Mobile Phones - Ethically Sourced

LUPC is a not-for-profit professional buying organisation owned by our members, for our members. Established in 1968, our sole aim is to secure best possible value for our members in the procurement of goods and services, without causing harm to others. LUPC’s membership is made up of universities and colleges of higher and further education, as well as other not-for-profit organisations in the education, arts, science, charity, and wider public sectors.

LUPC is conducting a market exercise to determine the suitability or otherwise of using a Voluntary ex ante transparency notice procedure for the creation of a framework for the procurement of mobile phones that have been produced with the aim of minimising their social and environmental impact. This includes the current single provider to the current agreement, Your Co-op for the supply of Fairphone devices. Interested parties are required to meet various conditions including the right to sell to business customers in the UK while also being able to sell to Higher Education staff and students, the use of conflict free minerals including Fairtrade certified gold or equivalent, the protection of the employment rights of workers throughout the supply chain including wages above the in-country minimum wage line and a device design that is both end-user repairable and with extended software support to maximize the phone’s useful life.

Parties intending to participate in the procurement, which will be advertised by no later than early December 2023 for agreement commencement no later than 17 February 2024, should contact LUPC as above within the required deadline.