Harnessing Public Procurement for the Green Transition

Slovak Republic

Framework, scope, action-plans

The (2019) National Strategy for Environmental Policy until 2030 recognises the potential of GPP to support green innovation and the country’s transition towards a circular economy. The Strategy sets the target to implement GPP in at least 70% of the total number and value of public procurement contracts. To ensure success, GPP will be made mandatory for central government authorities, self-governing regions, and municipalities. The mandatory requirement to use GPP will initially be limited to a selected number of product groups, which will gradually expand to reach the target set by 2030. Moreover, the electronic system for public procurement will help disseminate information of GPP and monitor implementation.

The GPP-related initiatives and objectives set out in the Strategy are further enforced by the 2019 Resolution (No. 478/2019) on the Concept of Development and Implementation of GPP, which identifies the 4 key actions for GPP design and implementation:

1. Involvement of decision-makers and commitment at all levels;

2. Improvement of GPP-related skills;

3. Creation of an efficient and simple procurement method;

4. Monitoring and evaluation.

The Resolution also defines the co-ordination arrangement between the main central-level institutions responsible for GPP: the Ministry of Environment, the national Environmental Agency and the Office for Public Procurement.

Furthermore, GPP is mentioned in several other strategies and national-level policies concerning the environment and climate, including the Low-carbon Development Strategy until 2030 with a view to 2050, the revised Strategy on Climate Change Adaptation, the National Energy and Climate Plan for the period 2021 - 2030, the Economic Policy Strategy until 2030, and the Strategic Transport Development Plan until 2030.

Implementation

To date, there is mandatory requirement to use GPP for 5 specific product groups (Copying and graphic paper, Computers and monitors, Road transport and Indoor cleaning services, construction and reconstruction of ground constructions) for the contracting authorities on the central government level (ministries and central government bodies) and is based on the resolution of the Government Office of the Slovak republic. Starting from 31 March 2022, the Public Procurement Act has mainly set a general requirement to integrate environmental considerations in public procurement, which applies to all levels of government. Notably, environmental considerations should be integrated in the description of the subject of the contract, as a special condition of performance, or as award criterion to evaluate offers in at least 6% of public contracts in the calendar year (for ministries and central government bodies) or together with social considerations for other contracting authorities in which at least ten public contracts were launched or implemented (outside of low-value contracts).

Measurement and impact

Slovak Environment Agency collects data on GPP implementation through an on-line survey that is run on an annual basis. Moreover, the participation to the survey is just on a voluntary basis. The collected data is analysed and until year 2021 (for year 2020) were presented in an annual report, subject to the approval by the Government Office of the Slovak republic. The approval resolution and the report were published on the official website of the national Government.Slovak Environment Agency continues to collect data on GPP implementation even after year 2020 but these data are no more publicly available. Moreover, there is a plan to obtain data regarding the GPP implementation via new information system eForms, which should provide data directly from the systems in which public procurements are carried out.

In terms of impact measurement for public procurement, the Institute for Environmental Policy has developed a tool (2018) to analyse the costs and environmental impacts of green procurement but only for certain product groups. The tool mainly allows to assess and compare (i) investment and operating costs and (ii) the lifecycle CO₂ emissions of alternatively (i.e. electric cars) vs. conventionally-powered cars.

Recent developments

Since 1^st October 2022 Slovak Ministries and other central government bodies are obliged on the basis of the resolution of the Government Office of the Slovak republic No. 541/2022 to apply GPP in public tenders of works (construction and reconstruction). This regulation is obliged for the works above the 30 000 EUR. Small construction and reconstruction of ground constructions under 30 000 EUR and linear construction are excluded of the application of GPP.