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GSA Updates the Green Procurement Compilation (GPC) with Several New Features

Submitted by Elizabeth Skolnik on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 - 1:38 PM

 

GSA recently updated its Green Procurement Compilation (GPC) -- formerly Green Products Compilation -- to include several new features, including a portal devoted to green services.

The GPC is a publicly available web site that allows users to identify applicable federal green purchasing requirements for products and services.  

The new services portal now contains green procurement guidance for eight services: Cafeteria & Food Services, Electronic Leasing, Fleet Maintenance, Janitorial Services, Landscaping Services, Laundry Services, Meeting & Conference Services, and Pest Management.  The guidance addresses green product requirements and optional green practices that federal buyers may incorporate into contracts.  In addition, a “Where to Buy” section directs potential buyers to the applicable GSA Multiple Award Schedule for each service.  

The green products portal identifies all product types covered by the BioPreferred (biobased), Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (recycled content), Design for the Environment, Energy Star, EPEAT, Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP), and WaterSense programs.  When compliant products are available under MAS contracts, users may also link directly to a pre-populated search in GSA Advantage! for each product type.  Since the search results only return compliant products, it is critical for MAS vendors to accurately identify product offerings with environmental attributes.  With the exception of EPA’s Design for the Environment program, all environmental programs in the GPC are also included as environmental icons in GSA Advantage!.  

Additional new features of the GPC include:

  • Offers direct links to environmental program websites.

  • Allows users to download the entire GPC database into a single Excel, Text, or CSV file.

  • Allows users to create customized product lists, allowing users to download green product information for selected items.

The GPC lists products for which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Energy, or U.S. Department of Agriculture have issued designations or otherwise provided guidance for environmental or energy attributes.  Users can browse the GPC to identify the applicable environmental programs (e.g., Energy Star, WaterSense) by product type and category.  The GPC also indicates the applicable GSA Multiple Award Schedule and Special Item Number and links users to a pre-populated search in GSA Advantage for compliant items.

Visit the GPC today to learn more!

