Call for tender – Driving public purchase towards truly green construction products and materials

In the EU, public spending accounts for a large share of construction sector demand with public contractors’ buying powers for construction activities accounting for 1,4% EU GDP. Despite a growing consensus on its potential, however, no mandatory green public procurement (GPP) approach for construction products exists at EU-level. This has led to data inconsistency and fragmentation, as national authorities adopted varying standards and metrics to evaluate environmental impact, resulting in a lack of comparability across projects or regions.

In March 2022, the European Commission proposed two major pieces of legislation that attempt an EU-level approach to GPP for construction products: the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and the Construction Products Regulation (CPR). Both proposals would empower European authorities to set mandatory GPP criteria through secondary legislation, for construction products such as cement, concrete, and steel.  

Therefore, setting truly green criteria for top polluting construction products and ensuring their swift implementation at national level are key to ultimately greening the sector. By prioritising eco-friendly materials, public authorities are not only encouraging the development of green technologies but also promoting their large-scale adoption. 

Concept and objective of the report  

In the upcoming months, ECOS will embark on a European-wide campaign advocating for the urgent adoption of mandatory GPP criteria for construction products. This initiative aims to elevate the discourse around sustainable construction, a sector that has largely been overlooked by EU environmental policy. 

As part of the campaign, an evidence-based report will be produced as the basis for constructing a compelling narrative and providing recommendations to the EU and national policy makers. Therefore, the report will have three main objectives: 

• Illustrate the environmental benefits and transformative impact of adopting mandatory GPP criteria for construction products at EU-level.  
• Provide policymakers and progressive stakeholders with arguments (especially in terms of feasibility) to advocate for EU-wide GPP standards, emphasising the benefits for the environment, economies, and society. 
• Initiate an EU-wide public discussion about the necessity and benefits of sustainable construction practices and mandatory GPP criteria 

The above-mentioned report will be drafted by the ECOS team, using the findings of the study presently advertised as a basis. The study, which will be outsourced by ECOS, will analyse the environmental impact and feasibility of adopting mandatory GPP criteria for construction products at EU-level. The focus of this study shall be on concrete and steel, given their significant usage in the industry and their substantial impact on global emissions. Geographically, the study shall cover the state of GPP at EU level, with a specific focus on frontrunners such as Germany, Italy, and Belgium.  

How to apply

Interested applications should download the call for tender for the full details of the project scope, outputs, timeline and budget.

Tenderers are requested to submit a proposal by 23:59 CET on 31 January 2024 to info@ecostandard.org (and in CC – tudor.cherhat@ecostandard.org) outlining: 

• A brief description of the tenderer’s understanding of the analysis demanded. 
• A description of the anticipated activities, relevant timeline with milestones, and proposed outputs. 
• A description of how close coordination with ECOS will be ensured throughout the project. 
• Budgeting for each element of the work. 
• CVs and time availability of the key staff delivering the work, as well as their areas of expertise. 

ECOS procurement and purchase policy 

This tender complies with the ECOS Procurement and Purchase Policy adopted by the ECOS Executive Committee, and last updated October 2021. This policy covers general principles relating to transparency and fairness, value for money, and non-discrimination. It specifies thresholds relating to a competitive negotiated procedure with at least a specified number of candidates either with tender or selection and sets out the procedure to be followed by ECOS.