MoreThanWaste.com - New £1 billion deal to cut costs and carbon emissions of government vehicles (04/12/2006)

Government cars and vans will become cheaper and cleaner over the next four years with a new billion pound deal being signed this week.

Fifteen vehicle manufacturers will be providing vehicles to over 38 government departments and organisations, in one of the largest ever collaborative procurement exercises in the UK public sector.

By joining together, the departments - led by the Department for Work and Pensions and the Office of Government Commerce - have managed to secure a better deal for the taxpayer, saving £100 million on 78,000 vehicles over the next four years.

The deal, which will be open to the entire public sector, will allow organisations to replace their existing fleets with greener, cleaner vehicles at a reduced cost, in line with the government's target for reducing carbon emissions from its vehicles by 15% by 2010/11.

The Department for Work and Pensions alone is forecast to save at least £5 million on the cost of its fleet and to cut CO₂ emissions by around 4,500 tonnes.

Official comments

Lord Hunt, minister at the Department for Work and Pensions, said:

"I am pleased that the efforts of DWP, OGC and departments across government have resulted in this groundbreaking deal. It is an excellent example of collaboration that will not only contribute to the Government efficiency goals but will also help the public sector to hit its targets on vehicle emissions.

John Healey, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, said:

"Deals like this one reflect the government's commitment to procure in a way that is both value for money and sustainable. It provides a clear and important example of how we can cut the environmental impact of our actions while also providing a better deal for the taxpayer."

Government departments participating in the deal can see the full financial cost and carbon footprint of their vehicle needs using a ground breaking model developed by the Office of Government Commerce. With the help of the model, departments can plan future vehicle purchases, including switching to cleaner, cheaper to run models, to achieve their target environmental and efficiency savings.

As well as delivering lower per-vehicle prices for the public sector, the deal will also save government millions by eliminating costly multiple tendering procedures. Currently public sector organisations operate individually negotiated contracts with car manufacturers.


	New £1 billion deal to cut costs and carbon emissions of government vehicles (04/12/2006) Government cars and vans will become cheaper and cleaner over the next four years with a new billion pound deal being signed this week. Fifteen vehicle manufacturers will be providing vehicles to over 38 government departments and organisations, in one of the largest ever collaborative procurement exercises in the UK public sector. By joining together, the departments - led by the Department for Work and Pensions and the Office of Government Commerce - have managed to secure a better deal for the taxpayer, saving £100 million on 78,000 vehicles over the next four years. The deal, which will be open to the entire public sector, will allow organisations to replace their existing fleets with greener, cleaner vehicles at a reduced cost, in line with the government's target for reducing carbon emissions from its vehicles by 15% by 2010/11. The Department for Work and Pensions alone is forecast to save at least £5 million on the cost of its fleet and to cut CO₂ emissions by around 4,500 tonnes. Official comments Lord Hunt, minister at the Department for Work and Pensions, said: "I am pleased that the efforts of DWP, OGC and departments across government have resulted in this groundbreaking deal. It is an excellent example of collaboration that will not only contribute to the Government efficiency goals but will also help the public sector to hit its targets on vehicle emissions. John Healey, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, said: "Deals like this one reflect the government's commitment to procure in a way that is both value for money and sustainable. It provides a clear and important example of how we can cut the environmental impact of our actions while also providing a better deal for the taxpayer." Government departments participating in the deal can see the full financial cost and carbon footprint of their vehicle needs using a ground breaking model developed by the Office of Government Commerce. With the help of the model, departments can plan future vehicle purchases, including switching to cleaner, cheaper to run models, to achieve their target environmental and efficiency savings. As well as delivering lower per-vehicle prices for the public sector, the deal will also save government millions by eliminating costly multiple tendering procedures. Currently public sector organisations operate individually negotiated contracts with car manufacturers.