UK procurement: carbon reduction plans Q&A

Question 1

Does every government tender require a Carbon Reduction Plan under PPN 006?

Accepted Answer

No. PPN 006 applies to specified central government organisations and relevant public contracts above £5 million per year including VAT, excluding special regime contracts, subject to relevance and proportionality.

Other buyers may impose their own appropriate requirements.

Check the actual tender rather than treating the policy threshold as a universal exemption from environmental questions.

A lower-value procurement can still ask for contract-relevant environmental information under its applicable rules and evaluation criteria.

Question 2

Is the PPN 006 financial trigger a total five-million-pound contract value?

Accepted Answer

The policy refers to an estimated value above £5 million per year including VAT, not simply a lifetime total above £5 million.

This distinction matters for multi-year contracts.

The policy scope, contract type and proportionality conditions also need checking.

A bid team should record the duration, annualised value and tax basis used by the buyer, and clarify an ambiguous requirement instead of deciding from a headline total alone.

Question 3

What net-zero commitment is required in a PPN 006 Carbon Reduction Plan?

Accepted Answer

The plan must confirm the supplier’s commitment to achieving net zero by 2050 at the latest for its UK operations, alongside the required emissions reporting and reduction measures.

This is more than inserting a single target sentence into a policy.

Identify the reporting entity, boundaries, baseline or current reporting information and actions supporting the commitment.

Ensure leadership has approved the plan and that the published version matches the one relied on in the tender.

Question 4

Which emissions scopes are covered by the PPN 006 technical standard?

Accepted Answer

The standard requires Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions and a specified subset of Scope 3 categories.

It is therefore inaccurate to describe the requirement as either direct emissions only or every possible Scope 3 category.

Use the technical standard’s definitions and reporting boundaries when collecting data.

Keep the period and methods consistent across the plan so reviewers can understand the figures and distinguish a genuine change in emissions from a change in measurement.

Question 5

Which five Scope 3 categories are specified for PPN 006 reporting?

Accepted Answer

The technical standard identifies upstream transportation and distribution, waste generated in operations, business travel, employee commuting, and downstream transportation and distribution.

Read the scope descriptions and minimum boundaries rather than relying on category names alone.

Some activities can be irrelevant to a particular supplier, but that conclusion should be explained using the standard.

Do not replace missing data with invented zero emissions simply to make a reporting table appear complete.

Question 6

How often should a PPN 006 Carbon Reduction Plan be updated?

Accepted Answer

The technical standard calls for annual review and update and says the plan should be reviewed and updated within six months of the organisation’s financial year-end.

It should reflect changes in structure and emissions reduction activity, using a consistent reporting period.

Put the task on the compliance calendar with named data owners.

A tender team discovering an outdated plan shortly before submission may not have time to obtain reliable figures and proper approval.

Question 7

Where should the latest Carbon Reduction Plan be published?

Accepted Answer

The technical standard says the latest plan should be published on the supplier’s UK website with a prominent homepage link.

It also provides an alternative for suppliers without a website: a written copy must be supplied to anyone requesting it within thirty days.

Follow the tender’s evidence instructions as well.

A draft stored only in the bid folder does not provide the same public accessibility as the publication arrangement required by the policy.

Question 8

Who should approve and sign off a Carbon Reduction Plan?

Accepted Answer

The technical standard requires approval by the board or equivalent management body, with the approval date stated, and sign-off by a director or equivalent; it gives corresponding provisions for LLP members.

The person’s name, role and date should be included, while a physical signature is not required by that guidance.

Complete approval after checking the figures and commitments.

A polished template is not a substitute for an authorised organisational statement.

Question 9

Does PPN 006 require an externally audited carbon footprint?

Accepted Answer

The technical standard says there is no requirement to have the carbon footprint audited, while expecting appropriate methods, current data and a reasonable level of assurance.

External support or verification can still be useful and a particular tender may need careful checking.

Distinguish the policy’s stated requirements from a consultancy’s optional service.

Keep the calculations, data sources, conversion factors and assumptions so the supplier can explain the published figures when challenged.

Question 10

Can a bidding subsidiary rely on its parent company’s Carbon Reduction Plan?

Accepted Answer

The policy permits this only subject to specific conditions, including wholly owned status, an express supported commitment applying to the bidding entity, applicable reduction measures and publication on the bidding entity’s website.

It is described as potentially temporary, with the bidding entity expected to develop its own plan as soon as reasonably practicable.

Do not assume that sharing a group logo is sufficient.

Check each condition and make the entity coverage explicit in the published material.

UK procurement: carbon reduction plans Q&A

Does every government tender require a Carbon Reduction Plan under PPN 006?＋

Is the PPN 006 financial trigger a total five-million-pound contract value?＋

What net-zero commitment is required in a PPN 006 Carbon Reduction Plan?＋

Which emissions scopes are covered by the PPN 006 technical standard?＋

Which five Scope 3 categories are specified for PPN 006 reporting?＋

How often should a PPN 006 Carbon Reduction Plan be updated?＋

Where should the latest Carbon Reduction Plan be published?＋

Who should approve and sign off a Carbon Reduction Plan?＋

Does PPN 006 require an externally audited carbon footprint?＋

Can a bidding subsidiary rely on its parent company’s Carbon Reduction Plan?＋