Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 62.57
Liaison Kylee Singh
Submission Date Feb. 16, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

California Polytechnic State University
OP-11: Sustainable Procurement

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.75 / 3.00 Kylee Singh
Sustainability Coordinator
Energy Utilities and Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have written policies, guidelines or directives that seek to support sustainable purchasing across commodity categories institution-wide?:
Yes

A copy of the policies, guidelines or directives:
---

The policies, guidelines or directives:

CSU Sustainability Policy Sustainable Procurement
1. Campuses will promote use of suppliers and/or vendors who reduce waste, re-purpose
recycled material, or support other environmentally friendly practices in the provision of
goods or services to the CSU under contract. This may include additional evaluation points in solicitation evaluations for suppliers integrating sustainable practices. (14-New)
2. To move to zero waste, campus practices should:
(1) encourage use of products that minimize the volume of trash sent to landfill or incinerators;
(2) participate in the CalRecycle Buy-Recycled program or equivalent; and
(3) increase recycled content purchases in all Buy Recycled program product categories. (14-New)
3. Campuses shall continue to report on all recycled content product categories, consistent with PCC § 12153-12217 and shall implement improved tracking and reporting procedures for their recycled content purchases. (14-New)


Does the institution employ Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) when evaluating energy- and water-using products and systems?:
Yes

Which of the following best describes the institution’s use of LCCA?:
Institution employs LCCA less comprehensively, e.g. for certain types of systems or projects and not others

A brief description of the LCCA policy and/or practices:

Primarily used on major capital projects and some minor capital investments. The design team, typically consultants, are asked to compare aspects of the design by using LCCA. Some buildings in recent years where LCCA has been employed include Poly Canyon Village, the Rec Center, Baker Science, and Central Chiller/Thermal energy storage upgrade.

CSU Sustainability Policy Sustainable Building Practices
All future CSU new construction, remodeling, renovation, and repair projects will be
designed with consideration of optimum energy utilization, low life cycle operating costs,
compliance with all applicable energy codes (enhanced Title 24 energy codes) and
regulations. In the areas of specialized construction that are not regulated through the current energy codes, such as historical buildings, museums, and auditoriums, the CSU will ensure that these facilities are designed to consider energy efficiency. Energy efficient and sustainable design features in the project plans and specifications will be considered in balance with the academic program needs of the project within the available project budget.


Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating chemically intensive products and services (e.g. building and facilities maintenance, cleaning and sanitizing, landscaping and grounds maintenance)?:
Yes

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for chemically intensive products and services:

The purpose of the Cal Poly Green Cleaning Policy is to reduce the exposure of students, faculty and staff including maintenance personnel and contractors to potentially hazardous chemicals, biological and particulate contaminants, which can adversely impact air quality, human health, building finishes, building systems and the environment.


Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating construction and renovation products (e.g. furnishings and building materials)?:
Yes

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for construction and renovation products:

Cal Poly Building Maintenance Policy
This policy applies to the purchasing, renovation and facility maintenance of site and buildings on the main campus for California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly). It includes guidelines for purchasing materials related to these activities, disposing of waste generated from these activities, and managing indoor air quality during these activities. This plan specifically addresses:
 Base building elements permanently or semi- permanently attached to the building.
 Furniture and furnishings as well as the components and parts needed to maintain them
 Construction related waste management
 Indoor Air Quality Policy and Procedures for Maintenance and Renovation


Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating Information technology (IT) products and services (e.g. computers, imaging equipment, mobile phones, data centers and cloud services)?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for IT products and services:

Cal Poly IT Policy
Cal Poly is aware of the role that minerals found in consumer electronics products play in perpetuating the current humanitarian crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The University is working on ways to monitor compliance of its partners in the technology industry to ensure they are keeping up with industry standards to remedy this situation and others that arise in the future.

Major contracted suppliers of electronics to the University belong to the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC), an organization devoted to improving social and environmental conditions in electronics supply chains. The EICC requires its members to follow a Code of Conduct which provides guidance in five critical areas of Corporate Social Responsibility performance – labor, health and safety, environment, management system and ethics.