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Benjo123
<p>Hi</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>I am very new to posting. I am a vendor and am wanting to know how to self certify my services as &quot;green&quot;&nbsp; Can anyone tell me where to go to do this? I have looked all over and searched but cannot find where I need to go</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Any help greatly appreciated!</p><p>&nbsp;</p>
Posted 02/24/2014 9:32 PM
darnold
<p>Hi Benjo. At this time, there is no general standard defining &quot;green&quot; or &quot;sustainable&quot; services. You can say that your business offers energy services or environmental services, if that is the type of service you provide.&nbsp; Also, if you offer&nbsp;products as part of the services, you can specify which of them are &quot;green&quot; products. Please contact me directly at <a href="mailto:dana.arnold@gsa.gov">dana.arnold@gsa.gov</a> if you&nbsp;need more help.</p><p>Dana Arnold&nbsp;</p>
Posted 02/25/2014 8:20 AM
darnold
<p>Green Procurement Compilation Update:</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; white-space: normal; text-transform: none; word-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(34,34,34); font: 12px/1.15 arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 0pt; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgb(255,255,255); text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap">Over the past several months, the GPC Team started reaching out to agencies interested in utilizing the new GPC agency customization feature. This new feature allows agencies to create their own customized product categories, products,</span><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent"> and </span><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap">green</span><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent"> </span><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap">purchasing requirements. The Department of Energy (DOE) became the first agency to implement this feature. DOE created a page to display information about its</span><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent"> </span><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap">GreenBuy</span><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent"> </span><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap">program, which is a </span><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap">green</span><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent"> </span><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap">purchasing award recognition program for DOE sites. All GPC users can view agency-specific content by selecting an agency and clicking on &ldquo;Show&rdquo; on the GPC home page. (To see DOE&rsquo;s page, scroll down to &ldquo;DOE - GreenBuy Program for DOE (Optional)&rdquo;.) If your agency is interested in creating customized content on the GPC site, please be sure to contact us!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; white-space: normal; text-transform: none; word-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(34,34,34); font: 12px/1.15 arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 0pt; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgb(255,255,255); text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px">&nbsp;</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; white-space: normal; text-transform: none; word-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(34,34,34); font: 12px/1.15 arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 0pt; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgb(255,255,255); text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap">In addition, we made several updates to both the product and services areas of the GPC. &nbsp;Check out these new features as well as the new Hot Annotations in the SF Tool!</span><br style="white-space: normal; text-transform: none; word-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(34,34,34); font: 12px arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgb(255,255,255); text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px" />&nbsp;</p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0pt; white-space: normal; text-transform: none; word-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(34,34,34); font: 12px arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 0pt; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgb(255,255,255); text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type: disc; font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; margin-left: 15px"><p dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 3pt; line-height: 1.309"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(34,34,34)">Revised Product Category Descriptions: &nbsp;</span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; color: rgb(34,34,34)">New language has been provided under the GPC product category descriptions suggesting applicable services. &nbsp;For example, the description for Cleaning Products notes that the products listed may also apply to the following services: janitorial, cafeteria &amp; food, construction, facilities operations &amp; maintenance, and laundry services.</span></p></li></ul><ul style="margin-bottom: 0pt; white-space: normal; text-transform: none; word-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(34,34,34); font: 12px arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 0pt; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgb(255,255,255); text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type: disc; font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; margin-left: 15px"><p dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 3pt; line-height: 1.309"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(34,34,34)">Transportation Services: </span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; color: rgb(34,34,34)">Environmentally sustainable transportation services consume less energy and produce fewer greenhouse gases and other pollutants compared to standard services. &nbsp;Contracts specifying the transportation to be accomplished, such as delivery services, can be used to specify clean and sustainable options. &nbsp;Find procurement guidance under the NEW Transportation Services Category, including clauses and provisions, required green products, and optional green practices, to help green your next transportation services contract!</span></p></li></ul><ul style="margin-bottom: 0pt; white-space: normal; text-transform: none; word-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(34,34,34); font: 12px arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 0pt; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgb(255,255,255); text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type: disc; font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; margin-left: 15px"><p dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 3pt; line-height: 1.309"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(34,34,34)">Hot Annotations:</span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; color: rgb(34,34,34)"> Click through an annotated version of Executive Order (EO) 13514 to learn how you can help save on operating costs and reduce environmental impact. Click on language throughout the document to reveal strategies, definitions, and links to the best resources from around the web. &nbsp;Annotations contain valuable information about successfully putting policy into action. &nbsp;Find the annotated EO 13514 Section 2 here:</span><a href="http://sftool.gov/learn/2/legal-requirements" style="color: rgb(17,85,204); text-decoration: none" target="_blank"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; color: rgb(34,34,34)"> </span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; text-decoration: underline">http://sftool.gov/learn/2/<wbr>legal-requirements</wbr></span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; color: rgb(34,34,34)">.