Resources to support sustainable development

The Programme for Government 2011 - 2015

The 'Programme for Government' 2011 - 2015 and the 'Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland' 2008 - 2018 reinforce the importance of achieving sustainable outcomes. They also provide the high-level context in which contracting authorities can identify specific sustainable goals to achieve from each procurement. 
 

• read the 'Programme for Government' (2011-2015)
• find out about the 'Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland' (2008-2018)

The NI Executive Sustainable Development Strategy - 'Everyone's Involved'

The NI Executive launched its new Sustainable Development Strategy, 'Everyone's Involved', on 27 May 2010. The strategy has been designed to provide a framework that can support and inform the decisions and actions taken by individuals, groups and organisations in progressing the sustainability agenda.

• read the 'Everyone's Involved' strategy (2010)

Equality Commission / CPD guidance - 'Equality of Opportunity and Sustainable Development in Public Sector Procurement'

In 2008 Construction & Procurement Delivery (previously known as Central Procurement Directorate) and the Equality Commission published joint guidance aimed at policy makers and procurement professionals, demonstrating how to integrate equality and sustainable development considerations into the procurement process, whilst also meeting statutory duties. 

A full guidance document is available, accompanied by a summary document, and a Dear Accounting Officer letter (DAO 05/08). 

• read the guidance on 'Equality of Opportunity and Sustainable Development in Public Sector Procurement'

European Commission guidance - 'Buying Social - A Guide to Taking Account of Social Considerations in Public Procurement'

Public procurement accounts for about 17 per cent of EU gross domestic product. Its leverage in areas such as social policy is thus considerable.

With the 'Guide to Taking Account of Social Considerations in Public Procurement', the European Commission aims to capitalise on this by raising contracting authorities' awareness on the benefits of opting for goods and services delivering good social outcomes; and explaining the opportunities offered by the existing EU legal framework to take into account social considerations in public procurement.

• read the 'Buying Social' guidance from the European Commission (2011)

CPD sustainability case studies

CPD has provided five sustainability case studies of projects where sustainability objectives were successfully incorporated into contracts. 

Sustainable construction procurement

Visit the Sustainable Construction web pages to read advice provided by CPD on the implementation of the Sustainability Action Plan (2012-2015) and 'Achieving Excellence in Construction Procurement'.

Additional guidance available:

CPD has published three relevant procurement guidance notes: 

• Integrating sustainable development into the procurement of food and catering services (Procurement Guidance Note 04/14)
• Procurement of Timber and Wood Products (Procurement Guidance Note 04/06)
• Procurement of Fair Trade Products (Procurement Guidance Note 02/06)

There are a number of websites with helpful resources on sustainable development: 

• DEFRA - Sustainable Development in Government
• EU - Buying Green - handbook
• EU - Green Public Procurement
• NI Guide to Expenditure, Appraisal and Evaluation
• DAERA - Sustainable Development

In addition it may  be helpful to read the OGC guide 'Finding and Procuring Innovative Solutions'.