Turning Net Zero into tender wins for commercial laundries

Margins feel tight. Energy bites into every kilo. And tenders now probe deeper than a promise on page one. The shift that wins work? Stop selling targets.

Start selling control. Buyers often reward evidence that you run carbon reduction with the same discipline you run hygiene and quality: measured, repeatable and easy to check.

What buyers actually score

A Carbon Reduction Plan (CRP) aligned with PPN006 (previously PPN 06/21) is now common pass-fail territory in major central government procurements, and the NHS expects suppliers to show a credible CRP and progress against the NHS net zero supplier roadmap milestones. Compliance gets you through the door. What differentiates you is control: how you measure, how you prevent drift and how quickly you can evidence performance when someone audits post-award.

From April 2024, NHS England has proportionately extended Carbon Reduction Plan requirements to all new procurements (tiered). Full CRPs (per Cabinet Office standard) apply to >£5m p.a. and to new frameworks where relevant.

Structure your response around three ideas:

• Outcomes: last 12 months of kWh per kg (electric and gas separately) and litres per kg, by site, plus a short note on any swings.
• Control: who owns the data, the review rhythm, and the triggers that prompt action.
• Credibility: the standard you work to for healthcare work (e.g. HTM 01-04 disinfection validation) so nobody thinks carbon gains risk hygiene.

Make your CRP scrutiny-proof

Keep it short and testable:

• A clear Net Zero commitment and boundary that matches the contract.
• Make the boundary explicit: which sites, which services, and which emissions are included for this contract.
• Scope 1 and 2 totals with a baseline year, and the required Scope 3 subset. Explain methods in plain English.
• A 12-month action table with dates, expected impact and how you’ll measure the change.
• A one-page assurance note: who signs off monthly data and when you refresh the public CRP.
• Provide a read-only evidence pack as an appendix so scorers can trace a claim to a meter or log in two clicks.

Turn plant data into proof

Many bids say “ongoing optimisation”. Few prove it. Focus on moves that are easy to verify:

• Dryer performance
  

  Sensor calibration, exhaust heat recovery and run-time logging. Show gas kWh/kg before and after over a four-week window.

• Steam and hot water
  

  Condensate return checks, boiler efficiency logs and set-point control with change notes.

• Water
  

  Litres per kg by line, reuse or recirculation where appropriate, and trade-effluent temperature control.

• Quality link
  

  Plot rewash rate alongside energy and water intensity; fewer rewashes usually mean lower carbon per kilo.

Always-on readiness

You can’t plan a 10-day sprint if an ITT lands without warning. Build light, repeatable habits that keep you bid-ready every week:

• Weekly 30-minute huddle
  

  Update four numbers per site: electric kWh/kg, gas kWh/kg, litres/kg, and rewash %. Add one-line reasons for any changes (kit outage, product mix, chemistry). Screenshot the chart and file it.

• One live CRP
  

  Keep a single PDF on your website and refresh it quarterly. Use the same headings in your evidence pack so the story lines up.

• Simple proof rules
  

  Meter photo on the first working day each week (full register and timestamp); any process change gets a start note, a four-week verification window, and an end note with results.

• Tiny bid library
  

  One-page plant profile per site; a 150–200 word data-collection method statement; a short healthcare note explaining how energy changes preserve disinfection validation.

• Shadow scoring
  

  A one-page checklist mirroring common evaluation themes: CRP compliance, data credibility, reduction actions, healthcare assurance, supplier asks, reporting cadence. Score yourselves monthly and fix the ambers.

• Two-hour scramble shell

  A pre-built PDF or slide deck that auto-pulls the latest charts and text blocks so you can respond fast without rewriting.

Healthcare assurance that calms nerves

For NHS work, be explicit: your carbon actions will not compromise hygiene. If you’re using lower-temperature processes or new chemistries, show the validation method, hold times and the certificate reference. Put this on one page and name the person who owns it. It signals maturity and removes doubt at the scoring table.

Help to keep CRPs and utilities tidy

Keeping meters, baselines and CRP updates on track can swallow hours, especially when production peaks. If you want a partner focused on efficiency, Troo can help.

We’ll make it easier to spot practical energy and water savings, set up simple repeatable data routines, and keep your Carbon Reduction Plan current and credible without piling on admin. You stay focused on the plant; we’ll help the numbers stay accurate, comparable and ready when they’re needed. Get in touch and a member of the team will contact you shortly.