Sustainable Procurement Tools

Prioritisation Tool

The prioritisation tool is a self-assessment tool designed to assist early stage strategic planning through the consideration of economic, environmental and social wellbeing, and brings a standard, structured approach to the assessment of spend categories.

Construction

The prioritisation tool revealed there was scope to address the environmental impact as a result of this procurement. Specifically, around climate change, waste and biodiversity.

This led to the decision to complete Life Cycle Impact Mapping and Sustainability Test.

Life Cycle Impact Mapping (LCIM)

and

Sustainability Test

Every product and service have a ‘life cycle' or number of stages it goes through. LCIM is used to identify and assess the social and environmental impacts of these stages. It is designed to be a gateway into the sustainability test.

Outcomes of the LCIM were reflected in the Sustainability Test.

The sustainability test is a self-assessment tool designed to help buyers embed relevant and proportionate sustainability requirements consistently in the development of contracts and frameworks.

Impacts of Obtaining Raw Materials

It was identified that some materials extracted from existing flood defences such as concrete could be re-used as part of the new construction process.

Timber will be used in the construction process, and therefore it is important to ensure ethically sourced timber is used – which minimises the impact of logging on forests and the surrounding wildlife and communities. Sustainable wood also means that the timber is not a product of illegal logging that violates national and/or regional regulations protecting forests and the environment.

This led to the inclusion of re-use of crushed concrete within the project specification.

This led to material selection forming part of the design specification to ensure only sustainable and certified materials are used. This included:

Ensuring only Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Canadian Standards Association (CSA), Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Chain of Custody Certification Standard

(CoC), or equivalent certified timber is used for all construction elements where applicable.

Impacts of Manufacturing and Logistics

Vehicles and heavy machinery will be used throughout the construction phase.

LCIM revealed that waste will be produced throughout the construction phase.

This led to ISO 14001 or equivalent forming part of the SPD minimum conditions to ensure bidders demonstrate a commitment to protecting the environment and complying with environmental laws, including the reduction in CO2 emissions.

In addition to ISO 14001 or equivalent which ensures bidders reduce waste management costs, a Site Waste Management Plan formed part of the terms and conditions to ensure contractors address the types and quantities of waste that will be generated, the resource management options for waste including proposals for minimisation / reuse / recycling, the use of appropriate and licensed waste management contractors and record keeping procedures.

Climate Change – Vehicle Emissions

Climate Change Adaptation

Waste Production

Hazardous Materials / Emissions

Bio-security / Biodiversity - Protection

Health and Safety

Security and Crime

Fair Work First

Skills and Training

Vehicles used to transport staff and materials to and from site on a regular basis and throughout the construction process. 

When constructed, works will provide flood protection, the risk of which has been increased by climate change.

As with all construction projects there is a high level of waste produced routinely.  

Potential hazardous material (e.g., Oil / Paint) used in construction process

Materials are to be removed from site and disposed of appropriately with reference to the project’s Bio-Security Management Plan

The seal birthing season and other ecosystems had to be taken into account and works had to be undertaken around these times so as not to cause disruption or harm to wildlife

Health & Safety was identified as of paramount importance when undertaking works on this site.

This market was identified as having potential risks from Serious and Organised Crime (SOC) organisations.

Fair Work First was identified as an area of importance as the project is based within construction, a high risk industry for fair working practices.

Due to the specialist nature of the works, there were significant skills and training opportunities identified. These elements were included in the Council’s request for Community Benefits within the technical envelope.

This led to the following being included in the specification:

·       Deliveries to site to be consolidated to reduce emissions

·       Material delivery to be made by barge to reduce carbon footprint

Environmental Management System (ISO 14001 (or equivalent)) included in SPD

Adherence to 2009 Flood Risk Management Act (Scotland) included in specification

Environmental Management System (ISO 14001 (or equivalent)) included in SPD and specific waste minimisation requirements detailed in specification, for example:

·       Shutters used in Construction of Formwork shall be recycled / re-used

·       On site disposal of waste water is not permitted. The Contractor is to install and maintain wastewater

storage tanks on site and arrange regular pump out of waste water storage tanks and arrange for the

waste water to be disposed of.

