Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 75.14
Liaison Kylee Singh
Submission Date July 10, 2023

STARS v2.2

California Polytechnic State University
OP-11: Sustainable Procurement

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

Part 1. Institution-wide sustainable procurement policies

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

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

The policies, guidelines or directives:
Systemwide, CSU adheres to the following policies and guidelines:
-CSU Sustainability Policy:
https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/6987526/latest/
-CSU Buy Recycled Products Campaign: https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/7865355/latest/#autoid-8qwgz
-Executive Order 987: Policy Statement on Energy Conservation, Sustainable Building Practices, and Physical Plant Management for the California State University https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/6589455/latest/

Part 2. Life Cycle Cost Analysis 

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 as a matter of policy and standard practice when evaluating all energy- and water-using products, systems and building components

A brief description of the LCCA policy and/or practices:
Energy Reduction: Per the CSU systemwide policy “Energy Conservation and Utilities Management and Energy Consumption Reduction Goal for 2004/2005 Compared to 1999/2000”

"When replacing energy consuming and/or utilities infrastructure equipment, the most cost-effective models will be selected. Life cycle costing procedures, instead of first capital cost only, will be utilized as the basis for all future equipment selection. All possible efforts will be made to secure additional funding if required to effect lowest life-cycle procurement”.

This is a CSU Policy through the State University Administrative Manual.
https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/7056253/latest/

Part 3. Product-specific sustainability criteria

To count, the criteria must address the specific sustainability challenges and impacts associated with products and/or services in each category, e.g. by requiring or giving preference to multi-criteria sustainability standards, certifications and labels appropriate to the category. Broader, institution-wide policies should be reported in Part 1, above. 

Chemically intensive products and services

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating chemically intensive products and services?:
Yes

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for chemically intensive products and services:
Third Party Product Certifications
To reduce the quantity and toxicity of waste in California, State law requires State agencies and other public entities to purchase environmentally preferable products that cover a range of attributes, including whether the product is repairable, durable, made with recycled content, and can be recycled again.

Purchases that meet the following product certifications are recognized by the CSU as environmentally preferable products. Note: This list of approved third party certifications does not replace the need to meet contract specifications. E.g. If the contract specifications require 70% post-consumer recycled content, merely holding a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certification is not sufficient to be considered compliant; the product must still satisfy the 70% post-consumer content specification as well.
https://afd.calpoly.edu/procure-to-pay/how-to-buy/sustainability

Consumable office products

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating consumable office products?:
Yes

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for consumable office products:
Sustainable Procurement
Campuses shall 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 and socially responsible practices. (14-New; 22-Revise)
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; 22-No Change)
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; 22-No change)
Campuses shall align procedures with state initiatives to report environmental product declarations for select construction materials, consistent with PCC §3500-3505 and state mandates. (22-New)
Campuses shall promote circular economies2 by seeking to reduce waste when considering materials purchases, including but not limited to, office supplies, equipment, classroom supplies, and promotional and giveaway items by minimizing purchase of items that have a short useful life, are unable to be recycled, and/or are made of unsustainable or carbon intensive materials. (22-New)
https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/11699668/latest/

Furniture and furnishings

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating furniture and furnishings?:
Yes

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for furniture and furnishings:
Sustainable Procurement
Campuses shall 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 and socially responsible practices. (14-New; 22-Revise)
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; 22-No Change)
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; 22-No change)
Campuses shall align procedures with state initiatives to report environmental product declarations for select construction materials, consistent with PCC §3500-3505 and state mandates. (22-New)
Campuses shall promote circular economies2 by seeking to reduce waste when considering materials purchases, including but not limited to, office supplies, equipment, classroom supplies, and promotional and giveaway items by minimizing purchase of items that have a short useful life, are unable to be recycled, and/or are made of unsustainable or carbon intensive materials. (22-New)
https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/11699668/latest/

Information Technology (IT) and equipment

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating Information technology (IT) and equipment?:
Yes

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for Information Technology (IT) and equipment:
Sustainable Procurement
Campuses shall 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 and socially responsible practices. (14-New; 22-Revise)
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; 22-No Change)
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; 22-No change)
Campuses shall align procedures with state initiatives to report environmental product declarations for select construction materials, consistent with PCC §3500-3505 and state mandates. (22-New)
Campuses shall promote circular economies2 by seeking to reduce waste when considering materials purchases, including but not limited to, office supplies, equipment, classroom supplies, and promotional and giveaway items by minimizing purchase of items that have a short useful life, are unable to be recycled, and/or are made of unsustainable or carbon intensive materials. (22-New)
https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/11699668/latest/

