New Furniture framework helps health authorities to reduce carbon emissions and illegal logging
Health authorities looking for swift and easy access to sustainable furniture to equip hospitals, health centres, clinics, offices and other workspaces can now take advantage of OGCbuying.solutions' new, enhanced Furniture framework agreement.
Launched in October, the framework agreement, which attracts spend in excess of £60 million each year, covers a diverse range of products including desks, chairs, storage, shelving, canteen and restaurant furniture as well as bespoke solutions for applications such as executive offices, conference suites, reception areas and residential facilities. The products included in these arrangements were selected following a wide ranging, collaborative effort to take full account of the specific needs of health authorities and other public sector organisations. In particular, the growing need to make workspaces operate as efficiently as possible, using equipment that meets exacting health and safety, British Standard (BS) & European Norm (EN) standards, environmental and sustainability criteria were carefully considered.
Commenting on the new procurement arrangements, Graham Threlfall, Furniture Category Specialist at Buying Solutions said: ‘This framework agreement will provide our health authority customers with greater clarity in terms of the products available and from whom, allowing customers to run further competitions more efficiently with fewer suppliers. This has been a collaborative effort with a mixture of stakeholders across the public sector. ‘Of particular importance in this procurement exercise was to ensure that customers can be confident that the timber they are buying comes from legal, sustainable and auditable sources.
‘We have a responsibility to do all we possibly can in this area. Most people are well aware that the world's forests are disappearing rapidly in places such as Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. This has a devastating effect on the habitats for wildlife and also contributes to climate change as trees play a critical role in absorbing the greenhouse gases that fuel global warming.'
As so many items of furniture have extensive timber or wood-derived content, one of the most effective ways to help slow down or stop the loss of forests is to buy timber that has originated from a legally operated and well managed forest, reducing the market for illegally logged timber.
The increase in demand for action to stop deforestation has resulted in the establishment of organisations with certification and self-certification systems for the wood content of products. In the UK, the most well known of these is the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
The FSC inspects timber-producing forests in order to ensure that they are managed responsibly, and that the timber grown there has a ‘chain of custody' certification, which shows the route the timber has taken from the forest to the consumer. This provides the end user with the assurance that the timber has been produced legally and sustainably. The FSC - and other certification schemes - are regularly assessed by the Central Point of Expertise on Timber (CPET), the Defrafunded body that oversees UK Government timber procurement policy.
Commenting on the framework agreement, Graham Threlfall added, ‘All of our furniture suppliers are certified against one of the approved certification schemes, such as the
FSC, and can demonstrate that a full audit trail can be provided, with an unbroken chain of custody, right from the forest gate to the final consumer.
‘In addition, the vast majority of suppliers also have ISO 14001 and 9001 or are actively working towards accreditation.' The Furniture framework agreement is divided into specific areas including:
- Office Furniture, incorporating the supply, delivery and installation of all types of office furniture and associated services
- Courtroom/Bespoke Furniture and associated services including reception areas, executive offices, courtrooms, conference facilities, council chambers and judicial suites
- Residential Furniture, incorporating the supply delivery and installation of free standing and modular bedroom and study furniture including beds
- High Density Steel Storage incorporating the supply, delivery and installation of mobile and static steel storage including gondola type library shelving, both hand operated and mechanically operated and powered, including inserts, pockets, wallets, labels and storage media
Suppliers will also undertake site surveys, space planning, design, reconfiguration and installation work. They all offer services to dispose of redundant furniture as well. As a great deal of second hand furniture is reusable and recyclable, this can provide some organisations, such as charities and not-for-profits, with a great opportunity for getting access to good quality items that have been recovered and refurbished properly, and that still have many years of use ahead of them.
This is a very important dimension if the solution is to be regarded as fully sustainable, according to Graham Threlfall. ‘As well as making best use of limited financial resources, this also reduces demand for virgin timber, reduces the market for illegally logged timber and leaves more trees standing in the forest.
‘All our suppliers can demonstrate that they have robust systems for the disposal of furniture products with timber. This will most likely be achieved by entering into alliances with organisations which specialise in recycling and reusing, such as Green Works, Green Standards, or the Disposal Services Authority.' he concluded.
The Furniture framework agreement will operate for a period of four years. Its launch follows a rigorous competitive tender process advertised via the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU).
Buying Solutions' framework agreements provide a trusted, value-for-money, fast and flexible way for public sector organisations to buy goods and services.
EU-compliant, pre-tendered, one-stop-shop framework agreements save buyers time, money and worry by providing access to rigorously-evaluated and carefully-chosen suppliers who are experts in their fields. Standard terms and conditions provide important contractual safeguards.