FAQ

Questions about the use of short range timber (Low Carbon Timber)? Here you will find answers to the most frequently asked questions. The list will be extended continuously.

Does the specification of LOW CARBON TIMBER imply a restriction of competition?

In principle, of course, each specific requirement in a tender limits the possible group of bidders (e.g. the procurement of electric cars, green electricity or Blue Angel colours etc.). The decisive question is whether the limitation is justified and to what extent it is sufficient. Under European law and policy, a limitation of competition is permissible for important reasons, but this limitation must not be the actual purpose. Such important reasons are - especially since the amendment of public procurement law - environmental protection. Here, climate protection is particularly important as one of the central environmental policy objectives of the European Union. The tendering of short distances, e.g. with reference to the eco-label Holz von Hier (Low Carbon Timber), does not per se represent a restriction of competition. It merely specifies the requirements for the material to be used. The certification of products is open to any bidder who complies with the criteria. Holz von Hier is also not a national limitation of the circle of bidders, as in case of doubt wood from the neighbouring country is more climate-friendly than wood from further away parts of the own country.

Why limit the transport distances?

A limitation of transports with reference to climate protection is not permissible or feasible in principle and in every tender. An important prerequisite is the reference to the procurement object. If this is not the case, it may be suspected that the limitation merely aims to limit the group of bidders to local companies. An important question here is the significance of transport for the actual environmental balance of the product or service. For example, when purchasing vehicles or electrical appliances, it is not possible to justify limiting the supplier's transport routes for reasons of climate protection. There is therefore also no comprehensible connection to the procurement object. The situation is completely different, especially in the case of wood products.

When using wood, a central motivation and justification is the contribution to climate protection due to the CO2 storage effect of wood. It is therefore an absolutely consistent logic to also consider the entire life cycle of wood when using it. Since wood products are inert in the user phase and do not consume any energy or resources, the manufacture of the products plays the absolutely dominant role. Here again, transport distances (unless they are particularly short along the entire processing chain) have the lion's share. They are therefore the main influencing factor and lever to reduce the CO2 emissions associated with production. The limitation of transport distances, on which the criteria of the Ecolabel Holz von Hier (Low Carbon Timber) are based, is ecologically justified, as they are below the average transport distances for the products concerned. Thus, the transport limitations represent the simplest indicator and control mechanism, which is also comparatively easy to control and prove.

Do I get enough offers?

There is sometimes a concern that, if requirements are imposed for short distances along the processing chain, or if proof of Low Carbon Timber is required, too few bidders would be left and the contracting authority would not have sufficient choice. While it is generally the case that any specifying requirement in a tender potentially limits the number of bidders, there is little risk that this will lead to a disproportionate number of bids. In most cases, the production and processing structures are available to a sufficient extent to allow for appropriate labelling.

Especially with regard to Holz von Hier (Low Carbon Timber), it is important to know that this is not an operational certification for which a company may have to make time-consuming preparations, but rather a product certification which a bidder can have carried out at any time, even if only in relation to the current order. It is therefore not necessary for bidders to be already registered in the company network of Holz von Hier (Low Carbon Timber). On the one hand, product certification is open to all bidders and on the other hand can be carried out at short notice, so that no significant restriction of the offers is to be expected.

Does it cost more?

No general statement can be made here. Whether a procurement with the specification according to regional wood or the eco-label Holz von Hier (Low Carbon Timber) costs more or less is a question of the market relationship between supply and demand at a given location or at a given time and also depends on the respective product used. In general, however, environmentally sound sustainable procurement can be associated with higher costs, as at present external costs of production and resource consumption are generally not yet internalised in prices. Therefore, there should be a basic willingness to bear any such additional costs that may arise.

How do the bidders have to provide evidence of timber of short distances?

Proof of compliance with the requirements can be provided, for example, by presenting a certificate in accordance with Holz von Hier (Low Carbon Timber) for the wood products delivered / used. The verification system is open to any bidder.

The bid must be accompanied by proof of the bidder's registration with HOLZ VON HIER (Low Carbon Timber) or a declaration of commitment to register in the event of a knockdown. As the materials for the specific order are usually only procured once the contract has been awarded, it is of course not yet possible to present a product-specific certificate here.