Food service providers

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating food service providers?:
Yes

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for food service providers:
Sustainable Food Service
All campus food service organizations should track and increase/improve their sustainable food purchases. (14-New; 22-Revise)
Campuses and food service organizations shall collaborate to provide information and/or training to staff and patrons on the benefits of, and how to successfully participate in sustainable food service operations. (14-New; 22-Revise)
https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/11699668/latest/#autoid-nvgnv

Garments and linens 

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating garments and linens?:
Yes

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for garments and linens:
All CSU contracts for the procurement or laundering of apparel, garments or corresponding accessories or the procurement of equipment, materials, or supplies, other than procurement related to a public works contract, shall require the contractor to certify that it has maintained a "sweat-free" workplace in compliance with Public Contracts Code Section 6108 and that they adhere to the Sweatfree Code of Conduct as set forth by the California Department of Industrial Relations.

https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/7865355/latest/#autoid-2yrak

Professional service providers

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating professional service providers?:
Yes

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for professional service providers:
In all CSU General Provisions is a provision (44) for DVBE and Small Business Participation, http://www.calstate.edu/csp/crl/gp/gp.shtml

Executive Order 987: Policy Statement on Energy Conservation, Sustainable Building Practices, and Physical Plant Management for the California State University, http://www.calstate.edu/eo/eo-987.html

Transportation and fuels

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating transportation and fuels?:
Yes

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for transportation and fuels:
Campus Fleet Vehicles:
Requests for fleet vehicle purchases from both self-support (auxiliary) and general fund/academic departments shall be justified in writing and the justification at a minimum shall include the following information, including but not limited to a statement of how the proposed purchase supports CSU's policy to encourage and promote the use of alternative transportation and/or alternative fuels to reduce GHG emissions related to university associated transportation, including commuter and business travel and an evaluation of lower-carbon transportation alternatives evaluated.
California State and Federal Fleet mandates:
Federal Energy Policy Act – 75% alternative fuel light-duty vehicles
AB 32's Bio-energy Action Plan requires 50% of the above 75% light-duty vehicles to be flex fuel (reference: https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/flextech.shtml)
10% of all light-duty fleet purchases by campuses and CSU shall be zero emissions vehicles (ZEV) in FY 2017/18, increasing by 5% annually through FY 2024/2025 to a total of 50% of light duty fleet vehicles purchases. For the purposes of this section, ZEVs are fuel cell vehicles (FCV), battery electric vehicles (BEV).
Sufficient charging/fueling infrastructure shall be available to support ZEV purchases and utilization.
Exemption to above ZEV/BEV requirement: If the campus has Telematics in 100% of ZEV fleet including Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)3 and Hybrid vehicles4 with quarterly reports demonstrating proper charging and use of PHEV vehicles. PHEV vehicles shall be considered ZEVs for purchasing vehicles.
Purchasing of light duty vehicles shall follow a priority order. If purchasing other than priority 1 vehicle type, justification in writing must be submitted for each lower priority order type of vehicle.
Campuses should consult the DGS lists of vehicles but are not required to use Department of Government Services (DGS) procurement. Other local procurement options that offer better value can be utilized within campus procurement standards and the limits of this section.
CSU shall give preference to DGS management memo 12-03: solar reflective colors for light-duty vehicle acquisitions.
CSU's shall follow DGS Management Memo 15-03 (SAM Section 3620.1): average MPG requirements for light-duty vehicle acquisitions for any internal and flex fuel vehicle purchases.
For the CSU fleet vehicles policy, please visit: https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/6637418/latest/
Campus Transportation and Parking:
It is the policy of the CSU to meet the transportation needs of students, faculty, staff and visitors at its campuses with safe, equitable, and cost-effective options. CSU will use the lowest life cycle cost evaluation and greatest number of students, faculty, staff and visitors per vehicle mile traveled (VMT) served to determine its investment of scarce funding into transportation infrastructure that increases mobility and access for all.
The CSU shall use transportation options that have the lowest total cost of ownership, lowest carbon emissions and best fit for regional transportation needs to mitigate congestion and pollution while maintaining access to campus.
For the CSU Transportation and Parking policy, please visit:
https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/7728108/latest/

Optional Fields 

Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainable procurement program or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
All CSU Policies listed for each category above are used to draft contract language with vendors which ensures adherence to these policies.

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.