Experts cite need for stakeholder engagement, 'green' certificates in govt contracts

Green is the order of the day, even in state contracts.

 

Involving various stakeholders and employing a strong “green” certification by governments are a must in pursuing environmentally sustainable government contracts, procurement experts said Friday.

 

“You really have to bring the sectors involved together,” Alexandre Borges de Oliveira, senior procurement specialist at World Bank, said during the Good Governance Summit in Pasay City.

 

Governments should put in place a process certifying environment-friendly products, De Oliveira noted, saying these will ensure that what governments procure is indeed environment-friendly.

 

Sean O’ Sullivan, director general for Operations Services and Financial Management at the Asian Development Bank (ADB), offered another view. 

 

He noted that government procurement guidelines should specify the types of materials that it

considers environment-friendly. “What is needed is to put down specifications and parameters in procurement guidelines,” he said.

 

De Oliveira observed that not all countries pursue so-called “green” contracts. “In some countries, it’s been a challenge because some laws require the procuring agency to go for the lowest price quoted in bids,” he said.

 

Both officials, however, said going green will ultimately cut down costs and benefit the public more.

 

In 2012, the Philippine government launched a green public procurement project promoting the use of environment-friendly products and services.

 

The program was rolled-out by virtue of Executive Order No. 301 issued in 2004.  However,  government agencies faced difficulties in implementing the directive “due to inadequate supply of

environmentally-preferable products and services.”  – VS, GMA News