The EICC is committed to improving conditions in the electronics supply chain and strongly believes that mining activities that fuel conflict are unacceptable. The EICC has partnered with the Global e-Sustainability Initiative to enable companies to source conflict-free minerals through actions including: implementing Conflict-Free Smelter (CSF) and Due Diligence programs, supporting in-region sourcing schemes to enable future legitimate trade from DRC, and engaging with stakeholders for collaboration and efficiency. Cal Poly supports the efforts of the EICC, and encourages companies to join the coalition and other similar programs in order to help ensure that their products do not contain conflict minerals and are in fact benefiting Congolese communities.

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has drafted a set of guidelines to help companies meet their due diligence reporting requirements. The OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas provides detailed recommendations to help companies respect human rights and avoid contributing to conflict through their mineral purchasing decisions and practices. The Due Diligence Guidance is for use by any company potentially sourcing minerals or metals from conflict-affected and high-risk areas. Cal Poly urges companies to implement the OECD due diligence guidelines, and will favor companies that are taking steps to implement them. As one of the leading poly-technic academic institutions in the nation, Cal Poly is aware that there have been recent legislative and industry-wide efforts to address the issue of conflict minerals. This includes Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act that was passed in Congress in 2010 and implemented by the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2012, as well as SB 861 which passed in the California State legislature in October of 2011. Upon request of the Office of the General Counsel (OGC), Cal Poly intends to follow Public Contract Code 10490, which provides a specific mechanism for identifying firms that do not comply with Federal reporting requirements related to conflict minerals. Cal Poly intends to uphold the commitments to social and environmental responsibility made in its mission statement, by implementing this mechanism to account for conflict minerals in our business processes.

Cal Poly strongly urges the other universities in the CSU system to comply with the recommendation of the OGC and adhere to PCC 10490 by acknowledging the role that universities play in the issue of conflict minerals and amending university procurement policies to favor companies that are implementing conflict-free practices. The Academic Senate at Cal Poly passed a resolution on May 20, 2014, expressing its awareness of the conflict over minerals in the DRC and its intention to purchase conflict-free products when they are available. Cal Poly's values are reflected in its students and alumni, and wants all Mustangs to embody the idea of social justice when they enter the workforce. Cal Poly is proud to take a leading stance on this important human rights issue and hopes that other universities and companies will stand with us to combat violence and human rights abuses.


Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating food services (i.e. franchises, vending services, concessions, convenience stores)?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for food services:
---

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating garments and linens?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for garments and linens:
---

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating professional services (e.g. architectural, engineering, public relations, financial)?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for professional services:
---

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating transportation and fuels (e.g. travel, vehicles, delivery services, long haul transport, generator fuels, steam plants)?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for transportation and fuels:
---

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating wood and paper products?:
Yes

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for wood and paper products:

As per California Public Contract Code Section 12209, all paper purchased contains a minimum of 30% recycled content. (taken from- https://afd.calpoly.edu/sustainability/campus_resources/purchasing)

CSU Sustainability Policy Sustainable Procurement
1. Campuses will promote use of suppliers and/or vendors who reduce waste, re-purpose
recycled material, or support other environmentally friendly practices in the provision of
goods or services to the CSU under contract. This may include additional evaluation points in solicitation evaluations for suppliers integrating sustainable practices. (14-New)
2. To move to zero waste, campus practices should:
(1) encourage use of products that minimize the volume of trash sent to landfill or incinerators;
(2) participate in the CalRecycle Buy-Recycled program or equivalent; and
(3) increase recycled content purchases in all BuyRecycled program product categories. (14-New)
3. Campuses shall continue to report on all recycled content product categories, consistent with PCC § 12153-12217 and shall implement improved tracking and reporting procedures for their recycled content purchases. (14-New)


Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating products and services in other commodity categories that the institution has determined to have significant sustainability impacts?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for other commodity categories:
---

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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