As a supplier, you ultimately want one thing: to submit a strong bid that increases your chances of winning a contract. You invest time and effort in pricing, quality and a convincing plan of approach. At the same time, contracting authorities increasingly ask for additional evidence on sustainability, CO₂ emissions and lifecycle costs as part of circularity requirements. This means extra preparation and coordination within your organisation.

For suppliers who handle this well, these additional steps create real opportunities. A clear and well-supported circular approach strengthens your quality position and helps you stand out in competitive tenders. In this blog, you’ll learn why circularity is becoming more common in tenders and how to translate it into a stronger bid.

 

Why governments are prioritising circularity

Climate change, resource scarcity and growing waste streams are putting pressure on economies and supply chains. To address these challenges structurally, governments are embedding circular objectives more firmly into laws and policies. These frameworks increasingly shape how products are designed, how markets evolve and which requirements appear in public tenders.

 

European ambitions as a key driver

The European Union has set out its climate and resource strategy in the European Green Deal. The goal is for Europe to become climate-neutral by 2050 and to reduce its dependence on primary raw materials.

 

The Green Deal is further developed through the Circular Economy Action Plan, which encourages products to be designed more sustainably, last longer and be easier to reuse. As a result, requirements around repairability, lifespan extension and efficient use of materials are appearing more frequently in public tenders.

 

Product regulation and transparency requirements

Alongside these policy frameworks, the European Union is introducing specific product regulations. The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) requires manufacturers to design products more sustainably and make them easier to repair, reuse and recycle.

Part of this regulation is the introduction of Digital Product Passports. These passports provide information about materials, the origin of raw resources, environmental performance and end-of-life processing options. As a result, transparency and reliable product information are becoming increasingly important in tender processes.

 

Circularity in public tenders

With these policies and regulations, circularity is becoming a more concrete part of public tenders. Contracting authorities no longer look only at purchase price, but also at the impact of a solution throughout its entire lifecycle.

 

This requires clear evidence. Many organisations are already taking circular measures, but measuring circular performance remains challenging. The Circularity Gap Report shows that 95% of organisations take circular actions, while only 23% operate largely or fully circular. In addition, 28% do not use circular KPIs, making performance harder to compare.

 

Contracting authorities therefore increasingly ask for concrete and verifiable information. This is reflected in tenders through:

• evaluation based on lifecycle costs instead of purchase price alone
• functional specifications that allow room for circular solutions
• contract conditions including agreements on reuse, maintenance and take-back

For suppliers, this means circularity needs to be clearly demonstrated in the substantiation of your solution.

 

5 tips to strengthen circularity in your bid

1. Substantiate the lifespan of your solution

Explain how long your product or service will last and what that means for maintenance, replacement and long-term costs. Describe not only what you deliver, but also how sustainable its use is.

For example:

• expected technical lifespan
• maintenance intervals
• availability of spare parts
• upgrade or refurbishment options

This shows that your solution retains its value throughout the entire usage phase.

 

2. Make material use transparent

Tenders increasingly require transparency about the materials and raw resources used, often through a Digital Product Passport. Transparency strengthens your bid and shows that you manage resources responsibly.

For example, include information on:

• the share of recycled materials
• the use of bio-based or renewable materials
• avoidance of scarce or environmentally harmful materials
• possibilities for disassembly and reuse of components
• This helps demonstrate how your solution contributes to more efficient use of materials.

 

3. Explain what happens after the usage phase

Circularity does not end at delivery. Contracting authorities want to know what happens when products reach the end of their lifecycle.

Explain, for example:

• take-back or collection programmes
• reuse of components
• refurbishment options
• recycling processes
• measures to reduce waste in the supply chain

This shows that you take responsibility for the full lifecycle of your solution.

 

4. Support circular claims with measurable data

Sustainability claims become more credible when supported by clear data. Measurable performance makes your bid easier to compare and more convincing.

Examples include:

• CO₂ reduction
• environmental cost indicators
• percentage of reused materials
• energy consumption during use
• lifecycle analysis results

Clear data helps demonstrate the real impact of your solution.

 

5. Anticipate recurring sustainability requirements

Many sustainability criteria appear repeatedly in tenders. By recognising these patterns, you can prepare in advance and gather relevant information early.

Common themes include:

• lifespan extension
• maintenance and repairability
• material transparency
• CO₂ performance
• supply chain collaboration

By addressing these topics proactively, you will be better prepared for future tenders.

 

Turn circular opportunities into winning bids with Mercell

Submitting circular bids requires early preparation, market insight and well-supported information. Mercell helps you identify opportunities faster, work more efficiently and create stronger bids with smart features.

 

Identify opportunities early
By monitoring meeting minutes, Sales Leads allows you to spot and identify early buy signals before they are public. This gives the time and context to shape opportunities with circular thinking from the start. You can engage stakeholders sooner, develop sustainable and circular solutions, and gather the right data before the formal tender process begins.

Receive relevant tenders automatically with AI matching
Targeted tender alerts ensure you only receive tenders that match your profile. This helps you focus on the most relevant opportunities, including those where sustainability and circularity play a major role.

Anticipate on renewals
Insight into expiring contracts shows where new tenders are likely to appear. This gives you time to improve circular aspects of your offering before new requirements are defined.

Use award data as a strategic advantage
Analysis of previous contract awards shows which solutions succeed and what contracting authorities value most. These insights help you position circular elements more effectively in your bid.

Work proactively with market and competitor insights
By identifying patterns in tender data, Market Intelligence shows which sustainability criteria appear most often. This helps you invest in improvements that align with future opportunities.

Save time with AI support
Our AI-powered tools, such as AI Summary, quickly summarise tender documents so you immediately understand the scope, obligations and risks. The time you save can be used to strengthen the circular aspects of your bid.

Stay organised and collaborate efficiently
With central workspaces and planning tools, you can collaborate more effectively with bid teams and subject matter experts. Keep all your data and certifications in one place, making it easy to access, update and reuse across bids. This helps you deliver  more complete and consistent submissions every time.