Environmental purchasing
Voluntary tools for environmental purchasing
The focus of environmental purchasing in the Australian Government is to improve the environmental performance of government operations. This can result in reducing volumes of waste sent to landfill, meeting or exceeding the energy efficiency targets of the Australian Government's energy policy, fulfilling the requirements of the National Packaging Covenant, and reducing the amount of water used in government operations.
Environmental purchasing guides
The Environmental Purchasing Guide and Checklists have been developed to provide voluntary guidance to purchasers in the Australian Government regarding the consideration of relevant energy and environmental issues in procurement decision making.
The Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines December 2008 (CPGs) require that the value for money of a good or service be considered on a basis of whole-of-life costing.
Section 4.1 of the CPGs states:
"Value for money is the core principle underpinning Australian Government procurement. In a procurement process this principle requires a comparative analysis of all relevant costs and benefits of each proposal throughout the whole procurement cycle (whole-of-life costing)."
Value for money in procurement is enhanced by promoting the efficient, effective and ethical use of resources (s44 of the FMA Act, s22 & s23 of the CAC Act).
Purchasing that, for example, does not consider the operating energy consumption of an appliance or the costs of disposal at end-of-life as part of value for money, is purchasing that is inconsistent with the objectives of both Government procurement and environment policies.
These publications also provide information on additional energy and environmental policies that impact on procurement. A list of these policies can be found in the Department of Finance and Administration publications Guidance on Complying with Legislation and Government Policy in Procurement.
Environmental purchasing checklists
The checklists cover a range of key goods and services procured by the Australian Government. These include: paper and cardboard, packaging, office equipment, office equipment consumables, refrigerators, dishwashers, desk lighting, recycled products, building management services, waste management services, cleaning services and printing services. Each checklist identifies key environmental performance criteria and provides model tender specifications.
- Building management services
- Cleaning services
- Dishwashers
- Fax machines
- Miscellaneous office equipment
- Office equipment consumables
- Packaging
- Paper and cardboard
- Personal computers and monitors
- Printers, photocopiers and multi-function devices
- Printing services
- Recycled products
- Refrigerators
- Task lighting/desk lamps
- Waste management services
Public consultation on voluntary tools for environmental purchasing
The draft Environmental Purchasing Guide and Checklists were revised following extensive consultation in 2002-2003 with government agencies, business and non-governmental organisations.
Key findings from the consultation included:
- The need to provide additional guidance about industry initiatives in such areas as Design for the Environment (DfE) and product stewardship
- Highlighting the positive relationships between the industry development and environmental objectives of Australian Government procurement policy, including issues of small-to-medium enterprises accessing the marketplace
- Requests for further information about quantifying the benefits of environmental purchasing
- The need for training of procurement officers on the environmental aspects of value for money
Please contact us if you have comments to make about the guide or checklists, including advice on how they can be improved.
ESD operations guide
The ESD operations guide for owners, managers and tenants - A guide to help building owners, managers and tenants to operate buildings more sustainably
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