Harnessing Public Procurement for the Green Transition

Austria

Framework, scope, action-plans

In 2010, the Federal Government adopted the first version of the Austrian Action Plan on Sustainable Public Procurement (naBe-Action Plan) promoting sustainability in its three dimensions: environmental, social and economic sustainability. The new action plan took effect on 1 July 2021 and is already mandatory for public-sector authorities at the federal level. The naBe-Action Plan pursues three goals:

• Anchor sustainable procurement in all federal institutions

• Harmonisation of criteria with regard to sustainable public procurement

• Secure Austria's pioneering role in sustainable public procurement in the EU

The naBe-Action Plan is binding for federal contracting authorities (CA) and contracting entities (CE). In addition, the application of said criteria is recommended to all other CA and CE (Länder, municipalities, public institutions, ...) that are subject to the federal procurement law in Austria. Some regions have adopted their own Action Plan on GPP.

The Federal Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK) is entrusted with the co-ordination of measures to implement the naBe-Action Plan. The naBe-Action Plan is anchored in the integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP). The BMK co-ordinates the NECP and the naBe Action Plan through steering groups and through communication with affected authorities and stakeholders.

Implementation

In Austria, sustainability criteria must be implemented on a mandatory basis at federal level for certain categories of products and services: Structural engineering, civil engineering, electrical appliances, lamps, electricity, IT equipment, public space maintenance, events, vehicles, office supplies, paper, hygiene products, textiles, furniture, food and catering services, cleaning products and services.

The naBe-Action Plan includes fixed targets in terms of share of procurement subject to GPP. Typically, the requirements of the naBe-Action Plan have to be fulfilled in all public procurement procedures. For some criteria, specific targets are set.

The naBe- Action Plan also contains GPP criteria formulated as templates so that they can easily be implemented in tender documents. The relevant criteria also list means of proof to support both public buyers as well as tenderers, especially SMEs. The criteria cover all phases of a tender procedure; from the performance description and technical specification to award criteria and the contract execution.

Measurement and impact

In Austria, public institutions are not required by law to collect GPP data. On a federal level however, a system to monitor the naBe Action Plan is established and data is already being collected.

In addition, some federal states also monitor their data on their own sustainability programmes. Those programmes are typically comparable to the naBe Action Plan.

Most recent developments

Austria indicated that a monitoring system was being established on the federal level at the time of the Survey.