University of California, Berkeley
OP-11: Sustainable Procurement

The UC Policy & Guidelines on Sustainable Practices establishes environmentally preferable procurement and use practices. UC Berkeley is committed to implementing sustainable procurement and use practices that meet or exceed UC’s goals, working within budgetary, regulatory and programmatic constraints. In some procurement categories sustainable products are coded and appear first in product searches by customers. The University of California is diligent in ensuring that the suppliers we work with are equally committed to our mission of excellence in teaching, research and public service through sustainable and ethical supply chain practices. See Code of Conduct for Trademark Licensees. http://ucop.edu/sustainability/programs-initiatives/social-sustainability/index.html The University of California Terms and Conditions of Purchase also establish policies for sustainable purchasing across commodity categories institution-wide. https://stars.aashe.org/media/secure/256/6/509/2901/uc-terms-and-conditions-of-purchase%20%202-23-2016.pdf ARTICLE 22 – ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERABLE PRODUCTS Supplier will use environmentally preferable products and services (i.e., products and services with a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment) to the maximum possible extent consistent with the Agreement. Information on environmentally preferable products and services is available at: http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/epp/. The University of California Sustainable Practices Policy: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/3100155 The University of California BUS-43/Material Management: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/3220485 (pages 3, 33, 54, 55). The University of California BUS-8/Acquisition and Disposition of University Vehicles: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/3220475 . The University of California BUS-19/Registration and Licensing of University-Owned Vehicles: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/3220476. The University of California Management of Health, Safety and the Environment: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/3500506 . The Berkeley campus also requires prevailing wages for construction projects.

The University of California's sustainability policy calls for campuses to prioritize recyclability, durability and other life-cycle concerns in a range of supply chain decisions. For example, the UC system focuses its procurement on products with ENERGYSTAR and WaterSense certification, when they are available. For packaging, the UC system requires that all packaging materials must be made from 100 percent recycled materials and be recyclable, non-toxic, biodegradable or be produced with the minimum amount of resources and be as small as possible. Also, when requested, suppliers citing environmentally preferable purchasing claims shall provide proper certification or detailed information on environmental claims, including benefits, durability and take-back, reuse, and recyclable properties. Outlined in its own Sustainability Plan, UC Berkeley's goal for advancing sustainability in buildings is to design future projects to minimize energy and water consumption and wastewater production; incorporate sustainable design principles into capital investment decisions; base capital investment decisions on life cycle cost, including the cost of known future expenditures.

UC Berkeley has instituted a Green Cleaning Program that requires all cleaning products meet the LEED Existing Building criteria. The university is also phasing in the exclusive use of Green Seal-certified cleaning products through its Strategic Sourcing and local campus procurement programs. The university's Green Cleaning Policy can be found here: https://stars.aashe.org/media/secure/443/7/652/5915/UCB_GreenCleaning%20Policy.pdf The UC Office of the President is in the process of adopting enhancements to its Sustainable Practices policy that will further strengthen restrictions on the use of chemically intensive products and services across the UC system.

Through its Strategic Sourcing policy, the University of California finalized a contract in 2017 to exclusively purchase from Steelcase a range of furniture such as tables, chairs, file cabinets and bookcases. Steelcase incorporates life cycle, recyclability and other sustainability criteria in its production processes. UC Berkeley's campus design standards also require a range of sustainability criteria be adhered to in the design and construction of campus buildings. Those criteria include requirements that contractors consult with the campus Office of Sustainability early in the design phase so that new buildings meet the UC's carbon neutrality by 2025 goal. The design standards also require that new buildings and renovations use materials that are low in volatile organic compounds. The university's campus design standards can be found here: https://facilities.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/uc_berkeley_real_estate_campus_design_standards_1.pdf Additionally, all large renovations and new construction are required to meet LEED silver minimum certification. The campus routinely achieves almost all of the available LEED credits for Indoor Environmental Quality. Finally, UC Berkeley issued several large Request for Proposals where sustainability was a strategic concern. They included the campus' Million Lamp Challenge, its Ergonomic Furniture RFP and its Maintenance, Repair and Operating RFP.

All desktop computers, laptops, and computer monitors purchased by UC Berkeley are required to have achieved a minimum Bronze-level registration or higher under the Electronic Products Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT®), where applicable. Preference will be given for electronics products that have achieved EPEAT® Silver or EPEAT® Gold registration. The registration criteria and a list of all registered equipment are provided at EPEAT. All recyclers of the University’s electronic equipment must be e-Steward certified by the Basel Action Network (BAN) (www.ban.org). In cases where the university has established take-back programs with a manufacturer, the University will encourage the manufacturer to become a BAN-certified eSteward Enterprise (e-Stewards for Enterprises). The campus' Energy Policy also calls for the increased use of data centers rather than individual servers to conserve energy use.

