Another convoy procedure is to be carried out, consisting of joint workshops and individual support. The aim is to accompany the introduction of a qualified environmental management system (EMAS) in the participating organizations. As a result, the participating organizations are to be brought to validation within 18 months by fulfilling all requirements arising from the EMAS process.

For this purpose, the convoy guides participants step by step through the EMAS requirements and elements in workshops and through individual support. A thematic focus on climate management or climate neutrality should be integrated into the cycle in order to lay the foundations for the overarching objective of “climate-neutral federal administration”.

Convoy participants receive a set of templates for the entire environmental management documentation, which they adapt to their authority together with the contractor during the course of the project. The templates are presented and explained in the workshops. Depending on the scope of care, the templates are processed by the environmental management officer or the contractor in coordination with the House. The aim is for the authority to receive needs-based environmental management documentation with manageable effort.

Participants in the convoy process are accompanied and supported in the complete implementation of the management system. Participants will be supported towards the end of the procedure in preparation for external validation with regard to tender, selection and commissioning of an environmental verifier. Both processes (group support and individual support) take place at the same time over 18 months.

With its climate protection program 2030, the German government has set ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gases in Germany. Administrative action also causes greenhouse gas emissions. The federal government is aware of its role model function and wants to set a good example. The goal of a climate-neutral federal administration by 2030 was legally enshrined in the Climate Protection Act. Chapter 3.5.1 of the Climate Protection Programme 2030 therefore sets out measures to achieve this goal. This also includes measure 3.5.1.1. “Introduction of environmental management systems according to EMAS /LumasPlus in the Federal Administration by 2025”. The European environmental management system EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) helps organizations save resources intelligently and make an effective contribution to environmental protection. EMAS ensures that all environmental aspects from energy consumption to waste and emissions are recorded in a legally secure and transparent manner and that continuous improvement takes place in these fields of action. These improvements significantly support target achievement of climate neutrality, as the same key areas of action are addressed: environmental impacts and, in particular, energy consumption and the associated greenhouse gas emissions from properties, mobility, procurement, events and canteens.

So far, two supreme federal authorities (Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) and Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ))) have been EMAS certified, i.e. they develop goals and action programs based on key figures on energy and Resource efficiency and other key figures on key direct and indirect environmental aspects continuously continue to reduce their environmental impacts further. The relevant data is published annually in an environmental statement.

A second convoy consisting of joint workshops and individual supervision is to be carried out. The aim is to accompany the introduction of a qualified environmental management system (EMAS) in participating organizations. As a result, the participating organizations are to be brought to validation within 18 months by fulfilling all requirements arising from the EMAS process.

For this purpose, the contractor (AN) guides the organizations step by step through the individual elements of the EMAS process in workshops and through individual support (including defining mission statement, developing environmental program, employee participation) as well as the requirements for EMAS validation such as compliance with environmental requirements as well as the quantitative and qualitative assessment of all environmental impacts. The AN integrates a thematic focus on climate management and climate neutrality into the cycle in order to prepare the basis for the overarching objective of “climate-neutral federal administration”.

The AN creates appropriate templates for the entire environmental management documentation, which the organizations receive and adapt to their organization together with the AN during the course of the project. The templates are presented and explained by the AN in the workshops. Depending on the scope of support, the processing of the templates is carried out by the organization's environmental management officer or the AN in coordination with the organization. As a result, the organization should receive needs-based environmental management documentation with manageable effort.

The organizations participating in the convoy process are accompanied and supported by the AN in the complete implementation of the management system. In preparation for external validation, participants' support with regard to tender, selection and commissioning of an external global reviewer by the AN will be provided towards the end of the procedure.

Both processes (group support and individual support) take place in parallel over 18 months.

The service is divided into the following work packages:

1. group supervision (workshops)

2. Individual support

3. Further, individual support (optional services)

1st work package: group support (workshops)

Seven workshops will be held over the duration of the convoy (including the start and final workshop). One of the workshops is used to train internal environmental auditors so that the authorities can train their own internal environmental auditors and use them for future internal audits. The workshops take place as attendance dates rotating with the participation of all convoy participants. For this purpose, the participating organizations will be coordinated in advance. The workshops are held at the locations of the participating organizations.

2nd work package: individual support

In parallel with the workshops, the AN will support the organizations and thus support the individual implementation. Individual activities, environmentally relevant processes (related to the core business) and special barriers of the organizations are specifically addressed. On-site appointments, web appointments, telephone calls or an exchange by e-mail are part of the individual support. The goal is a smooth implementation process in the house. The support usually ends with the execution and follow-up of an environmental audit (internal audit) by the AN, which serves to prepare for external validation.

The design of individual care is based in particular on the desired scope of support for the organizations and is divided into 3 care levels: Level 1 basic support, level 2 middle care and level 3 intensive support.

Basic support in level 1 means that the authority is accompanied and guided through the implementation process. The concrete implementation work remains with the authority as far as possible.

Basic care level 1 estimates an effort of 16 days with 8 hours for five main sites (top federal authorities and federal companies). 11 large sites are estimated to be 10 days of 8 hours, 6 medium sites are estimated to be 8 hours each and 5 days of 8 hours for 5 small sites. In addition, there are another 5 days for 8 hours each for another location of a nationally owned company. A total of 27 locations are to be accompanied.

3. Work package: Further, individual support (optional services)

Levels 2 and 3 are commissioned by the organizations participating in the convoy as optional service components. Levels 2 and 3 can be commissioned by the participating organisations independently and with their own resources, even after the start of the procedure. The separate commissioning takes place on time (usually six weeks before the start of the service) in order to give the contractor the opportunity to create appropriate personnel capacities.

In the middle care variant in stage 2, the AN is more involved in implementation work by supporting the adaptation of environmental management documentation and internal regulatory coordination processes in particular.

At this stage, an effort of a total of 22 days is estimated at 8 hours per main location (five main sites in total). The 6 days that go beyond the basic variant are optionally commissioned by the organization itself.

It is assumed that no support in variant 2 is required for additional sites regardless of size (see No. 3.4 of the SOW).

Maximum support is provided with intensive care (level 3). On the one hand, this concerns the adaptation of environmental management documentation (the AN takes over the lead implementation, the authority works as necessary), on the other hand, the AN implements the moderation and the content of internal authorities appointments such as AR working group meetings or further on-site appointments for in-depth information subject-specific questions.

In the intensive care variant level 3, an effort of a total of 32 days with 8 hours per main location is estimated. The 16 days beyond the basic variant are optionally commissioned by the organization itself.