimal set as a minimal technical technical specification specification

Selection criteriaSelection criteria

Exclusion - i.e. if conviction for Exclusion - i.e. if conviction for environmental offence environmental offence

Technical - i.e. specific equipment Technical - i.e. specific equipment enabling provision of « green » enabling provision of « green » services/works; certificate of conformity of services/works; certificate of conformity of product to « green » standardsproduct to « green » standards

GPP and Environmental management GPP and Environmental management schemesschemes

EMAS (or equivalent systems) can be used EMAS (or equivalent systems) can be used by bidders to prove compliance with by bidders to prove compliance with environmental selection criteria environmental selection criteria

For example : waste management contract For example : waste management contract requires specific environmental requires specific environmental capabilities/equipment => EMAS (or capabilities/equipment => EMAS (or equivalent) statement can prove this equivalent) statement can prove this

Some examplesSome examples

Austria Glas Recycling Austria Glas Recycling GmbH = listed on GmbH = listed on EMAS list => EMAS list =>

EMAS statement will EMAS statement will provide proof of its provide proof of its environmental environmental capacity in a tender capacity in a tender for provision of for provision of recycling servicesrecycling services

Willkommen bei der AUSTRIA GLAS RECYCLING GMBHA-1020 Wien, Obere Donaustr. 71 - Tel. +43/1/214 49 00, Fax +43/1/214 49 08, e-mail: agr@agr.atUID-Nummer ATU 14979503, Firmenbuchnummer 114107f, Sitz Wien, Handelsgericht Wien, zuständige Aufsichtsbehörde BMLFUW

Award criteriaAward criteria

even if no economic advantage as such (i.e. even if no economic advantage as such (i.e. buses/trams with reduced noise) buses/trams with reduced noise)

even if no direct environmental advantage for even if no direct environmental advantage for contracting authority (i.e. wood stemming from contracting authority (i.e. wood stemming from sustainably harvest forests)sustainably harvest forests)

may relate to « green » production processes => may relate to « green » production processes =>

extra points if (part of) supplied electricity stems extra points if (part of) supplied electricity stems from renewable energy sourcesfrom renewable energy sources

Life Cycle Cost to make GPP economically Life Cycle Cost to make GPP economically attractive attractive

Life Cycle Cost as award criterionLife Cycle Cost as award criterion

Acquisition costs (purchase, Acquisition costs (purchase, installation, transport)installation, transport)

Operating costs (energy/water Operating costs (energy/water consumption, annual licence fees, consumption, annual licence fees, maintenance, staff, training, insurance maintenance, staff, training, insurance premiums, environmental taxes)premiums, environmental taxes)

Disposal costs (site clean up, refuse Disposal costs (site clean up, refuse collection, recycling costs) collection, recycling costs)

Contract clausesContract clauses

i.e. delivery in bulk (not in separate i.e. delivery in bulk (not in separate containers) or by railwaycontainers) or by railway

i.e. workers having to comply with specific i.e. workers having to comply with specific environmental guidelines on the environmental guidelines on the construction siteconstruction site

Non-discriminatory, no disguised technical Non-discriminatory, no disguised technical specifications or selection criteriaspecifications or selection criteria

ConclusionConclusion

EU is committed to GPPEU is committed to GPP GPP is an important instrument for GPP is an important instrument for

achieving sustainable development achieving sustainable development GPP can pull new environmental GPP can pull new environmental

technologies into the market placetechnologies into the market place EU will further promote GPPEU will further promote GPP

ConclusionConclusion

Your support = needed to distribute Your support = needed to distribute handbook in respective Member States handbook in respective Member States

Handbook can be easily integrated into Handbook can be easily integrated into general public procurement training general public procurement training

TAIEX representative will explain how to TAIEX representative will explain how to organise bilateral workshops on (green) organise bilateral workshops on (green) public procurement under TAIEX in the public procurement under TAIEX in the respective Member Statesrespective Member States

addressesaddresses

European CommissionEuropean CommissionEnvironment Directorate-GeneralEnvironment Directorate-GeneralDirectorate G – Sustainable development and Directorate G – Sustainable development and integrationintegration1049 Brussels1049 BrusselsBelgiumBelgium

mailtomailto:jill.michielssen@:jill.michielssen@cec.eu.intcec.eu.int

http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/gpp/http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/gpp/

http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/etap/index.htmhttp://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/etap/index.htm