Green Purchasing/Sustainable Acquisition Refresher

1. Green Purchasing/Sustainable Acquisition Refresher Green Purchasing/Sustainable Acquisition Refresher Dana ArnoldDirector, Program Analysis DivisionGeneral Services Administration May 2012

2. Value to the Customer • Refresher and update on sustainable acquisition requirement. • Agencies spend $billions on green products and services but the full potential of federal procurement is not reached because of unfamiliarity with the requirements and benefits. • Discussion of GSA tools to help customers purchase green products and services. • GSA tools such as the Green Products Compilation and GSA Advantage help agencies find green products.

3. What Do We Mean by “Green”? • Federal agencies are required by statutes and executive orders to purchase certain products with specific environmental or energy attributes. • “Green purchasing” or “sustainable acquisition” refers to purchasing products with these attributes and purchasing services under which these products will be supplied or used. • For example, janitorial services contracts usually require the contractor to supply replacement paper towels, toilet paper, and plastic trash can liners, all of which can be made from recycled materials.

4. Why Be More Sustainable? • No matter what our agency’s mission, we all buy goods and services. • We all own, lease, operate, and maintain buildings. • We all own, lease, or use IT and other electronic equipment. • We all operate and maintain fleet vehicles.

5. The Federal Footprint • Spent $535 billion on goods and services in FY 2010 • Owns or leases more than 645,000 vehicles worldwide • Manages or owns nearly 1 in every 5 acres in the U.S. • Single largest domestic buyer and user of energy • Real property portfolio of 912,780 assets, including 429,000 buildings (2009) • Spends $3.5 billion annually to provide energy to its facilities • Released 132.2 MTCE in 2010

6. “Sustainable” • To create and maintain conditions, under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic, and other requirements of present and future generations of Americans.

7. Program Scope • Recycled content products • Energy-efficient and water-conserving products • Energy Star • FEMP-designated • Low standby power • WaterSense • Alternative fuel vehicles/alternative fuels • Biobased products • Environmentally preferable products • EPEAT-registered products • Green cleaning products • Meetings and conferences • Chemicals

8. FAR Clauses • FAR clauses for: • Recycled content certification • Biobased content certification • Recycled content and biobased content products in services and construction • Energy-efficient products • EPEAT-registered products • Contractors operating at federal facilities

9. Key New FAR Provisions -- Policy • Ensure that 95% of new contract actions for the supply of products and for the acquisition of services require green products.

10. Key New FAR Provisions • Definition of sustainable acquisition: acquiring goods and services in order to create and maintain conditions – • Under which humans and nature can exist in product harmony, and • That permit fulfilling the social, economic, and other requirements of present and future generations • Synopses of contract actions must include sustainable acquisition requirements. • Contractor compliance with Federal environmental requirements when operating government-owned facilities or vehicles

11. How to Buy “Green” • Acquisition planning • Market research • Green Products Compilation • GSA Advantage! • Request for Information • Describing minimum needs – go electronic as much as possible • Life cycle costing/best value • Past performance • Evaluation factors for award

12. http://www.sftool/GreenProcurement

13. GSA Advantage!

14. Best Practices -- FSSI • The Federal Strategic Sourcing Initiative not only saves money by consolidating demand from multiple agencies, it includes green requirements. • Office supplies • Imaging equipment/print management

15. Best Practices -- Templates • A best practice for purchasing green products is to use contract templates or sample scope of work language. Some agencies have developed internal templates, such as for greening construction contracts. • USDA provides templates for purchasing biobased products on its BioPreferred web site, http://www.biopreferred.gov. • The Energy Star web site, http://www.energystar.gov, provides sample scope of work language. Just click on the product you plan to purchase, and you will find a link to Procurement Resources. • Sandia National Labs added green contract language

16. Now it’s your turn • You’ve been tasked with purchasing new office furniture. • Are you required to buy green products? If yes: • Where will you do your market research? • What GSA resources will help you? • Where in the solicitation will you put green requirements? • What other aspects of the procurement process should you green?

17. For more information • www.gsa.gov/sustainability • www.gsa.gov/greenproductscompilation • www.gsa.gov/advantage • www.sftool.gov • Dana Arnold • dana.arnold@gsa.gov