Lawrence, KS Environmental Procurement Policy

Type: Policy

Status: Adopted on 10/6/99

Source File: http://www.ci.lawrence.ks.us/policies/EnvProcruePolicy.pdf

Text:

1.0 Purpose

The City of Lawrence wishes to purchase environmentally preferred products and services which have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared to other products and services that serve the same purpose. The purpose of this policy is to support the purchase of products that will minimize negative environmental impacts of our work and support markets for recycled and other environmentally preferable products. The purchase of these products is preferred whenever they perform satisfactorily and are available at a reasonable cost.

2.0 Definitions

A. “Environmentally Preferable Products” means products that have a lesser impact on human health and the environment when compared with competing products. This comparison may consider raw materials acquisition, production, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, reuse, operation, maintenance, and/or disposal of the product.

B. “Recycled Products” are products manufactured with waste material that has been recovered or diverted from solid waste. Recycled material may be derived from post-consumer waste (material that has served its intended use and been discarded by a final consumer), industrial scrap, manufacturing waste, or other waste that would otherwise have been disposed of.

C. “Compost Products” means mulch, soil amendments, ground cover, or other landscaping material derived from the biological or mechanical conversion of cellulose-containing waste materials.

D. “Practicable” means sufficient in performance and available at a reasonable cost.

E. “Reasonable Cost” means competitive cost plus 5 percent.

3.0 Policies

All City Department personnel will purchase recycled and environmentally preferable products whenever practicable. The Finance Department will establish a price preference of up to 5 percent for recycled paper products and other recycled and environmentally preferable products. This price preference shall be established in advance of any bid and may be modified from time to time at the discretion of the Finance Department with the objective of maximizing the City’s purchase of environmentally preferable products to the extent practicable.

A. All imprinted letterhead paper, envelopes and business cards used by City of Lawrence Departments shall be recycled paper and bear a symbol identifying the paper as recycled provided the quality and pricing meets the above criteria;

B. The percentages of post-consumer content (minimum 10%) and recycled content (minimum 20%) will be spelled out in the bid specifications for letterhead and other paper grades based on industry availability;

C. Whenever practicable, the City will ensure that contracts issued by its Departments require recycled and environmentally preferable products;

D. Ensure that request for bids and proposals issued by the City require the contractors and consultants to use recycled paper in their bid applications; when practicable,

E. City Departments shall use both sides of paper sheets whenever practicable in printing and copying;

F. The City shall to the extent possible initiate a pilot program to test the capabilities of re-refined automotive oils. Such a pilot program shall be limited to non-emergency vehicles and be subject to product availability.

G. The City shall to the extent possible initiate a pilot program to test the durability of recycled plastic outdoor products that may include benches, tables, fencing and receptacles.

H. The City shall to the extent possible initiate a pilot program to purchase retread tires for use on a targeted group of vehicles meeting the functional criteria and performance requirements for such use. Such a pilot program will not include police, fire, ambulance or any other emergency vehicle used in the course of protecting the health and safety of the residents of the city.

4.0 Selected Environmental Products

The Finance Department in coordination with other city departments will evaluate the following environmentally preferable products and purchase them whenever the evaluation is favorable.

A. Recycled paper and paper products;

B. Remanufactured laser printer toner cartridges;

C. Re-refined antifreeze;

D. Re-refined lubricating and hydraulic oils;

E. Recycled plastic outdoor wood substitutes;

F. Re-crushed cement concrete aggregate and asphalt

G. Cement and asphalt concrete containing glass cullet, recycled fiber, plastic, tire rubber, or fly ash;

H. Remanufactured (retread) tires and products made from recycled tire rubber;

I. Compost;

J. Cleaning products with lowered toxicity;

K. Water-saving products;

L. Other products designated by the Finance Department

5.0 The Waste Reduction and Recycling (WR/R) Division and Purchasing Agent shall be responsible for coordinating the implementation of this policy.

6.0 The responsibility of the WR/R Division shall be to:

A. Develop and maintain information about environmentally preferable products and recycled products containing the maximum practicable amount of recycled materials, to be purchased by departments whenever possible. Initially, these shall include the products designated in Section 4.0; and

B. Inform departments of their responsibilities under this policy, provide departments with information about recycled product and environmental procurement opportunities, and develop reporting procedures with departments;

C. Promote the use of recycled and other environmentally preferable products by publicizing and educating others about the procurement program;

D. Coordinate with the Purchasing Agent about environmentally preferable products and products containing recycled materials:

E. Coordinate pilot programs with Purchasing Agent and affected Departments, monitor, track and report product evaluation findings; and

F. Provide annual written reports on the implementation of this policy to the City Manager, Public Works Director, and Solid Waste Division Manager.

7.0 Responsibility of the Purchasing Agent:

A. Review request for bids and request for proposals, as appropriate and reasonable, to determine if they exclude the use of environmentally preferable products as defined in Section 4.0. Specifications should be redrafted to allow for the use of environmentally responsible products whenever practicable.

8.0 Responsibilities of other City Departments

Each Department shall:

A. Purchase recycled paper products whenever practicable;

B. Evaluate environmentally preferred and recycled products to determine the extent to which they may be reasonably used by the department;

C. Coordinate with the Purchasing Agent and the Waste Reduction and Recycling Division to report:
1. The results of product evaluations; and 2. The status of efforts to maximize environmental purchasing

D. Ensure that contracts issued by the department requires purchasing in compliance with this policy wherever practicable.

9.0 Exemption

Nothing within this policy shall be construed as requiring the purchase of products that do not perform adequately or are not available at a reasonable price.