Green Public Procurement

Green Public Procurement (GPP) is a process where public authorities seek to source goods, services, or works with a reduced environmental impact throughout their life-cycle, compared to other goods, services, or works with the same function.

Green Public Procurement Strategy and Action Plan 2024 - 2027

The new Green Public Procurement Strategy and Action Plan ‘Buying Greener: Green Public Procurement Strategy and Action Plan 2024-2027’ has been published. Further information on the new strategy and action plan can be found here.

Climate Action Plan 2025

Climate Action Plan 2025 builds upon last year's Plan by refining and updating the measures and actions required to deliver the carbon budgets and sectoral emissions ceilings and it should be read in conjunction with Climate Action Plan 2024. The Plan provides a roadmap for taking decisive action to halve Ireland’s emissions by 2030 and achieve climate neutrality by no later than 2050, as committed to in the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021. Climate Action Plan 2025 can be found here.

Green Public Procurement and the Office of Government Procurement

Circular 17/2025

Circular 17/2025: Updated Green Public Procurement Instructions for Public Sector Bodies, aims to increase the implementation of Green Public Procurement (GPP) across the public sector. This Circular replaces previous guidance issued through Circular 20/2019: Promoting the use of Environmental and Social Considerations in Public Procurement.

The OGP has created a dedicated webpage where public bodies can find further information on the Circular, which can be found here.

Green Public Procurement Guidance for the Public Sector

To assist in the provision of green criteria that can be incorporated into public procurement in line with Circular 17/2025, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published updated Green Public Procurement Guidance for the Public Sector in July 2024. This update included Furniture as a new sector. The sectors are as follows:

• Energy-related products
• Food and catering services
• Heating equipment
• ICT products and services
• Cleaning products and services
• Indoor and outdoor lighting
• Design, construction and management of office buildings
• Paper products and printing services
• Textile products and services
• Road transport vehicles and services
• Furniture

The OGP led development of GPP Criteria Search, an online search tool that allows the user to rapidly find, select, and download the Irish GPP criteria relevant to a specific procurement project. Criteria can be copied and pasted directly into tender documents (although sometimes some minor adjustment may be necessary). Methods of verification are provided for each criterion. Technical specifications, selection criteria, award criteria, and contract performance clauses are included, as appropriate for a particular category.

Available at https://gppcriteria.gov.ie/, the site was designed to facilitate use of green procurement. It was developed in collaboration with the EPA and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.

Please also see our Sustainable Public Procurement Case Studies and Sustainable Public Procurement News pages.