GRASP- Green procurement And Smart city support in the energy sector C3.3: Sharing and Implementing a common procurement model (Consip for APEA Siena)
NAME OF THE BEST PRACTICE “Consip Framework Contract Server 9”
COUNTRY ITALY
PROCURERS AND SUPPLIERS Italian Public bodies and more than 5 suppliers (Italian companies) in the scope of the Framework Agreement to provide servers.
CONTRACTING AUTHORITY Consip S.p.A owned by Italy’s Ministry of the Economy and Finance (MEF)
CONTEXT The Program for the Rationalization of P.A. Purchases, initiated in 2000, is based on the use of ICT technology applied to the provisioning processes of public administrations with the aim of rationalizing the expenditure in goods and services of public administrations as well as simplifying and increasing the speed and transparency of public provisioning procedures.
GREEN REQUIREMENTS & QUALITY STANDARDS REQUESTED
Technical specifications (for Servers more efficient than Energy Star minimum requirements): • The server in maximum configuration (maximum number of power supplies, maximum number of processors, maximum amount of memory, etc.) must have an energy maximum consumption not exceeding 1.300VA, and heat dissipation of the equipment, in maximum configuration, not more than 4.500BTU/h; • Perforated doors for massive front-to-rear airflow over 78%; • Maximum limit of weight for server in maximum configuration not exceeding 52 kg; • The server must be mechanically contained in a Cabinet 19 rack, with height of the cabinet less than or equal to 2U. The product must be delivered and equipped with all accessories (rails and telescopic rails, screws specific, nuts, etc.) to build up the equipment and to facilitate the maintenance. 1
PROCEDURE FOLLOWED
The steps of a greening procedure are:
study of regulations;
adoption of minimum environmental criteria when issued by the Ministry of the Environment;
search and identification of additional award criteria using Type 1 ecolabels and life cycle assessment methodology;
a consolidated supply analysis. It is important to constantly consolidate results and involve all stakeholders in terms of objectives and achievements;
a correct evaluating process, consisting in verifying that the product awarded has:
o
A test report from a recognised body (e.g. body accredited to issue test reports according to ISO 17025 standard and accredited to required test) demonstrating that the criteria are met;
o
A correct application of the principle of equivalence with reversal of proof borne by the supplier that asks for an equivalent means of proof; or
o
A relevant Type 1 ecolabel fulfilling the criteria required as presumption of conformity.
RESULTS Thanks to the purchasing of energy efficient servers this agreement can generate savings for € 0,6 Mln for year, corresponding to 1,700 Tons of CO2 emissions avoided perr year. This requirement is met by selecting Servers more efficient than Energy Star minimum requirements. Supplier is more willing to offer durable products so as to minimize assistance and maintenance costs (included in the FA); for this reason PB are equipped with high quality products.
PROS AND CONS/ SCOPE FOR IMPROVEMENTS Too innovative green criteria can increase the risk of a “desert” tender. Less innovative green criteria can generate a less competitive and stationary market, leading to a standardization of environmental quality of the products offered. It is important to constantly consolidate results and involve all stakeholders in terms of objectives and achievements to assure the good quality of supplies and to collect data as the basis for next supply analysis.
2
3.3 Best Practice: “Consip Framework Contract Server 9”
procurers & suppliers participated In 2013 Consip SpA set the terms for Framework Contracts on Server, for the purchasing of Hardware (Server). Consip SpA launched the framework contract on Server for a total amount of 12.000 Server. Public bodies (PB) using these contracts will benefit of the minimum and awarding requirements settled by Consip and offered by first contractor. Tender processes are managed through an e-platform (set by Consip) enhancing paper dematerialization and process savings. Green criteria were included in the contract. Regarding suppliers, more than 5 suppliers have responded to the Framework Contract.
contracting authority Consip S.p.A. is a public stock company owned by Italy’s Ministry of the Economy and Finance (MEF) that was designated as the supporting agency of the Rationalisation of Public Spending Program. Consip is engaged in the strategic conception and realisation of procurement processes, by searching the market for the best innovative solutions for public administration needs. Consip also works as a Central Purchasing Unit (at national level): it plans, manages and awards tenders on behalf of public administrations. The Program for the Rationalization of P.A. purchases, initiated in 2000, is based on the use of ICT technology applied to the provisioning processes of public administrations with the aim of: 1. Rationalizing the expenditure in goods and services of the Italian public administrations, improving the quality of purchases and reducing unitary costs through an in-depth knowledge of markets and the aggregation of demand; 2. Simplifying and increasing the speed and transparency of public provisioning procedures through the reduction in market access time, with significant economic impact on the costs of the bureaucratic machinery. In a framework contract, the supplier that awarded a Consip tender on an individual product category commits itself to accepting (at the conditions and prices that have been set in the tender and according to the quality standards described in the technical specifications) orders from all Italian Public Administrations up to the maximum amount set in the same tender.
