Maximise potential reuse of PE

Fluvius commits to circularity for utility lines

Fluvius is bundling the purchase of polyethylene pipes for various utility companies, and committing to reusing them. This will also push suppliers to make significant steps towards circularity. 

Fluvius hopes this project will encourage its suppliers to make every effort to recycle unwanted polyethylene pipes and fittings. Ideally, they should include this in their own processes. This is Fluvius’ first experiment with including circular principles in the specifications with the selection, award and rejection criteria. The ultimate goal is to create a framework, so that circular procurement can be widely implemented within the company.

This PE project was awarded at the end of 2019. The contract entered into force on 1 January 2020 for a period of 4 years. The suppliers awarded the contract are willing to work with Fluvius and other utilities in this federal case on further elaboration of the circular ambitions.

In this example of public procurement, Fluvius managed to include a weighting for sustainability in 20 out of 100 points. The other points were awarded for price (60) and site deliveries (20).

Description of the sustainability criteria in the contract documents

Specifically for the 'Sustainability' award criterion, the various partners wish to thoroughly study or review, with the candidate supplier, the raw material, material and waste streams according to the principles of the circular economy. To this end, the tenderer shall describe an action plan which will be scored by the contracting authority according to the following criteria:

1. Description of options and research into reuse and usability with the same quality or highest possible quality for:

• Uncontaminated PE pipes;
• Contaminated PE pipes (e.g. earth, gravel, etc.);

The tenderer shall describe specific initiatives that have already been set up or which the tenderer is prepared to research and implement during the duration of the contract:

• Realisations regarding sustainable processing
• Ongoing initiatives towards finding the most sustainable processing
• Future possibilities or ideas concerning sustainable processing at the highest possible quality during the duration of the contract
• Cooperation with other sustainable processors

2. Level of separate logistics of sustainable collection in Belgium according to the geographical location of the contracting authority’s distribution centre, local hubs, local information points, etc.;

• The tenderer shall describe existing collection networks.
• The tenderer shall describe the options for setting up a logistics network for sustainable collection, taking maximum account of the geographical location of the contracting authority’s distribution centre, local hubs, local information points, etc.

3. Elaborate a proposal for an improvement process in the context of sustainability to stimulate reuse, as well as an effective practical pilot in the contracting authority’s field of activity; This proposal will be evaluated on the basis of:

• Practical feasibility
• Degree of detailed elaboration
• Timing according to the contract duration
• Degree of commitment and co-creation with the contracting authority
• Degree of impact on the size of the case
• Degree of alignment with the contracting authority’s processes and operations

4. Sustainability of the tenderer (e.g. certificates or awards obtained, sustainable vehicle fleet)

The tenderer shall describe achievements that are ongoing or have already been set up with regard to the sustainability of the entire chain:

• Sustainability of the vehicle fleet (no explicit requirements are included in exclusion criteria)
• Certificates or awards already obtained in the field of sustainable enterprise
• Degree of integration of Corporate Social Responsibility in the organisation
• Degree of sustainability of the tenderer's chain (suppliers, production process, etc.)
• Degree and method of processing waste specific to the production process and associated rejected material

The following scoring table shall be applied:

• 20 points: the action plan exceeds that of all other tenderers
• 17 points: the action plan is considered to be 'very good';
• 15 points: the action plan is considered 'good';
• 5 points: the action plan is considered 'satisfactory';
• 0 points: the plan of approach ‘is not in compliance’, the tender is therefore not eligible for award