Strengthening inclusion: making it easier to award public contracts to inclusive companies
Public institutions have legal requirements for the procurement of goods and services. When awarding contracts, however, there are exceptions that facilitate cooperation with inclusive companies and workshops for people with disabilities. Why should public institutions make use of this option when awarding contracts? Find out more here.
By awarding contracts, public clients can strengthen inclusive companies in a targeted manner. Graphic: AfB gGmbH.
Promoting inclusion through procurement
Inclusion companies play a major role in creating jobs for people with disabilities in the primary labor market. AfB is a successful example of this, as we have been successfully promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities in jobs subject to social insurance contributions for almost 20 years. Around half of our 700 employees across Europe have a disability.
We specialize in collecting, refurbishing and remarketing used IT equipment to the highest quality standards - thus saving valuable resources compared to new production. With ISO 9001, 14001 and 27001 certifications and a guarantee of at least one year for refurbished equipment, AfB demonstrates its commitment to quality and sustainability.
Legal aspects of awarding contracts to inclusion companies
The legal regulations for awarding contracts depend on the value of the contract and the type of public institution, depending on whether the client is a federal, state or local authority.
The law creates scope for the preferential awarding of contracts to recognized workshops for people with disabilities and inclusion companies such as AfB. In Germany, these regulations are enshrined in the German Social Code IX (Section 224) and the Act against Restraints of Competition (Section 118). They enable public clients to deliberately forego a comprehensive invitation to tender and instead award contracts preferentially to inclusive companies.
You can find out more about the various forms of preferential treatment here.
AfB is an IT partner for federal authorities
AfB is becoming increasingly important as an IT partner for the federal government, as we have had a framework agreement with the Procurement Office of the Federal Ministry of the Interior since 2022. Since then, AfB has been returning used IT equipment from federal authorities throughout Germany to the market after data erasure and refurbishment.
Awarding contracts to AfB
By specifically awarding contracts to an inclusion company such as AfB, you not only find a sustainable solution for IT hardware that is no longer needed, but also actively support inclusion on the general labor market.