In collaboration with Prof. Caranta, Prof. Andhov went deep into the technical requirements at each phase of public procurement, making the point that sustainability concerns can be included from the starting point of deciding what to buy.

The session starts by describing the role of technical specifications, labels, qualifications, and contract performance, and continues with a discussion on the award criteria and sustainability considerations. Prof. Andhov indicated that for 70% of the procurement procedures, the lowest price is the only award criteria. She invited the participants to challenge the idea of sustainability being a “secondary” concern in public purchasing.

“if you are racing to the bottom that means you push the cost somewhere else”

Watch Marta Andhov’s and Roberto Caranta’s full presentation below: