Incorporate sustainability questionnaire into bid evaluation scoring
Professional services vendors may be motivated to improve their sustainability performance if these actions are scored as part of the bid evaluation in a best value bid solicitation. To do this, the purchaser requires bidders to answer specific sustainability questions and defines how those questions will be evaluated to receive points for bid scoring. Purchasers should consider how they will verify the bidders’ answers and require documentation, whenever possible. See below for examples of how agencies are using sustainability questions in their competitive bid evaluations.
Case Study: Multnomah County, OR, sustainability questionnaire
Multnomah County, Oregon, focuses on the triple bottom line of sustainability; Environmental Considerations, Social Equity and Economic Impact. They seeks to conduct business with vendors who demonstrate responsible business practices through sustainable innovations and accordingly, they include vendor evaluation questions on responsible business practices of up to 25% of the bid evaluation points, a portion of which directly relate to environmental initiatives implemented by the vendor. Below is a link to a contracting example from Multnomah County.
Find out more at Multnomah County’s website.
Case Study: City of Vancouver, Canada corporate leadership questionnaire
The City of Vancouver, Canada uses a Supplier Code of Conduct to ensure all City vendors meet minimum requirements related to ethical, social and environmental standards. In addition, they recognize vendors that are demonstrating leadership and innovation in sustainability by asking vendors to complete a corporate leadership questionnaire. Completion of the questionnaire is required, and answers are evaluated as part of bid scoring as described in the bid document.
Find out more about Vancouver’s sustainable purchasing program at their website.