·       The Contractor keeps the working area, Site offices, Site compound and parking areas tidy and promptly removes rubbish, waste and surplus

·       Prior to any off-site disposal of any excavated material, soil classification testing followed by Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) testing (if required) is undertaken in order to appropriately dispose of the material.

·       The Contractor prepares and maintains a Waste Management Plan for the Works.

Environmental Management System (ISO 14001 (or equivalent)) included in SPD

Contractor had to agree to work with the listed protective measures detailed within the specification for example:

·       Materials contaminated by oil and spillages or otherwise polluted due to the Contractor’s activities shall be immediately removed and disposed of according to the statutory regulations.

Bio-Security Management Plan detailed within the specification  including the following requirements:

·       Contractor to undertake a pre-construction ecological walkover for protected species, in particular

otter, by a qualified ecologist;

·       Contractor to use low level

lighting to avoid disturbance to breeding and wintering birds. Monitoring of noise disturbance on birds may be required by the Contractor, who shall review on site with a qualified ecologist;

·       A buoy-marked voluntary all-vessel exclusion zone of 150m radius is required around The Clach skerry (located to the south west of Millport Bay), during construction of the offshore breakwaters, to protect roost site for birds during the period when The Leug and The Spoig are affected by the construction of the offshore breakwater

·       Contractor to take care not to damage to the inter-tidal habitats of The Leug and The Spoig skerries that lie out with the footprint of the offshore breakwater

·       During works in the vicinity of Kames Bay, Contractor to protect the boundary of the Kames Bay

SSSI and pioneer saltmarsh habitat from direct habitat loss by installing fencing.

·       Contractor to record number of trees removed and keep any removals to a minimum to deliver the Works

Environmental Impact Assessment provided as part of tender documentation

Details listed in Environmental Impact Assessment & Marine License conditions

This led to the inclusion of a health and safety requirement within the SPD stating that bidders must hold a UKAS (or equivalent) accredited independent third-party certificate of compliance in accordance with ISO

45001 (or equivalent) or have, within the last 12 months, successfully met the assessment requirements of a construction-related scheme in

registered membership of the Safety Schemes in Procurement (SSIP) forum or the bidder must have a regularly reviewed and documented

policy for Health and Safety management.

Health and Safety adherence will be monitored on site and during regular CSM meetings throughout the contract.

This led to the details of bidders being shared with Police Scotland in line with the Council’s Police Scotland Information Sharing Protocol.

This led to the inclusion of a technical question totalling 5% of the overall scores which asked bidders to describe and demonstrate how they would commit to adopting Fair Work First for workers (including any agency or sub-contractor workers) engaged in the delivery of this contract. Their responses included current and planned actions that show how they embed these practices during the lifetime of this contract. Responses also included tangible and measurable examples and explained how they would  report on, and demonstrate progress, to North Ayrshire Council during the lifetime of the contract.

This led to the successful contractor agreeing to deliver the following benefits during the life of the contract:

·       A minimum of two (2 week) work placements delivered within the project for North Ayrshire residents.

·       Programme of support (total 20 hours) offered to Local educational establishments, including Cumbrae Primary School and local high schools on the mainland, focused on coast protection (the need/climate change and available responses):

-        primary school: delivery of a series of workshops with practical experiments (wave tank) and games.

-        high school (GCSC): use of coastal management workbook developed in partnership with a Geography teacher, with a case study focused on Millport.

-        high school/ higher education: a series of 'day in the life' videos explaining roles and what people do.

-        Educational engagement to also cover safety at the seaside and marine pollution (in particular reducing plastics in the marine environment). Engagement sessions will include feedback forms for children/ young people and teaching staff to track impact and effectiveness of visit.

·       A minimum of four site visits for local school children, scout group and residents organised in tandem with local schools/ scout group/ community. Visits to last 2 hours and include a short presentation about the project, a careers session (if applicable) and a site walk around. For a visiting cub pack/ Scout Patrol they will work with the Leader to identify any badge requirements to be covered. Visits to include an evaluation report to track impact and effectiveness of visit