Last year, the Cabinet Office issued a Public Procurement Note stipulating that government contracts procuring goods and/or services with an anticipated contract value above £5 million per annum will require suppliers to provide evidence of carbon reduction plans.  The PPN applies to all Central Government Departments, their Executive Agencies and Non Departmental Public Bodies.  Essentially, evidence of a carbon reduction plan becomes one of the selection criteria for bidding suppliers.

Whilst large companies will be aware of this Procurement Note, it is becoming apparent that big suppliers (clients and contractors for instance) are cascading this requirement down through their supply chains and it is reaching SMEs.  It would be useful to hear if you have experience of this and how you are meeting this requirement – email details to flavielowres@thefis.org

The PPN includes a template at Annex A for a basic Carbon Reduction Plan confirming the supplier’s commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2050 and setting out the environmental management measures they are taking and which will be in place throughout the duration of the contract.

You can see the 10 page Procurement Policy Note here.