EPD requirements in tenders: green public procurement and private specifications

The turning point for construction product manufacturers is when an EPD stops being a marketing asset and becomes a pre-qualification document. In Europe that shift is largely complete: in public tenders and large private projects an EPD has become a condition of bidding.

How specifications are written

Tender specifications come in three levels of strictness. The loosest asks for an EPD to be supplied for the product, whatever the number. A mid-level specification requires the EPD to be product-specific and third-party verified. The strictest sets a limit value: for example a kg CO₂e ceiling per cubic metre of concrete.

The third type is spreading fast and changes a manufacturer's position. Holding the document is no longer enough; the number in it has to beat your competitors'. That turns an EPD from a compliance document into a performance document.

Common specification clauses

• A third-party verified EPD compliant with EN 15804+A2
• The EPD's validity not expired at the tender date
• A product-specific EPD; sector averages not accepted or scored lower
• Publication by a specific program operator
• The A1-A3 GWP value below a stated limit
• Declared recycled content share
• Local production or a transport distance limit

Preparation timeline

The most common mistake is starting EPD preparation after the tender is announced. Data collection, modelling and verification take three to six months in total depending on the program operator. A tender calendar almost never allows for that.

The right approach treats an EPD as a product development output: kept ready for the portfolio's main products and updated regularly. Once the model is built, producing EPDs for variants is far faster; the real cost is in building the first model.