Roma Tre University manages public works contracts, works concessions, supplies and services in compliance with the Public Procurement Code and EU directives, contributing to the achievement of the objectives set out in the National Action Plan on Green Public Procurement (PAN GPP). This is done through the inclusion in tender documents of technical specifications, award criteria and contractual clauses contained in the Minimum Environmental Criteria (CAM) established by ministerial decrees for different categories of contracts or concessions.
Purchases of goods and services are carried out through the procurement and negotiation tools made available by the central purchasing body CONSIP S.p.A., or—only when this is not possible—through tenders managed entirely via electronic platforms. Adhering to CONSIP conventions and tools ensures that acquired goods and services comply with the mandatory criteria set out in CAM and fosters “green purchasing,” promoting the spread of green public procurement. Moreover, the use of all such digital procurement tools meets national and European requirements for transparency and competency track, meanwhile supporting full digitization of the entire procurement life cycle, resulting in paper savings, energy and physical storage space. Through CONSIP, the University also purchases electricity that is 10% sourced from renewable energy.
Among the services where a stronger focus on sustainability is expected is the concession for the supply of beverages and various snacks via vending machines. Both in the tender documents and in the concessionaire’s offer, specific measures are required to reduce environmental impact, such as the use of vending machines equipped with devices to lower energy consumption at night or on holidays; dispensing beverages with wooden stirrers and cups made from paper and biodegradable PLA; installing treated water dispensers in all University facilities eliminating the sale of water and beverages in plastic bottles; offering a selection of organic and gluten‑free products in all vending machines; using secondary packaging made from renewable and recyclable materials and employing mainly electric or hybrid vehicles for product supply. The current concessionaire also participates in a project to collect and recover coffee grounds, transforming them first into biogas and then into clean energy.
Regarding procurement related to investment projects funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), the University ensures that their entire life cycle is managed in compliance with EU regulations concerning the commitment to do no significant harm to the environment (the “Do No Significant Harm” -DNSH principle). Specifically, tender procedures adopt criteria that ensure DNSH compliance both in the planning and execution of the works and contractors are required to provide express certification of the technical and administrative solutions adopted to guarantee adherence to this principle.
When organizing events, the University has long implemented measures to minimize consumption, starting with the selection of venues, all of which are easily reachable by public transport, preferring outdoor areas available at the various University sites wherever possible. Furthermore, to optimize catering management for events, framework agreements have been established with selected suppliers, requiring contractual compliance with specific CAM. In particular, the contracted supplier must use reusable consumables or—where not possible—recyclable or compostable materials; provide seasonal, organic or fair‑trade products, including vegetarian options; avoid the use of plastic bottles in favor of tap or glass‑bottled water; ensure proper waste management and minimize food waste through careful planning of quantities based on the number of participants and the implementation of measures for surplus recovery.
Finally, in the UniStore—a newly opened multifunctional space located in Via Ostiense 133—special attention has been paid to selecting the product catalogue, favoring environmentally sustainable gadgets and promotional items, such as textiles made from organic cotton or recycled polyester with a traceable supply chain and products made from recycled materials. At the UniStore, it is also possible to purchase (or pick up for free, for newly enrolled students) the University’s personalized thermal water bottles, particularly representative of the administration’s commitment to sustainability issues. These items, made of double‑layer stainless steel (inner layer 304) and packaged in FSC‑certified cardboard, have for years served as an effective tool to raise awareness within the University community about reducing the use of plastic bottles. Each item is packaged in recyclable and/or 100% recycled‑content packaging and distributed in FSC‑certified cardboard boxes. Roma Tre and NBL Vitolo also commit to planting one tree for every bottle sold, through the Tree‑Nation platform.