</span></p></li></ul><p><br style="white-space: normal; text-transform: none; word-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(34,34,34); font: 12px arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgb(255,255,255); text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px" /><wbr></wbr></p><wbr><p dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; white-space: normal; text-transform: none; word-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(34,34,34); font: 12px/1.15 arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 0pt; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgb(255,255,255); text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap">We&#39;ve been busy this quarter planning some significant changes for later this year. &nbsp;We look forward to sharing our next development update with you which will include the capability to download previous solicitations and sample solicitation/contract language for services, improved graphics on the services pages, </span><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent">basic life cycle cost savings information for many energy-consuming products, and a new look and feel to the site. </span></p><p><br style="white-space: normal; text-transform: none; word-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(34,34,34); font: 12px arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgb(255,255,255); text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px" />&nbsp;</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; white-space: normal; text-transform: none; word-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(34,34,34); font: 12px/1.15 arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 0pt; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgb(255,255,255); text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap">As always, we welcome any feedback you have on the GPC. &nbsp;You can provide your feedback by scrolling to the bottom of any GPC web page and clicking on</span><a href="http://sftool.gov/Feedback/Create" style="color: rgb(17,85,204); text-decoration: none" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; color: rgb(34,34,34)"> </span><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; text-decoration: underline; background-color: transparent">Give Feedback</span></a><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap">. Don&rsquo;t be shy to provide your comments and make your recommendations as specific as possible.&nbsp;We welcome comments from the vendor community as well as agencies.</span></p><p><br style="white-space: normal; text-transform: none; word-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(34,34,34); font: 12px arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgb(255,255,255); text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px" />&nbsp;</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; white-space: normal; text-transform: none; word-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(34,34,34); font: 12px/1.15 arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 0pt; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgb(255,255,255); text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap">Best,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; white-space: normal; text-transform: none; word-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(34,34,34); font: 12px/1.15 arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 0pt; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgb(255,255,255); text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap">The GPC Team</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0pt; white-space: normal; text-transform: none; word-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(34,34,34); font: 12px/1.15 arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 0pt; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgb(255,255,255); text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap">(<a href="http://sftool.gov/greenprocurement" style="color: rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">http://sftool.gov/<wbr>greenprocurement</wbr></a>)</span></p><p>&nbsp;</p></wbr>
Posted 01/15/2014 4:24 PM
darnold
<p>Revitalization of the&nbsp;GSA Sustainability Forum:</p><p>Hello everyone. There have been some changes internally in the Federal Acquisition Service with respect to green purchasing and sustainability issues.&nbsp;We will now try to use this forum more actively. Look for postings from me and others within FAS, starting today. We look forward to hearing from you as well.</p><p>Dana Arnold, FAS sustainability lead</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>
Posted 01/15/2014 4:21 PM
Edward Mugits
<p>I am working on a program which replaces the use of Drinking Water with Reclaimed/Recycled Class A Water on a 1:1 ratio, where used as a raw material in the manuracture of Water Based Arcticetural Paints, Coatings, Stains and Sealants.<br /><br />My concern is the GSA Procurement Practice, and how one is assured that it is followed based on:<br /><br />a) EPA recognizes Reclaimed/Recycled Water as Qualified Recycle Content when used in a manufacturing process<br /><br />b) My products would contain the highest % of recycled content by volume<br /><br />c) My products meet ALL GS-11 Criteria<br /><br />**We have the same products made with Drinking Water that are certified GS-11 Compliant, Green Seal and LEED qualified.<br /><br />d) My Products performance meets or exceeds that of Competitors<br /><br />e) My products are competitively priced, singular and volume based<br /><br />f) My products would be made available through a National Retailer and&nbsp; U.S Communities Government Purchasing Alliance Partner<br /><br />This is a rather substantial investment to improve our sustainable practices, starting with the cost to bring in the purple pipe to a facility, and there is no assurance of a return on investement in return for preserving our most treasure natural resource, Drinking Water.<br /><br />Does the GSA not have a responsibility to govern the procurement process, and if so, where do I start to move my program forward?he same products made with Drinking Water that are certified GS-11 Compliant, Green Seal and LEED qualified</p>
Posted 01/15/2014 3:24 PM
darnold
<p>Everyone --</p><p>To respond to Ed Mugits questions, please let me explain a bit about the Federal green purchasing program vs broader sustainability efforts. Under various statutes and executive orders, Federal agencies are required to purchase products with specific energy or environmental attributes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy, and Department of Agriculture designate the products for federal procurement and provide recommendations, such as the percentage of recycled content or biobased content the products should contain. These designation programs include EPA&#39;s Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (recycled content), USDA&#39;s BioPrefered Program (biobased content), Energy Star, the Federal Energy Management Program&#39;s low standby power and energy efficiency specifications,&nbsp;EPA&#39;s WaterSense Program, and EPA&#39;s Significant New Alternatives Policy (alternatives to ozone depleting substances). We also have&nbsp;requierments to purchase alternative fuel vehicles,&nbsp;alternative fuels, and electricity from renewable energy sources.&nbsp;To find the specific requirements, you can visit the web site for each environmental program or find the products and recommendations in GSA&#39;s Green Procurement Compilation tool, <a href="http://www.sftool.gov/greenprocurement">www.sftool.gov/greenprocurement</a>.</p><p>More broadly, Federal agencies are looking at reducing the greenhouse gas emissions associated with their supply chains and introducing broader sustainability considerations into the supply chain.&nbsp;Examples of the latter could be encouraging or requiring reduced packaging, product takeback, or the use of distribution transporters that are members of EPA&#39;s SmartWay Partnership. Supply chain sustainability practices used&nbsp;in the private sector include requiring suppliers to inventory their greenhouse gas emissions and/or develop and implement environmental management systems. The federal government is not requiring these practices of the supply chain yet.</p><p>EPA&#39;s recycled content product designations apply to specific products and the materials used in those products, not the manufacturing process. At this time, they do not address the use of reclaimed/recycled water in the manufacturing process.</p><p>In late November of last year, EPA posted for public comment draft guidance for the use of third party standards and ecolabels. GSA co-chaired the interagency workgroup that developed the guidelines and will be collaborating with EPA to review the public comments and develop the final guidance. GSA will also be determining how we will use third party standards and ecolabels to help promote sustainable acquisition -- both for&nbsp;our own purchases and for the goods and services we offer our customers.</p><p>Dana Arnold</p><p>FAS Sustainability Lead</p>
Posted 01/15/2014 4:44 PM

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