PPN 006 Frequently Asked Questions

PPN 006 (Procurement Policy Note 006) is a UK government policy that requires suppliers bidding on central government contracts worth £5 million or more per year to hold a publicly available Carbon Reduction Plan. It was introduced in 2021 to support the UK's net zero target and applies to all relevant contract opportunities published via Find a Tender. Full PPN 006 guide →

If your business bids for central government contracts valued at £5 million or more annually, you are required to provide a Carbon Reduction Plan as part of your tender. Without one, your bid will be disqualified. Many local authorities and NHS trusts are also beginning to adopt similar requirements. Use our free PPN 006 audit tool to check your current compliance status.

Your bid will be marked as non-compliant and excluded from evaluation. Procurement teams are required to check for CRP compliance before scoring submissions, so there is no workaround — you must have one in place before submitting.

No. PPN 006 is a UK government procurement requirement, not a certification standard. It focuses specifically on your organisation's carbon footprint and a commitment to net zero by 2050. ISO 14001 covers broader environmental management and does not fulfil the PPN 006 requirement on its own.

A Carbon Reduction Plan (CRP) is a document that sets out your organisation's current carbon footprint across Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions (and Scope 3 where relevant), your commitment to reaching net zero by 2050, and the specific actions you are taking to reduce emissions over time.

Scope 1 covers direct emissions from sources your organisation owns or controls, such as company vehicles and gas boilers. Scope 2 covers indirect emissions from purchased electricity. Scope 3 covers all other indirect emissions across your supply chain and business activities. PPN 006 requires Scope 1 and 2 as a minimum, with Scope 3 encouraged.

You will need your energy bills (electricity and gas), fuel consumption for any company vehicles, and details of business travel. CarbonVerified guides you through each input using the latest DESNZ government conversion factors, so you do not need any specialist knowledge.

CarbonVerified uses the official UK Government Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) conversion factors, updated annually. These are the same figures required by PPN 006 guidance, so your CRP will meet government standards.

Your CRP should be reviewed and updated at least annually, or whenever you submit a new tender. DESNZ conversion factors are updated each year, so your emissions figures should reflect the current year's data.

CarbonVerified is a UK platform that helps SMEs create PPN 006-compliant Carbon Reduction Plans quickly and affordably. You enter your energy and travel data, and CarbonVerified calculates your carbon footprint using official DESNZ conversion factors and generates a professionally formatted PDF you can attach to tender submissions. See how it works for a step-by-step walkthrough.

Most users complete their Carbon Reduction Plan in under 30 minutes. Once you have submitted your energy data, your CRP PDF is generated instantly.

Yes. CarbonVerified uses the official DESNZ conversion factors mandated by PPN 006 guidance. The resulting CRP meets the compliance requirements set out in the government's guidance for suppliers.

Yes. Once your CRP is generated, you can download the PDF and attach it to your tender submission straight away. There is no waiting period or third-party approval required.

No. CarbonVerified is designed to make PPN 006 compliance straightforward for SMEs without specialist knowledge. The platform guides you through each step and handles all the calculations. A carbon consultant is not required for PPN 006 compliance.

Yes. CarbonVerified offers a free tier that lets you complete your carbon footprint assessment and check your compliance status. Pro plan features, including the downloadable PDF Carbon Reduction Plan, are available from £29 per month or £190 per year. See the full pricing comparison.

The Pro plan includes your fully formatted Carbon Reduction Plan PDF, unlimited updates as your data changes, and access to the AI-powered tender opportunity finder. Annual billing saves 45% compared to monthly.

Yes. There are no long-term contracts. You can cancel your Pro subscription at any time from your account settings. Annual subscriptions are not refunded mid-term but will not auto-renew.

No. There are no setup fees. You can create a free account and begin your assessment immediately.