Vendor Resources
Upcoming Focus Group
Join us on October 22nd as we host a focus group discussion to understand how everyone interacts with the Green Procurement Compilation. What works for you? What doesn’t? If you’re interested in participating, please click here to sign up.
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Management Training for Federal Contractors
Learn about federal policies impacting GHG management, how to develop a GHG inventory for your company, and how to begin reducing your GHG emissions now!
This page provides vendors with a single point-of-entry to learn more about sustainability and climate risk management. Vendors can quickly access sustainability and climate related Executive Orders, Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), environmental programs, training, and more.
Why is Sustainability and Climate Risk Management Important?
Vendors play a critical role in reducing the severity of future climate change by providing federal agencies with access to sustainable products and services, and resilient supply chains that are adaptive to actual changes in climate.
Several Executive Orders (E.O.) require the federal government to prioritize actions on climate change, reduce emissions, promote environmental stewardship, support resilient supply chains, drive innovation, and incentivize markets for sustainable products and services.
In accordance with FAR Part 23, federal agencies are required to procure sustainable products and services to the maximum extent practicable. Sustainable products and services means products and services that are subject to and meet the applicable statutory purchasing programs and required EPA purchasing programs identified in the Environmental Purchasing Programs section below.
Sustainability Resources
SFTool Pages
The Green Procurement Compilation consolidates purchasing program information into one place, making it easy to determine which purchasing programs apply to a specific product or service.
SFTool Product Search is your link to simpler environmentally responsible purchasing. Search over 150 categories and subcategories that represent over 5,700 brands and more than 300,000 products.
Learn more about waste management options for end of life including reuse, recycling, design for disassembly, design for product take-back programs, and closed-loop supply chains.
Other Resources
Learn more about how GSA is working to reduce the embodied carbon in its building design and construction projects.
Environmental Purchasing Programs
Statutory Purchasing Programs
CPG Compliant Items - Item meets or exceeds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) recommendations for recovered materials and postconsumer recovered materials. EPA-designated products are required under FAR 23.103.
Energy Star Compliant - Item certified to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) ENERGY STAR program specifications and is authorized to carry the ENERGY STAR label. ENERGY STAR products are required under FAR 23.103.
FEMP Energy Efficient - Item meets U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) FEMP energy efficiency specifications. FEMP-designated products are required by FAR 23.103.
BioPreferred Compliant - Item meets or exceeds the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) biobased content requirements. BioPreferred products are required under FAR 23.103.
S.N.A.P. Compliant - Item contains acceptable substitutes for ozone depleting substances, as determined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program. SNAP substitutes are required by FAR 23.103.
Required EPA Purchasing Programs
WaterSense Certified - Item is certified to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) WaterSense Program specifications and is authorized to carry the WaterSense label. WaterSense products are required under FAR 23.103.
Safer Choice Certified - Item is qualified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to carry the Safer Choice label. Safer Choice products are required under FAR 23.103.
Meets Recommended Ecolabels - Item meets EPA Recommendations of Specifications, Standards, and Ecolabels in effect as of October 2023. EPA Recommendations are required under FAR 23.103.
Other Federal Programs
Design for the Environment (DfE) Certified - Item is qualified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to carry the DfE label. Products must be registered with EPA and meet federal disinfectant standards (FIFRA) to make disinfectant claims. Disinfectant products that carry the DfE logo contain ingredients that meet an additional high standard for both human and environmental health and help people protect their family, workplace, community, and environment.
SmartWay Partner and Affiliate - Signifies top performance in freight efficiency and identifies partners as corporate leaders helping to advance the industry toward cleaner, more sustainable supply chain management.
Applicable Sustainability & Climate Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR)
FAR Part 23, Environment, Energy and Water Efficiency, Renewable Energy Technologies, Occupational Safety, and Drug-Free Workplace
Additional Laws, Regulations, and Guidance can be found here.
Applicable Sustainability & Climate Executive Orders
Review the Office of the Federal Chief Sustainability Officer for a list of current energy and sustainability management statutes and Executive Orders, located here.
Understanding and Managing Climate Risk
The SFTool Climate Terms and Tools page serves as a primer for those who are new to the topic or looking for additional resources.
Climate Action and Sustainability
The USGCRP is a federal program mandated by Congress to coordinate federal research and investments in understanding the forces shaping the global environment, both human and natural, and their impacts on society.
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice (EJ) is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. On January 27, 2021, the president issued E.O. 14008 affirming the federal government's commitment to advance environmental justice. To learn more about the GSA’s strategy and progress reports, see GSA’s Environmental Justice page.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Green Procurement Compilation identifies all applicable sustainable acquisition requirements by consolidating and organizing information from Federal environmental programs in one place.
In accordance with FAR Part 23, federal agencies are required to purchase sustainable products and services to the maximum extent practicable. In accordance with FAR 23.103(b), this includes products under contract actions for services or construction if the products are-
- Delivered to the Government;
- Furnished by the contractor for use by the Government;
- Incorporated into the construction of a public building or public work; or
- Acquired by the contractor for use in performing services under a Government contract where the cost of the products is a direct cost to a Government contract (versus costs which are normally applied to a contractor's general and administrative expenses or indirect costs).
For example, custodial service contracts should require the use of sustainable cleaning products and the supply of recycled content or biobased paper products, plastic trash bags, and other applicable items.
Sustainable products and services means products and services that are subject to and meet the applicable statutory purchasing programs and required EPA purchasing programs. Sustainable products and services are identified in the statement of work or elsewhere in the contract, including the purchasing program and type of product or service that are applicable.
For more information, see: FAR Part 23.103 and Executive Order (E.O.) 14057, Catalyzing American Clean Energy Industries and Jobs through Federal Sustainability.
SFTool Product Search is searchable by Product Category, Brand, Federal Program, and Standard or Ecolabel.
Products show up on SFTool Product Search when they conform to a set of product category requirements as outlined by the EPA, DOE, and GSA. All product data in SFTool Product Search comes directly and automatically from the relevant certification organizations. When products don't appear, it is often because there is not a product category requirement for the item. If a product fails to appear even when there is a stated product category requirement in the Green Procurement Compilation, it may be because we have not yet built out the relevant category in our system.
SFTool Product Search displays products that comply with federal environmental requirements, which are gathered within the Green Procurement Compilation. The products listed in SFTool Product Search are provided by ecolabel registries. If your product is not listed, it may be because there are currently no federal environmental requirements for your product category. When federal requirements are added, products complying with the requirements as provided by ecolabel registries would automatically be listed.
Training
FMI provides easily accessible online tools and resources explicitly designed to advance the skills, knowledge and professional development of facilities management professionals.
GSA Plans and Scorecards
GSA's annual Sustainability Plan summarizes actions implemented to meet sustainability goals, progress, results, cost savings, and the agency's strategies for continued progress and performance improvements.
Business Resources
Related Topics
Green Procurement Compilation
The Green Procurement Compilation consolidates and organizes information from federal environmental purchasing programs in one place, saving you from researching multiple web sites.
Click here to view the Green Procurement Compilation