Our mission is to promote and support greater awareness of sustainable acquisitions by selecting and acquiring sustainable products and services, optimizing performance standards and minimizing environmental impacts.
Our vision is to lead the Berkeley Lab community by playing a significant role in the sustainable acquisition process that supports and cultivates a sustainable Berkeley Lab.
Our goal is to balance environmental, social and financial responsibilities in every purchasing decision to achieve the associated environmental benefits.
Sustainable Acquisition Program Requirements
Berkeley Lab is committed to sustainable environmental stewardship. Sustainable or “Green” Environmentally Preferable Products (EPPs) and services must be specified when requesting the acquisition of products and services for Berkeley Lab unless a specific exception applies. General exceptions to the requirements and other resources to determine applicability are provided below.
The following federal and UC policies and/or requirements applicable to sustainable procurement must be considered when purchasing products or services:
- Recycled Products – Products containing recovered material designated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPGs).
- Energy Efficient Products – Electronic products that are ENERGY STAR® certified or DOE Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP)-designated products and/or FEMP Low-Standby Power products.
- Biobased Products – Products meeting the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) content requirements under the BioPreferred® program.
- Non-Ozone Depleting Products – Products using acceptable chemicals and manufacturing processes listed under EPA’s Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program.
- UC Sustainable Procurement Policy & Guidelines ban the purchase of foam products, requires the reduction of single-use products, and requires electronic waste recycling by e-Steward Certified recyclers and states the Laboratory prioritize waste reduction in the following order: Reduce, reuse, and then recycle and compost.
- The In-Use Off-Road Diesel-Fueled Fleets Regulation requires in-use off-road diesel fueled fleet owners to report off-road diesel vehicle inventories and actions taken to reduce vehicle emissions to the California Air Resources Board (CARB). In accordance with this regulation, Berkeley Lab is required to obtain certificates from potential subcontractors and vendors using or offering equipment or fleets exceeding 25 total horsepower (HP) demonstrating compliance for Laboratory-related work in the State of California prior to award. A fleet is defined as one or more vehicles collectively exceeding 25 HP.
Exceptions to Acquisition Requirements:
In accordance with Berkeley Lab’s prime contract with the Department of Energy, sustainable acquisition requirements must be met unless the following conditions apply –
The Laboratory cannot:
- Competitively acquire a product or service within a reasonable performance schedule or critical need;
- acquire a product or service that meets reasonable performance requirements; or
- acquire a product or service at a reasonable price. When considering whether the price of a sustainable product is reasonable, the life-cycle cost of the product should be considered.
For more detailed information on exceptions, see the Customer Guide – Berkeley Lab Sustainable Acquisition Program in the Customer Guides within the ePro section of the Procurement & Property website.
Identify Compliant Products and Services
Requester should perform market research (e.g., using the internet and AI), consult the Green Procurement Compilation and other resources to look for products offered that are compliant. The GSA Clearinghouse/Procurement provides links to sustainability resources and information on environmental programs the Laboratory and its suppliers/subcontractors are required to comply with. Requesters must review the RPMs Sustainability Standards for Operations and Sustainability Standards for New Construction and Major Renovations for additional project-specific requirements with respect to sustainable acquisitions. Requesters may also consult with the sustainable procurement representative (SPR) (Business-Assurance-Sustainable@lbl.gov) for additional information.
If the requester and procurement specialist determine the product(s) being requested is (are) subject to sustainable acquisition requirements but is (are) non-compliant, the procurement specialist and requester should look for alternative compliant products to meet the need, or determine if an exception applies.
eBuy Ordered Products Should Also Be Sustainable
When ordering items on eBuy, users should perform market research (e.g., using the internet and AI), and/or consult the Green Procurement Compilation and other resources to look for products offered that are compliant. The GSA Clearinghouse/Procurement provides links to sustainability resources and information on environmental programs the Laboratory and its suppliers/subcontractors are required to comply with. Once compliant products are identified, users should look for the identified products offered by suppliers in their eBuy catalogs. Alternatively, prior to ordering a product on eBuy, users should check that it is compliant before placing the order, and seek alternatives if it is not.
