The Procura+ Key Criteria
Six product groups have been selected as having a particularly high potential for sustainable procurement activities:
- Buses
- Cleaning products & services
- Electricity
- Food & catering services
- IT products
- Building construction & renovation
For each product group a set of simple purchasing criteria have been developed addressing the most important environmental and/or social aspects for procurers. The criteria can be inserted directly into tender documents
The Procura+ Key Criteria have been designed to:
- Address the most significant life-cycle environmental impacts related to the product group
- Be legally compliant and straightforward for any procurer to apply and verify, requiring minimum time and effort
- Not lead to a significant increase in costs
The criteria are regularly updated in close consultation with a range of European experts from relevant stakeholder groups (including industry representatives, procurers, scientific and market experts).
The Product Sheets
For each product group a summarised Product Sheet has been developed to provide a public procurer with all the information required to directly start tendering for a more sustainable product – including actual criteria which can be inserted directly in tender documents.
Each sheet contains 4 sections:
- Key environmental impacts: A quick summary of the most significant environmental impacts and how the criteria address them
- Procura+ Key Criteria: The criteria themselves, which can be directly inserted in tenders. These include a set of “Implementation Notes” providing any necessary further information on how to use them
- Further ideas: Suggestions for authorities wishing to go beyond the Key Criteria, and address other aspects or take more innovative approaches.
- Relevant product labels: Labels which may be used as the basis for developing further criteria
For each product group a more detailed guidance document has also been prepared, providing further information for those interested.
The building construction/renovation section is rather different from the other five Product Sheets. A number of factors make it impossible to set uniform criteria right across Europe, therefore a number of different options are presented, which cover a range of aspects related to sustainable construction. For a further explanation of the reasons behind this please see the detailed building construction/renovation guidance document.
To view the Product Sheets or detailed background documents click on that product group in the menu on the left.
Selecting the product groups
The six product groups covered were selected by a range of experts within the European Commission funded RELIEF project as having the biggest potential for environmental improvement through green public procurement. This was determined by assessing the environmental impacts through the product life-cycle, the availability of cost-effective environmentally preferable solutions, and the importance of the product within the typical public authority budget.