Green public procurement (GPP)

Published on November 11, 2019

The policy framework for promotion of GPP in Bulgaria was streamlined by the National Action Plan for Promotion of Green Public Procurement for the period 2012-2014 (NAP) which was adopted in 2011. As a first policy document in the field, NAP encourages the use of green criteria among the contracting authorities, gives practical guidance on GPP award, sets some targets for public bodies and establishes GPP monitoring system, based on the data from the Public Procurement Register (in the decision for launching the procurement procedure contracting authorities indicate whether green criteria are used). Efforts have been made to integrate GPP in the financial instruments at national level under the European Structural & Investment Funds (ESIF) for the programming period - 2014-2020. In the so called "Guidelines for the integration of environmental and climate change policy in the European Structural & Investment Funds - phase "Implementation of the Partnership Agreement and the Programmes in the period 2014 - 2020" is provided that projects which includes GPP (in accordance with the provisions of the Public Procurement Act and the GPP criteria of the European Commission) will have priority in selection within the procedures of the Operational Programmes, funded by the European Structural & Investment Funds. The criteria are overarching – applicable for all Operational Programmes. Development of GPP is addressed in the National strategy for development of the public procurement sector in Bulgaria over the period 2014 – 2020 adopted by the Council of Ministries on July 9, 2014. The Plan for its implementation contains a specific measure to accelerate the development of GPP in the country, namely by the elaboration of the Practical handbook as a useful tool for conducting GPP. Project "Methodological Support for the Development of Green Public Procurement in Bulgaria" was implemented during the period 2015-2019 by the PPA. It was funded under the Bulgarian-Swiss cooperation programme and aimed to create conditions for purposeful policy in GPP area.

The outcome and the deliverables of the project encompass: • Studied and forecasted potential of the domestic market of GPP - Analytical Report was developed: http://www.aop.bg/fckedit2/user/File/bg/practika/Proekt_analitichen_doklad.pdf • Selected 12 GPP product groups that are suitable for the award of "green" procurement: http://www.aop.bg/fckedit2/user/File/bg/practika/Spisak_produktovi_grupi.pdf • Practical Handbook for green public procurement was elaborated. It consists of Strategic Module (strategic aspects of GPP), Legal Module (explains the applicable legal framework) and Operational Module (presents sample standard criteria for selected product groups): http://www.aop.bg/fckedit2/user/File/bg/novini/PwC_Handbook_A5_Print_Single%20page_new.pdf Specific examples for using environmental procurement criteria, incl. from the practice of national contracting authorities are presented in the Handbook as well as two life cycle calculators for Computers and Monitors and Street Lighting • Improved awareness of good environmental protection practices in public procurement (information events, training seminars, working visits and workshops): - Two working visits to Switzerland (2018 and 2019); - Two information events for 100 participants (2019); - Eight thematic trainings on the project for different target groups, with training of more than 200 participants (2019); - Developed a distance training course on GPP (2019) • Swiss Good Practices Catalogue on Sustainable Public Procurement : http://swiss-contribution.bg/uploads/manager/source/Final%20-%20Good%20practice%20guide%20%20EN.pdf • Supplied energy efficient IT equipment • Supplied advertising materials, made from recycled materials and/or biodegradable products. According to the Analytical Report, for the period 2014-2017 992 GPP have been announced in Bulgaria, but with the value of contract concluded over USD 1.7 billion. The benefits associated with GPP are not limited to environmental impact, but can include various social, health, economic and political benefits: - allowing public authorities to achieve environmental targets; - setting an example to private consumers; - raising awareness of environmental issues; - improving services to the public and thus enhancing quality of life; - establishing high environmental performance standards for products and services; - saving money and resources when life-cycle costs are considered; - provides incentives to industry to innovate; - reducing prices for environmental technologies; - effective way to demonstrate the public sector's commitment to environmental protection and to sustainable consumption and production.