UC policy requires that campuses and health locations develop sustainability goals and initiatives in each of the four categories of sustainable food service practices listed below. Sustainable Food Services (Section H) A. Food Procurement - Each campus and health location food service operation shall strive to procure 20% sustainable food products by the year 2020, while maintaining accessibility and affordability for all students and UC health location’s foodservice patrons. B. Education - Each campus and health location shall provide patrons with access to educational materials that will help support their food choices. C. Engagement With External Stakeholders - Campus and health location departments, organizations, groups and individuals shall engage in activities with their surrounding communities that support common goals regarding sustainable food systems. D. Sustainable Operations - Campus and health location foodservice operations shall strive to earn third party “green business” certifications for sustainable dining operations. The university's procurement policy regarding retail food service operations reads as follows: Retail food service tenants will strive to meet the policies in III.H.1.a-d.above. Given the constraints faced by nationally-branded franchises that must purchase food through corporate contracts, location departments managing retail foodservice tenants will have the option of meeting III.H.1.a. (procuring 20% of all sustainable food products by the year 2020) by aggregating the purchases of all retail entities under the jurisdiction of a single operational unit on location. Locations will include Section H of this Policy in lease language as new leases and contracts are negotiated or existing leases are renewed. However, locations will also work with tenants to advance sustainable food service practices as much as possible within the timeframe of current leases.

The University of California's Sustainable Practices policy states: The University will implement transportation programs and GHG emission reduction strategies that reduce the environmental impacts from commuting, fleet and business air travel related to achieving the Climate Protection section of this Policy (see Section III.C.). 1. Each location will reduce GHG emissions from its fleet and report annually on its progress. Locations shall implement strategies to reduce fleet emissions and improve fuel efficiency of all university-owned or -operated fleet vehicles and equipment where practical options exist through acquisition and fleet operation protocols. A. By 2025, zero emission vehicles or hybrid vehicles shall account for at least 50 percent of all new light-duty vehicle acquisitions. 2. The University recognizes that single-occupant vehicle (SOV) commuting is a primary contributor to commute GHG emissions and localized transportation impacts. 3. The six greenhouse gasses identified in the Kyoto Protocol are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride, hydrofluorocarbons, and perfluorocarbons. A. By 2025, each location shall strive to reduce its percentage of employees and students commuting by SOV by 10% relative to its 2015 SOV commute rates; B. By 2050, each location shall strive to have no more than 40% of its employees and no more than 30% of all employees and students commuting to the location by SOV. 4. Consistent with the state of California's goal of increasing alternative fuel – specifically electric – vehicle usage, the university shall promote purchases and support investment in alternative fuel infrastructure at each location. A. By 2025, each location shall strive to have at least 4.5% of commuter vehicles be ZEV. B. By 2050, each location shall strive to have at least 30% of commuter vehicles be ZEV. 5. Each location will develop a business-case analysis for any proposed parking structures serving university affiliates or visitors to campus to document how a capital investment in parking aligns with each campus’ Climate Action Plans and/or sustainable transportation policies. Additionally, the University of California's policy on the Acquisition and Disposition of University Vehicles stresses the prioritization of fuel economy and environmental protection in vehicle purchases.

The University of California is phasing out the use of all paper made from virgin wood and is adopting a minimum standard of 100% Post-Consumer Waste (PCW) recycled content paper to be used in all office equipment (e.g., multi-function devices, copiers, printers, and fax machines). University Procurement Services will use its Strategic Sourcing Program to negotiate better pricing for commodities with recycled content compared to commodities without recycled content, where such opportunities exist. Through the Strategic Sourcing Program, University Procurement Services will develop language and specifications for RFIs, RFQs, and RFPs stating that recycled content product offerings be required where they exist. Suppliers are discouraged from bringing hard copies of presentations to Quarterly Business Reviews. Suppliers are encouraged to present all information in electronic format that is easily transferable to university staff. Suppliers and consultants are encouraged to print RFIs, RFQs, RFPs, Price Schedule Agreements, and required reports on a minimum of 30% PCW recycled content paper, using narrow margins and both sides of the page. These documents shall be clearly marked to indicate that they are printed on recycled content paper.

The information in this field are drawn largely from the University of California Sustainable Practices guidelines and UC Berkeley's Campus Design Standards as well as from individual department policies.