GRIP

The GRIP (Green Responsible Innovative Procurement) project aims to build the capacity of cities to use public procurement as a tool for climate action. It brings together three European cities with different experiences: Oslo (advanced), Aachen (ready to implement) and Košice (in the developing phase). The main objective is to create a toolkit for green procurement applicable to cities with different levels of capacity and resources. GRIP assesses existing approaches, identifies barriers and tests innovative green procurement practices in selected cities. An important output will also be a declaration for cities in the Net Zero Cities network, committing to using green procurement as a tool for climate action.

The GRIP project has set several key objectives:

1. Developing an adaptable green procurement toolkit – to create a practical guide that can be used by cities regardless of their size, capacity, or available resources.
2. Building the capacity of city administrations – to equip municipal administrations with the skills and knowledge needed to effectively use public procurement as a tool for climate action.
3. Testing green procurement practices in different contexts – to implement and validate innovative approaches in cities with different starting points (Oslo, Aachen, Košice).
4. Establishing political commitment – to develop a declaration for cities within the NetZeroCities network, committing them to use green procurement as a tool for achieving their climate goals.
5. Sharing best practices and knowledge – to systematise and make the experience and knowledge gained through the project accessible to cities across Europe.
6. Stimulating market transformation – to leverage the purchasing power of cities to create demand for low-carbon technologies and solutions, thereby encouraging businesses to innovate and invest.
7. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions – to contribute to achieving climate neutrality in cities by leveraging public procurement, which accounts for approximately 14% of the EU’s GDP.
8. Creating a replicable model – to ensure that the project outputs can be transferred and implemented in different urban contexts across Europe.

The project brings together strategic partners from three European countries, each contributing diverse experience and expertise in the field of green public procurement:

City of Oslo (Norway) – Project Coordinator

• Oslo Climate Agency – responsible for the overall management of the project, coordination of the consortium, and leadership of the “Communication and Stakeholder Engagement” work package
• Agency for Improvement and Development (UKE) – technical expert on the use of public procurement as a tool for climate action
• Oslo has extensive experience in the use of green procurement since 2019 and has successfully introduced requirements for zero-emission deliveries in municipal contracts

SINTEF AS (Norway)

• Norway’s largest independent research institute
• Leads the project’s research activities and provides the scientific basis for the development of green procurement tools
• The research team has extensive experience in green public procurement policies and carbon reduction strategies
• Experts in the societal readiness of technologies, identification of legal barriers, and advisory support for public authorities

City of Aachen (Germany)

• Responsible for pilot activities in Germany and contributes experience in managing European projects
• The city has a strong commitment to achieving climate neutrality by 2030

City of Košice (Slovakia)

• Responsible for the strategic direction of pilot activities in Slovakia
• Department of Strategic Development – the main partner for cross-sectoral implementation
• The city focuses on capacity building and knowledge sharing among municipal departments and city-owned companies
• Provides valuable input into the development of tools from the perspective of a city at an earlier stage of green procurement implementation

Creative Industry Košice (CIKE)

• Provides technical support and expertise in capacity building for the City of Košice
• Leads key processes in research, capacity building, and dissemination of the knowledge gained
• Has extensive experience in supporting the professional development of municipal staff through training, coaching, and workshops
• CIKE’s programmes are designed to streamline processes, improve collaboration, and foster creativity in problem-solving

This strategic partnership brings together cities at different stages of green procurement implementation – from advanced (Oslo), through implementation-ready (Aachen), to developing (Košice) – ensuring that the tools and guidelines created will be relevant to a broad range of European cities.

The GRIP (Green Responsible Innovative Procurement) project is funded through the NetZeroCities Enabling City Transformation Programme (ECT), which is implemented as part of a broader European Union initiative aimed at supporting climate neutrality in European cities.

The ECT Programme is part of the broader NetZeroCities initiative, which helps cities overcome structural, institutional, and cultural barriers on their path towards climate neutrality. NetZeroCities manages the EU Cities Mission Platform and supports 112 Mission Cities in drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions with the aim of achieving climate neutrality by 2030.

Read the blog on netzerocities.org.