Some suggested selection criteria that can be used within Single Procurement Document (SPD (Scotland)), or as criteria for contract award is provided below. As to deciding at which stage they are appropriate, this will depend on the exact wording and the particular procurement requirement, some issues may be addressed at either stage (but not at both). It needs to be emphasised that they must be both proportionate and relevant and there must be a clear methodology to evaluate responses.
Where services are being procured care must be taken to ensure that requirements placed on tenderers are both relevant and proportionate. In terms of products supplied a tenderer may have responsibility for the production methods and place of origin. Where the sustainability of product or material content is both relevant and proportionate the following questions may be helpful:
An environmental management system is likely to only be relevant in the procurement of some services. Its requirement should be proportionate according to the market and the scope of services required, and you must be prepared to accept an equivalent to a system accredited to ISO14001 or Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS). Rather than asking for a specific standard buyers must identify the
elements of these standards and decide what is relevant to their organisation and the particular procurement. It is then essential that suppliers are notified of which elements they will be evaluated on. This will provide good evidence of their professional and technical ability – particularly where ‘sustainability’ is a desired outcome. As an example for a service contract you could include:
When selecting suppliers it is essential to assess the technical capabilities that will be required for the products or services you are procuring to meet your needs. Not only is this useful from the buyer’s point of view, as suppliers that can clearly not meet the requirement will be eliminated, but it is also useful for the suppliers as they have a very clear understanding of how serious you are about sustainability and what will be essential for their submission to be successful.
