Description
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The Norwegian Welfare Authority considers that it is clear in this procurement that it will give a better climate and environmental effect to replace award criteria that shall safeguard climate and environmental considerations with climate and environmental requirements in the requirement specification/contract. When procuring respite services and 24/7 services, the main service is work input/service from the tenderer's employees. The service will in itself not produce a climate and environmental footprint, but elements will be included in the operation of a climate and environmental footprint. Actual climate and environmental footprint for the service of respite services and 24/7 services is Use of transport Use of medical consumables Food Any textile use/material use for activities Waste disposal Transport Regarding the use of transport, the Contracting Authority considers that the use of climate-friendly vehicles will be the most efficient measure for reducing the climate and environmental footprint. We further consider that it is clear that it will give a better climate and environmental effect to set as requirements in the requirement specification, citing contract requirements that all tenderers shall use zero emission vehicles or biogas vehicles that meet Euro class 6/V to implement the contract, rather than weighting climate-friendly vehicles as an award criterion and giving counts to suppliers who use climate-friendly vehicles in the contract period. By setting requirements for transport, we will ensure that all tenderers use climate friendly vehicles during the execution of the contract. We are not guaranteed this by using the award criteria. For contracts beyond 1 January 2025, the City Council of Oslo municipality has, in addition, decided that it is mandatory for all entities in the municipality to set requirements for the use of zero emissions or biogas vehicles in assignments where transport is a part of the service. It would therefore be inappropriate to emphasise climate-friendly vehicles as an award criterion in this procurement, as we are, nevertheless, obliged to make requirements for zero emissions or biogas vehicles in the requirement specifications, cf. the contract. Other Regarding the other climate and environmental footprints that could be included in the service delivery (medical consumables, food, textiles/materials and waste management) we consider that an established environmental management system at the tenderer will be the most efficient and appropriate measure to reduce the climate and environmental footprints associated with these elements. Tenderers who are environmental management certified will actively work to continually reduce all environmental impacts that are associated with the company and work actively against fixed environmental objectives. We further consider that it is clear that it will give a better climate and environmental effect to set as requirements in the requirement specification, with reference to contract requirements that all tenderers shall be certified in accordance with a recognised environmental management system (f.eks. ISO.14001, EMAS, or Miljøfyrtårn) latest by 31.12.2026 rather than weighting the environmental management system as an award criteria and giving credit to tenderers who are certified. We also consider that it is clear that it will give a better climate and environmental effect to demand that all suppliers are environmentally certified, rather than evaluating how all elements in the tenderer's service affect the environment and then awarding suppliers with a lower environmental impact. By setting requirements for an environmental management system, we will ensure that suppliers are continually working towards reducing the company ́s climate and environmental footprint during the entire contract period and in line with community developments. Rather than only evaluating the environmental impact at the time of competition, and then so that the tenderers do not have obligations beyond exactly what has been evaluated. Immaterial climate footprint and environmental impact The nature of the procurement is the provision of health and care services. The main service is effort/service from the tenderer's employees. The climate and environmental footprints associated with respite services and 24 hour services make up very small elements compared to the main procurement, i.e. the actual service delivery. Subsidially, the Contracting Authority therefore believes that the climate footprint and the environmental impact of the mentioned elements (transport, medical consumables, food, textiles/materials and waste management) are beyond the nature of the procurement, and then the procurement has a climate footprint and an environmental impact that is immaterial, c.f. the Public Procurement § 7-9 (5).