Promoting Social Considerations in Public Procurement

The purpose of this Circular is to promote the wider use of environmental and social

2 considerations in public procurement with specific regard to the Climate Action Plan 2019 .

Specifically, the Circular:

• Instructs Departments to consider including green criteria in public procurement processes in the following circumstances where:
  – clearly defined, quantifiable, verifiable and measurable criteria have been developed by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and are relevant to the specific procurement process; and
  – the cost can be met within a Department’s existing budget without impacting on service delivery.
• Informs Departments that the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) will support the implementation process to ensure that Green Public Procurement becomes part of the mainstream public procurement process.
• Requires Departments to incorporate relevant green procurement measures into their planning and reporting cycles.
• Highlights the possibilities for Departments to deliver wider social and environmental aims through public procurement. In this regard, public bodies are encouraged to engage with the OGP to use frameworks which include relevant social and environmental considerations.
•   Draws the attention of Departments to the cross-departmental Social Considerations Advisory Group which aims to promote and facilitate the incorporation of social considerations, including environmental considerations, into public procurement projects.