Bio-based public procurement

Public procurement can serve as a powerful tool to address the three pillars of Sustainable Development: the social, economic and environmental. It can help accelerate the market uptake of innovative and more sustainable products and services.

What is Bio-based public procurement?

Public procurement refers to the process by which public authorities, such as government departments or local authorities, purchase goods, services, or work from companies.

Green Public Procurement (GPP) extends this process towards the procurement of goods, services and works with a reduced environmental impact throughout their life cycle.

Public institutions and municipalities have major purchasing power, and with this power, they have great potential to influence the market.

Bio-based public procurement is a powerful tool for integrating sustainable, circular and innovative purchasing at the regional level and in considerable volume. Hence, it can help in raising a region’s profile and in communicating and implementing bioeconomy strategies.

What is needed to increase the uptake of bio-based solutions in public procurement?

Political will to facilitate the market entry of bio-based products: part of a larger strategy of sustainable development and regional growth.
Systematic approach to incorporate bio-based products into public procurement: incorporate principles of the circular economy and promote innovation in relevant regional value chains.
Active scanning of innovative bio-based products and open dialogue with current and potential suppliers to identify opportunities and engage producers.
Security and tools for procurement officials: a checklist or database of certified or purchasable products that are acceptable for public procurement.
Solid means of verification on the technical and environmental performance of the different products and services: LCA, standards and certifications.
Capacity building, training and knowledge sharing for public procurement officials to identify and replicate best practices.
Awareness raising on the benefits of circular bio-based procurement among public procurement authorities, suppliers and society at large.

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Through desk research, regional interviews and a series of webinars, the EFI Bioregions has explored what is happening in green public procurement in the Bioregions’ successful cases.