HomeMy WebLinkAboutA20 City of Mountain View Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Policy
CITY COUNCIL POLICY
SUBJECT: CITY OF MOUNTAIN VIEW ENVIRONMENTALLY NO.: A-20
PREFERABLE PURCHASING POLICY
Environmentally preferable purchasing ensures that services and products procured:
• Conserve natural resources, materials, and energy;
• Eliminate or reduce toxics that create hazards to City workers and the community;
• Eliminate or reduce potential release of pollutants into the natural environment;
• Minimize environmental impacts, such as pollution, and reduce use of water and
energy; and
• Maximize recyclability and recycled content.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this policy is to make environmentally preferable purchasing the
standard for the City of Mountain View (City) and also to support markets for recycled
goods and other environmentally preferable products and services.
This policy will support the City's commitment to environmental stewardship and
human health and safety. By incorporating environmental considerations into public
purchasing, the City of Mountain View will positively impact human health and the
environment.
POLICY:
DEFINITIONS
The following terms apply to this policy:
A. Eco-labeling refers to product labels that display the logo of a third-party
certification organization (e.g., Energy Star, Electronic Product Environmental
Assessment Tool (EPEAT), Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Green Seal, Quality
Assurance International (QAI)).
B. Environmentally Preferable Products and Services are products and services that
reduce negative effects on human health and the environment when compared
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CITY COUNCIL POLICY
SUBJECT: CITY OF MOUNTAIN VIEW ENVIRONMENTALLY NO.: A-20
PREFERABLE PURCHASING POLICY
with competing products. A comparison of products/services may consider raw
materials acquisition, production, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, reuse,
operation, maintenance, or disposal, along with the complete cost of a product
throughout its life, when practical.
C. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) places responsibility on the
manufacturer, rather than the City, for taking back a product after it is no longer
needed. By shifting costs and responsibilities of product recycling/disposal to
manufacturers, EPR provides an incentive to eliminate waste and pollution
through product design and packaging changes.
D. Life Cycle Cost means the amortized annual cost of a product, including capital
costs, transportation costs, installation costs, operating costs, maintenance costs,
and disposal costs discounted over the life of the product.
E. "Practical" means whenever possible and compatible with local, State, and Federal
law, regulations, and/or City of Mountain View policy, without reducing safety,
quality, or effectiveness and where the product or service is available at a
reasonable cost in a reasonable period of time.
F. Recyclable Product means a product which, after its intended use, can be used as
raw material in the manufacture of another product.
G. Recycled Material means material that has been recovered and used in place of
raw or virgin material in manufacturing a product. Recycled material is derived
from postconsumer waste, manufacturing waste, industrial scrap, agricultural
waste, and other waste material.
H. Virgin Material means any material occurring in its natural form. Virgin material
is often used as raw materials in the manufacture of new products.
The City of Mountain View commits to:
1. Procure environmentally preferable products and services where practical and
where criteria for such products and services have been established by
governmental or other widely-recognized authorities (e.g., Energy Star,
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CITY COUNCIL POLICY
SUBJECT: CITY OF MOUNTAIN VIEW ENVIRONMENTALLY NO.: A-20
PREFERABLE PURCHASING POLICY
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Eco Purchasing Guidelines, EPEAT, FSC,
Green Seal, QAI).
2. Integrate environmental factors into the City's buying decisions, such as:
— Replacing disposables with reusables or recyclables;
— Buying products bearing eco-labels;
— Taking into account life cycle costs and benefits; and
— Evaluating, as appropriate, the environmental performance of vendors in
providing products and services and taking products back at the end of their
life.
3. Raise staff awareness regarding the environmental issues affecting procurement by
providing relevant information and training to City staff and vendors interested in
doing business with the City.
4. Encourage vendors to offer environmentally preferable products and services at
competitive prices.
5. Encourage service providers to consider all possible environmental impacts of
providing their services.
6. Comply with applicable environmental legislative and regulatory requirements in
the procurement of products and services, e.g., Extended Producer Responsibility.
Nothing in this policy requires a department or vendor to procure products that do not
perform adequately or are not practical.
Procedures and guidelines will be established and updated as necessary to ensure the
continuation of a strong, environmentally preferable purchasing policy.
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CITY COUNCIL POLICY
SUBJECT: CITY OF MOUNTAIN VIEW ENVIRONMENTALLY NO.: A-20
PREFERABLE PURCHASING POLICY
RESPONSIBILITIES
All departments shall identify and purchase the most environmentally responsible and
practical products and services. Factors to consider when evaluating an
environmentally preferable product or service include, but are not limited to:
• Minimization of virgin raw materials in product or service life cycle.
• Minimization of materials regulated by Federal or State permits or other City
policies.
• Maximization of recycled content in product life cycle.
• Reuse of existing products or materials in product or service life cycle.
• Recyclability of product.
• Minimization of packaging.
• Reduction of energy/water consumption.
• Reduction or elimination of product or service toxicity.
• Long durability and low maintenance of product.
• Disposal, recycling, and take-back of product.
• Local sourcing of product or service, whenever possible.
Purchasing Section Responsibilities:
1. Develop and maintain information about environmentally preferable products.
2. Provide training to staff and vendors regarding the City's environmentally
preferable purchasing policy and provide implementation assistance.
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CITY COUNCIL POLICY
SUBJECT: CITY OF MOUNTAIN VIEW ENVIRONMENTALLY NO.: A-20
PREFERABLE PURCHASING POLICY
3. Incorporate specifications (e.g., requirement of recycled content or Energy Star
rating) into City bid solicitations where practical.
4. Provide vendors with information about the City's environmentally preferable
product/service procurement requirements and specifications.
5. Encourage vendors to use electronic invoices, whenever possible.
6. Review policy and costs every two to three years or as warranted and recommend
changes to Council, if appropriate.
Effective Date: October 28, 2008, Resolution No. 17337
CNLPOL
A20-916CP
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