InfoPro was commissioned the study by UNEP with the aim to identify opportunities for the contribution of public procurement to the achievement of national sustainable development targets. The expected results from the pilot project were to develop an SPP action plan and policy draft, creation of a website portraying SPP activities, and reporting on lessons learned. The study was carried out through a combination of desk research and in-depth interviews with the owners of businesses in the private sector, supply chain partners, procurement officers in various ministries and experts in sustainable public procurement in local and international organizations. The process started with the review of all available national and international documentation on sustainable public procurement. This included the assessment of case studies and best SPP practices applied in other countries. InfoPro also reviewed all laws and decrees pertinent to sustainable public procurement and conducted in-depth interviews with the entities responsible for managing Lebanon’s procurement law as well as main procuring entities. InfoPro also conducted in-depth interviews with key suppliers and importers to assess the availability and pricing of alternative sustainable products across the priority products identified. The interviews explored market receptiveness towards these products, current and expected sales trends, existing certification entities, and the availability of public programs promoting sustainable production in the specific sector. Next, InfoPro, in collaboration with UNDP / UNEP / IOF, drafted a SPP Policy and Action Plan to achieve the targets and ensure that public procurement fully contributes to sustainable development and a green economy in Lebanon. A workshop was then organized during which an overview of the draft SPP policy plan was presented.
