Unity Environmental University
OP-15: Inclusive and Local Purchasing

Part 1 

Institution has an institution-wide stated intent to support disadvantaged businesses, social enterprises, and/or local community-based businesses. 

Support could take the form of giving preference during RFP processes, conducting targeted outreach to these businesses about opportunities to work with the institution, and/or other efforts to increase purchases made from such businesses. 

Part 2 

Institution makes purchases from companies that include disadvantaged businesses, social enterprises and/or local community-based businesses. 

Purchases that meet multiple criteria listed above should not be double counted. Food and beverage purchases, which are covered by OP 6: Food and Beverage Purchasing and OP 7: Low Impact Dining, are not included in this credit. 

This credit applies to all institutions.

Part 1 

Institutions earn 0.25 points for having an institution-wide stated intent to support disadvantaged businesses, social enterprises, and/or local community-based businesses. Partial points are not available. 

Part 2 

Institutions earn the maximum of 0.75 points available for this credit when purchases that meet at least one of the criteria outlined above comprise 25 percent of all purchases. Incremental points are awarded based on the percentage of expenditures that are from businesses meeting the criteria outlined above. For example, an institution that made 12.5 percent of its purchases from disadvantaged businesses would earn 0.375 points (half of the points available for Part 2 of this credit). 

See scoring table in the STARS Technical Manual.

Timeframe

Report the most recent data available. 

Sampling and Data Standards

Report the percentage of total purchases, i.e. the institution’s total controllable expenditures - those expenditures that can be controlled or restrained by the institution and its managers (e.g. supplies, equipment purchases, equipment rental and maintenance, printing, services, travel). Institutions may track purchases over a one-year time period or take a representative sample to determine the percentage of total purchases made. When using a sample, institutions should strive to ensure that the sample recognizes seasonal and other variations that influence purchasing behavior.