Sustainable Procurement: Government Buying
Standards (GBS)
The GBS are a set of easy to use product specifications for public procurers. They have 2 levels:


mandatory
best practice
Mandatory standards: for central government procurement
All central government departments and their related organisations must ensure that they meet the GBS
when buying goods and services for those product groups covered. The mandatory standards are
encouraged for the wider public sector to specify in tenders.
Best practice: voluntary standards for any organisation
Best practice standards have more or stricter criteria. They’re for any organisation concerned about
sustainable procurement to follow or to specify in tenders.
Specifications for the GBS, listed by sector:
1.
Sustainable procurement: the
o 2 January 2012
o Statutory guidance
2. Sustainable procurement: the
o 2 January 2012
o Statutory guidance
3. Sustainable procurement: the
o 2 January 2012
o Statutory guidance
4. Sustainable procurement: the
o 2 January 2012
o Statutory guidance
5. Sustainable procurement: the
o 2 January 2012
o Statutory guidance
6. Sustainable procurement: the
o 2 January 2012
o Statutory guidance
7. Sustainable procurement: the
o 2 January 2012
o Statutory guidance
8. Sustainable procurement: the
o 2 January 2012
o Statutory guidance
9. Sustainable procurement: the
o 1 January 2012
o Statutory guidance
10. Sustainable procurement: the
o 2 January 2012
o Statutory guidance
11. Sustainable procurement: the
o 1 July 2014
o Statutory guidance
Cnjgs060215rev01
GBS for cleaning products and services
GBS for electrical goods
GBS for furniture
GBS for horticulture and park services
GBS for office ICT equipment
GBS for paper and paper products
GBS for textiles
GBS for transport (vehicles)
GBS for construction projects and buildings
GBS for water-using products
GBS for food and catering services