Sustainable Procurement Tools

3. The Outcome

Scottish Procurement awarded a contract in 2021 to Mitie. The new contract will provide a range of sustainability outcomes over its duration. This will include actions to support our climate change and circular economy obligations, and support Scotland’s expectations in relation to social and economic, and help deliver the standards required.

Environmental outcomes

• Development of an Environmental Management Plan covering:
  • Minimising emissions
  • Carbon and energy, water and waste management
  • Circular economy
  • Environmental protection and enhancement of biodiversity and the heritage of the estate
  • Wellbeing and;
  • The use of environmentally friendly products

• Move to a fully electric fleet of vehicles to service this contract.

• The undertaking of energy reduction projects

• Monitoring of water and energy consumption to:
  • Undertake benchmarking and recommend utility and carbon saving initiatives; and
  • Report on the effectiveness of those implemented
  • Identify areas with excessive use, and opportunities for renewable energy
  • Report on the relevant Climate Change Scotland Act obligations and requirements to maintain compliance
• Protection and enhancement of biodiversity: assessment of main sites to develop an action plan in line with the government’s biodiversity improvement plan for those sites considered a priority
• Monitor and reduce waste: implement bin scales at the six larger sites, which would run alongside a detailed waste action plan for each.

• Support Scotland’s circular economy ambitions by use of an online portal which matches assets that are no longer needed to organisations who can reuse them, reducing waste to landfill and supporting the drive to reuse and recycle.

• Operation of a Social Value Bank, so that for every 36 hours worked by our operatives, they bank 30 minutes of volunteering time. Operatives will be encouraged to use their banked time to support the SG Environmental Champions programme of events.

Socio-economic outcomes

Equality and Fair Work practices

Commitments include the contractor ensuring gender balance through the delivery of 40 job creations & 60 work placements. In addition, the contractor will be responsible for providing the following:

• investment in skills and training
• action to tackle the gender pay gap
• fair pay for workers – whilst the contractor does not hold Living Wage accreditation, they will be paying all staff (approx. 199) in the delivery of this contract the Real Living Wage including any staff transferred under TUPE (transfer of undertakings)
• effective voice - six diversity networks are available
• opportunity – “Ready2Work” and “Think Differently” programmes
• security – flexible and agile working, career breaks, pensions and maternity pay
• fulfilment – career advancement
• respect – “One Code” programme

Community Benefits

A number of community benefits will be delivered through the contract, including 40 job creations & 60 work placements. In addition, the contractor will be expected to deliver:

• Careers Information, Advice & Guidance Events
• Training Weeks
• S/NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) Starts for the workforce
• Main Contractor and Sub-contractor Industry Certification (short term training)
• Training Plans, and Case Studies

Delivery of community benefits will be monitored as part of contract management.

Opportunities for SME’s and Sub-contracting

The contractor will put in place two frameworks for Project Works. The frameworks will be advertised on Public Contracts Scotland (PCS) which will facilitate access for SMEs. The frameworks will be re-tendered every 24 months. It is estimated, using historical data from the previous seven years, that the frameworks will generate in the region of £39m spend during the initial period of the contract.

It is anticipated that the new contract will provide similar opportunities for sub-contracting to the previous contract, including a high proportion of contracts with Scottish SMEs. 

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