U.S. Feds Propose Policy on Green Procurement
By Bill Balek

In a recent Federal Register notice, the U.S. Office of Federal Procurement Policy proposed new “green purchasing policies” that will require all U.S. federal agencies to “give preference to the acquisition of green products and services,” including environmentally preferable cleaning products and janitorial services. The proposed policy would require federal agencies to give preference to the procurement of green products and services, including bio-based products designated as such by the United States Department of Agriculture; environmentally preferable products and services; low-toxic or non-toxic, non-hazardous chemicals or materials; recycled content and/or remanufactured products; and water-efficient products.

The federal green-procurement policy provides guidance to agencies for the purpose of implementing a Jan. 26, 2007, executive order (Executive Order No. 13423). That executive order requires federal agencies to: i) Use sustainable environmental practices including the acquisition of bio-based, environmentally preferable, energy-efficient and recycled-content products; and ii) Use paper with at least 30 per cent post-consumer fibre content. The proposed policies would apply to all acquisition and contracting mechanisms, including service contracts, purchases made using government purchase cards and fleet cards, and purchases valued at less than the micro-purchase threshold.

The policy specifically references the procurement of environmentally preferable cleaning products and services, including but not limited to paper towels, sanitary-tissue products, plastic trash can liners, and bio-based and/or environmentally preferable cleaning products.

The proposed federal green-procurement policy specifically calls upon the General Services Administration (GSA) and the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to identify opportunities and establish policies to automatically substitute functionally equivalent green products and services in place of non-green products and services ordered by customer agencies. These services and products may include tissues and towels, bio-based cleaning products, and any other green products and services appropriate for agencies’ needs.

Under the proposed policy, GSA and DLA are required to identify and prominently display designated green products and services in federal catalogues and on-line ordering systems. In addition, GSA and DLA must phase out competing non-green products from their supply catalogues, contracts, specifications, inventories and schedules.

- Bill Balek is the director of Legislative Affairs for ISSA. He can be reached at ; Tel: (800) 225-4772 (North America) or (847) 982-0800.