Green framework sees €30m allocated for remanufactured equipment in public sector
The Office of Government Procurement (OGP) has launched a new framework that allows public bodies to purchase remanufactured laptops. This is the first arrangement of its kind in the EU and can be availed of by all public service bodies regardless of size.
The framework has an estimated value of up to €30 million and fully supports the circular economy objectives set out in the Green Public Procurement Strategy and Action Plan 2024-2027.
In this contract all laptops meet the BSI Kitemark standard for ‘remanufacturing’. Remanufacturing is the process of returning a used product to at least its original performance with a warranty that is equivalent or better than that of a newly manufactured product. Laptops are broken down into their constituent parts, cleaned, tested, repainted etc. Then using a combination of suitable parts, remanufacturing sees the rebuilding of a product through a 360 stage process. The BSI Kitemark standard requires that this process restore products to a like-new quality in both their performance and appearance.
In contrast, refurbished notebooks do not necessarily go through a step-by-step quality control process. This method may return a product to a satisfactory working condition but has not been subject to the stringent requirements of the remanufacturing process, nor does it result in certification of a quality standard.
The cost of a remanufactured notebook is, on average, 30% lower than the newly manufactured equivalent. This arrangement supports commitments in the Programme for Government aimed at ensuring public procurement leads the transition to the Circular Economy.
Minister for Public Expenditure NDP Delivery & Reform Paschal Donohoe said: “The National Development Plan outlined our ambitions to transition to a low-carbon society and this framework supports this.
“This is the first such framework to be established by a central purchasing body in the EU and offers significant environmental benefits, including carbon reduction and resource and water savings as well as value for money.”
It is estimated that over the lifetime of the contract approximately 60,000 remanufactured laptops could be bought over new laptops. This equates to a reduction of 19 million kilograms of CO2, 72 million kilograms of mined resource preservation and 11 billion litres of water not used.
Remanufacturing not only prevents the consumption of resources, but also avoids the e-waste from the disposal of devices. The CO2 saving alone is the equivalent of taking 1,200 cars off the road for each year of this contract.
Minister of State with responsibility for public procurement and circular economy Ossian Smyth said: “The public sector now has a way to buy remanufactured laptops from a trusted source, saving money and avoiding waste. This is a change from previous rules that advised always to buy new products. I’m delighted to see this progress.”
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