The final proof shall be provided upon delivery / acceptance of construction by presenting a product-specific certificate according to HOLZ VON HIER for the wood products delivered / used.

This dichotomy is analogous to the verification requirements in the Federal Government's procurement decree for wood products.

How can compliance be checked? Whether the requirements for the concrete procurement are actually fulfilled must be checked by the procurer. If there is a proof according to HOLZ VON HIER (Low Carbon Timber) for the products, this is very simple. Each certificate is provided with a unique individual ID number as a check digit. The procurer or builder can immediately check the authenticity of the certificate online by entering the ID number on the website www.holz-von-hier.de.

Do the products I need even exist with proof?

Der Nachweis für Produkte, die geschlossen in regionalen Verarbeitungsketten unter kurzen Transportwegen hergestellt worden sind, ist nicht immer einfach zu führen. Hier gibt es vereinzelt Regionalinitiativen oder Regionallabel, die die kurzen Wege dokumentieren. Diese Art Zeichen sind jedoch für Beschaffungsvorgänge und im Rahmen von Ausschreibungen kaum zu nutzen. Zudem haben geografisch definierte Regionalinitiativen oft das Problem, dass bestimmte Holzprodukte aufgrund des Fehlens entsprechender Betriebe in der jeweiligen Region nicht verfügbar sind. In diesem Fall kann es daher in der Tat dazu kommen, dass es entsprechende gelabelte Produkte nicht gibt. Dies ist im Hinblick auf die Verwendung des Nachweises Holz von Hier anders. Zum einen ist HOLZ VON HIER (Low Carbon Timber) nicht geografisch definiert und an bestimmte Grenzen gebunden sondern funktioniert grenzüberschreitend. Gekennzeichnete Produkte sollen flächendeckend verfügbar sein. Daher sind die Kriterien sortimentsspezifisch unterschiedlich gesetzt, gemäß dem Motto "so nah wie möglich, aber so weit wie notwendig, um ein Produkt auch gelabelt bekommen zu können".

Zum anderen ist HOLZ VON HIER (Low Carbon Timber) offen für jeden Betrieb, der willens ist, die Kriterien für das jeweilige Produkt oder die Liefercharge einzuhalten. Es ist damit auch Betrieben möglich, Produkte nach HOLZ VON HIER zu kennzeichnen, die bislang noch nicht im Netzwerk bzw. Lieferantenverzeichnis von HOLZ VON HIER (Low Carbon Timber, zu finden unter: http://www.holz-von-hier.de/anbieter-finden/ oder http://www.holz-von-hier.de/produkte-suchen/) registriert sind.

Was muss man sonst beachten

Generell ist im Rahmen von Ausschreibungen vieles möglich und der Beschaffer hat eine große Freiheit in der Beschreibung der Anforderungen dessen, was er beschaffen will. Das umfasst auch Umweltaspekte. Entscheidend ist hierbei, dass jedem Bieter gleichermaßen klar ist, welche Anforderungen er zu erfüllen hat und wie er dies tun kann.

Hier ist Transparenz das oberste Gebot. Anforderungen dürfen nicht schwammig oder pauschal sein. So wäre z.B. die Formulierung "klimafreundliches Holz" ohne weitere Erklärungen zu ungenau, da die Bieter nicht wissen können, was das für sie bedeutet, bzw. einen weiten Interpretationsspielraum eröffnen würde, der Probleme in der Vergleichbarkeit und Nachprüfbarkeit der Angebote nach sich zieht.

Daher sind - auch bei einem Verweis auf ein Umweltlabel - die entsprechenden Kriterien bzw. Ihre Wichtung im Rahmen der Wertung der Angebote, die die Vergabestelle fordert, zu bezeichnen, entweder direkt in der Leistungsbeschreibung oder zumindest in Form eines Verweises, wo die Bieter diese finden können.

Ebenso muss in der Ausschreibung deutlich gemacht werden, wie die Bieter die Erfüllung der Anforderungen zu dokumentieren haben, sei es über die Vorlage eines Nachweises durch das entsprechende Umweltlabel, wie z.B. HOLZ VON HIER oder auf welche alternative Weise dies noch geschehen kann.