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Vendor User Guide

This guide covers how the Sustainable Facilities Tool can assist you in helping provide federal agencies access to sustainable products, services, and resilient supply chains. The information provided does not supersede requirements and/or contract specifications. The SFTool can assist with the following responsibilities:
I. Understand and Identify Sustainability Measures II. Navigating the Sustainable Purchasing Landscape III. Compliance with Federal Regulatory Requirements
  • Understanding Sustainability [Value-based Selling]
  • Selling with Efficiency in Mind
  • Identifying Labels, Certifications, and Best Practices
  • Understand the Sustainable Acquisition Policies and Procedures that Apply to Federal Agencies

I. Understand and Identify Sustainability Measures

"As a vendor, I understand the importance of evaluating the impact that my products and services are having, both on people and the environment"

Understanding Sustainability [Value-based Selling]

  1. View common terms and toolsopens in new window
  2. Learn about different types of carbon and strategies for mitigationopens in new window
  3. Learn about water conservation and reduction measuresopens in new window
  4. Learn about product end-of-life options and waste reduction strategiesopens in new window
  5. Understand Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) and how they relate to your product or serviceopens in new window

Selling with Efficiency in Mind

  1. Understand Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and their role in simplifying procurementopens in new window
  2. Learn how to track, manage and reduce emissions within your organization’s operations through a series of webinarsopens in new window
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II. Navigating the Sustainable Purchasing Landscape

"As a vendor, I understand that communicating the sustainability of my products and services through existing certifications helps demonstrate compliance."

Identifying Labels, Certifications, and Best Practices

  1. Review federal environmental purchasing programs and EPA’s Recommendations of Specifications, Standards, and Ecolabelsopens in new window
  2. Utilize the Green Procurement Compilation (GPC) to determine product-specific purchasing program informationopens in new window
  3. Use SFTool Product Search to identify sustainable products that are registered with many of the environmental programs listed in the GPCnon government site opens in new window
  4. Access answers to frequently asked questionsopens in new window
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III. Compliance with Federal Regulatory Requirements

"As a vendor, I recognize that complying with applicable standards, specifications, and purchasing program requirements is part of doing business with the federal governments."

Understand the Sustainable Acquisition Policies and Procedures that Apply to Federal Agencies

  1. Find statutory and EPA purchasing programs that federal agencies are required to buyopens in new window
  2. View the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) requirements as they pertain to specific productsopens in new window
  3. Find specifications on minimum biobased or recovered content levelsopens in new window
  4. Understand that federal program requirements (FAR 23.103(c)) also apply to contracts for servicesopens in new window
  5. Explore sustainability considerations that Procurement Professionals may be seeking within a range of servicesopens in new window
  6. Align products with sustainability-related executive orders, guiding principles, and regulationsopens in new window
  7. Understand how to ensure responsible business conductopens in new window
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Community

Break down the silos!

As a Vendor, I don’t live or work in a bubble.

To deliver a successful project, I regularly work with a variety of professionals who would benefit from the value of SFTool.

Integrative Design Process
Procurement Professionals Contractors
Manufacturers Facility Managers
Owners Architects and Engineers
Energy Service Companies Suppliers

Learn more about the Integrative Design Process

Participate in the SFTool community below!

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