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Environmental clauses in the contract for Pamplona street cleaning services
Published on 25 June 2021
Spain
Comunidad Foral de Navarra
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
Green procurement is a big challenge for the acquisition of products, services or works by public institutions. This practice shows an approach to deal with this challenge, considering the use of life cycle approach.
In April 2016, Pamplona Town Hall launched the tender for the public service for streets cleaning of the municipality, consisting of three lots:
1 Basic urban cleaning scheduled and other related works
2 Vertical cleaning, litter bin cleaning, canine container maintenance and grids
3. Comprehensive maintenance of ornamental fountains
As part of the technical award criteria, several environmental measures where included, such as having a water use plan, water savings measures, energy efficiency measures, CF calculation, and LCA.
In the case of lot 1 and 2, LCA and CF calculation was specifically considered, according to the following scheme. During the six first months of the service, the wining company had to present a study including an LCA, a CF calculation, the water footprint, and other environmental issues related to the services. Then, quarterly, an update of data included in the study, and a comparative analysis was required, with the objective of identifying improvement measures, and monitoring the changes included in the service.
Additionally, the option of improvements with costs was considered in the tender for lot 1. This option allowed bidding companies to propose and acquire more efficient machinery for the service, such as electric machinery
In April 2016, Pamplona Town Hall launched the tender for the public service for streets cleaning of the municipality, consisting of three lots:
1 Basic urban cleaning scheduled and other related works
2 Vertical cleaning, litter bin cleaning, canine container maintenance and grids
3. Comprehensive maintenance of ornamental fountains
As part of the technical award criteria, several environmental measures where included, such as having a water use plan, water savings measures, energy efficiency measures, CF calculation, and LCA.
In the case of lot 1 and 2, LCA and CF calculation was specifically considered, according to the following scheme. During the six first months of the service, the wining company had to present a study including an LCA, a CF calculation, the water footprint, and other environmental issues related to the services. Then, quarterly, an update of data included in the study, and a comparative analysis was required, with the objective of identifying improvement measures, and monitoring the changes included in the service.
Additionally, the option of improvements with costs was considered in the tender for lot 1. This option allowed bidding companies to propose and acquire more efficient machinery for the service, such as electric machinery
Expert opinion
This good practice from Navarra illustrates how green public procurement has mandated tenderers to include LCA and carbon footprinting in their offer. Inviting for a separate budget linen to cost the additional fiancial effort to implement this is a way to create transparency. GPP is a voluntary instrument, which means that Member States and public authorities can determine the extent to which they implement it. But as it is clear that it has a key role to play in the EU's efforts to become a more resource-efficient economy, many regions and cities try to implement it more and more. This is a positive trend that should be replicated as widely as possible.
Works at
Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform
Resources needed
The tender included a budget line so that the bidding companies had to offer a quantity that the Pamplona Town Hall assumes as costs for elaborating the initial LCA or CF study and the quarterly update. ISO 14064, ISO 14040, and an internal methodology based on the GRI indicators is used.
Evidence of success
From the beginning of the service period (5 years with extent possibility), several improvement measures have been accomplished, resulting in a more efficient service, both from an organizational and an environmental point of view. Places in which machinery is stored have been set up closer to the cleaning sites. Tanker trucks move empty, and they are loaded with water close to cleaning sites. Work shifts have been adapted, enlarging them, and so, avoiding displacements.
Potential for learning or transfer
The strategy adopted by Pamplona Town Hall in this contract integrates life cycle approach as an award criterion in public procurement procedures. It can be replicated in other public services procurements, especially when it comes to activities with a significant environmental impact, i.e., when they have associated an important use of energy, water, chemicals, etc. It allows to measure the improvement on environmental impact when adopting improvement measures throughout the provision of the service.
Incorporate green criteria in public procurements is a way to awareness companies to boost for environmental measures in their organisation, products or services.
This kind of initiatives also presents an opportunity to learn for the public administration in charge of the service, to better use of environmental criteria in green public procurement, integrating lessons learnt in future public contracts.
Incorporate green criteria in public procurements is a way to awareness companies to boost for environmental measures in their organisation, products or services.
This kind of initiatives also presents an opportunity to learn for the public administration in charge of the service, to better use of environmental criteria in green public procurement, integrating lessons learnt in future public contracts.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
Pamplona Town Hall
Spain
Comunidad Foral de Navarra
Contact
PROJECT MANAGER