Public Procurement

Supplying to public sector organisations introduces additional requirements regarding climate change and social value, and it’s important to give these due consideration as they can account for a significant percentage of points when competing bids are evaluated. Public procurement requirements are constantly evolving so keeping up to speed on what’s needed can be difficult and time consuming, especially for SMEs. Aside from the requirements to comply with regulations such as Modern Slavery Act and Gender Pay Gap reporting, there are a number of different ways that environmental and social impacts are considered in public procurement. The best known is the Public Sector (Social Value) Act 2012, but some others are listed here. 

Carbon Reduction Plan (CRP)

Any organisation bidding for a public contract worth more than £5m per annum is required to publish a Carbon Reduction Plan (CRP) confirming its commitment to achieve Net Zero by 2050 at the latest, proving emissions data for Scope 1, Scope 2 and specified categories of Scope 3 and detailing what action it plans to take to achieve the necessary reductions. This document must be signed by a senior leader, published on the organisation’s website and updated annually. Acclaro can support on the development of a CRP, ensuring that it fully meets the specification, and manage annual updates. 

 

 

National Procurement Policy

The National Procurement Policy Statement requires contracting authorities to have regard to national strategic priorities for public procurement. These priorities are defined as creating new businesses, new jobs and new skills; tackling climate change and reducing waste, and improving supplier diversity, innovation and resilience. It stands to reason, then, that a potential supplier who is able to evidence their contribution to these strategic priorities will have a competitive advantage when bidding for contracts with in-scope authorities which include central government departments, executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies, local authorities, NHS bodies and the wider public sector. 

As with all aspects of ESG and sustainability, making compelling statements is not sufficient. Framework documents and tender forms typically ask for evidence not just that the stated activities take place but also of the outcomes and impacts they create. Therefore a systematic approach is needed to measuring and monitoring ESG targets and validating data regarding outcomes and impacts.

Acclaro can support with both the creation of standard documents such as Carbon Reduction Plans and also responding to specific bids and tenders with ESG requirements, ensuring that public procurement opportunities can be maximised even for organisations that don’t have in-house expertise.