Consip’s framework contracts deal with a general expenditure on purchases of standardised goods and services that are widely used by all administrations (computers, printers, server, heating oil, food coupons, mobile and fixed-line telephony, etc…). By purchasing through a Consip framework contract, all administrations avoid the expenditure related to the cost in terms of time and resources involved into the tender process (also for contracts above the community threshold, which is set at 137,000 euros for central administrations and at 211,000 euros for local authorities) and can have great savings on processes and the price of the products they acquire thanks to the aggregation of the demand. By aggregating demand, Consip decreases unitary costs (on average by 15-20%), while maintaining a high quality standard in supplies. About half the framework contracts are awarded through electronic tenders on Consip’s electronic platform. In an electronic tender the presentation of documentation and offers takes place on-line, on the Internet, o a single or a succession of rounds. In 2002 Consip became the first central purchasing body to implement an electronic tender for a contract above the European threshold. The on-line platform may also be used directly by the administrations themselves to meet their provisioning requirements, with Consip’s technical and organizational support. It's a selective electronic marketplace in which authorized suppliers offer their goods and services directly on-line. Registered buyers (Public Administrations) consult its catalogues and can make either a direct purchase order or request for offer. Green purchases, or Green Public Procurement (GPP), are a main focus of the Program for the Rationalization of Purchases. Starting with April 2008 –with the launch of the GPP National Action Plan – a greater focus has been put into sustainable purchases. The National Action Plan sets the strategy for the dissemination of GPP, the product categories, the environmental goals to be achieved and the general methodology to be used. Later regulations have introduced the minimal environmental criteria that must be followed in purchasing procedures. Within the scope of the Program for the Rationalization of Purchases, these criteria have been adopted into the tenders for the supply of goods and services.
green requirements & quality standards requested The main feature of these agreement is the focus on energy efficiency. This requirement is met by buying Server more efficient than Energy Star minimum requirements. Green criteria were included in the contract as technical specifications and awarding criteria. Technical specifications:
• The server in maximum configuration (maximum number of power supplies, maximum number of processors, maximum amount of memory, etc.) must have an energy maximum consumption not exceeding 1.300VA, and heat dissipation of the equipment, in maximum configuration, not more than 4.500BTU/h; • Perforated doors for massive front-to-rear airflow over 78%; • Maximum limit of weight for server in maximum configuration not exceeding 52 kg; • The server must be mechanically contained in a Cabinet 19 rack, with height of the cabinet less than or equal to 2U. The product must be delivered and equipped with all accessories (rails and telescopic rails, screws specific, nuts, etc.) to build up the equipment and to facilitate the maintenance.
Award criteria: • Points are awarded according to the increasing of specpower benchmark (overall value -ssj_ops / watt); • Points are awarded according to the increasing of power supply efficiency; • Points are awarded according to the increasing of power supply efficiency (ITHD 20%); • Points are awarded according to the decreasing of the height of the cabinet. The standard ISO 9001 is required for suppliers.
procedure followed In the last few years, with the aim of reducing the environmental impact of the goods and services used by public authorities, the number of green initiatives launched by Consip has markedly increased. The main environmental goals that have been set involve the following sectors:
Energy: Helping to create energy savings, promote the use of renewable sources and green fuel. Goods and Services: Abiding by standards set in the use of materials harmful to public health and the environment
Recycling: Promoting the separation of waste through the purchase of recycled products and materials
Waste: Promoting among Public Authorities the separation and collection of recyclable waste.
The steps of a greening procedure are: -
study of regulations;
-
adoption of minimum environmental criteria when issued by the Ministry of the Environment;
-
search and identification of additional award criteria using Type 1 ecolabels and life cycle assessment methodology;
-
a consolidated supply analysis. It is important to constantly consolidate results and involve all stakeholders in terms of objectives and achievements;
-
a correct evaluating process, consisting in verifying that the product awarded has: o
A test report from a recognised body (e.g. body accredited to issue test reports according to ISO 17025 standard and accredited to required test) demonstrating that the criteria are met;
o
A correct application of the principle of equivalence with reversal of proof borne by the supplier that asks for an equivalent means of proof; or
o
A relevant Type 1 ecolabel fulfilling the criteria required as presumption of conformity.
results Thanks to the purchasing of energy efficient servers this agreement can generate savings for € 0,6 Mln for year, corresponding to 1,700 Tons of CO2 emissions avoided perr year. This requirement is met by selecting Servers more efficient than Energy Star minimum requirements. Supplier is more willing to offer durable products so as to minimize assistance and maintenance costs (included in the FA); for this reason PB are equipped with high quality products.
pros and cons/scope for improvements One of the most important and complicated issue for a correct and successful procedure of implementation of green criteria in a tender is the technical verification process. It’s crucial verifying that the product awarded is compliant with technical requirements set out in the tender documentation and offered by the supplier. Another crucial issue is a consolidated supply analysis. Including green criteria means that the market meets P.A. innovation needs and is ready to follow and anticipate them. The risk management becomes crucial. Too innovative green criteria can increase the risk of a “desert” tender. Less innovative green criteria can generate a less competitive and stationary market, leading to a standardization of environmental quality of the products offered. It is important to constantly consolidate results and involve all stakeholders in terms of objectives and achievements to assure the good quality of supplies and to collect data as the basis for next supply analysis, also to avoid a false application of the most advantageous tender in terms of technical points not selective of the real best offer.