| Overall Rating | Platinum |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 88.80 |
| Liaison | Richard Demerjian |
| Submission Date | Aug. 11, 2021 |
University of California, Irvine
OP-11: Sustainable Procurement
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.00 / 3.00 |
Snehal
Bhatt Chief Procurement Officer and Director of Risk Services Purchasing and Risk Services |
Does the institution have written policies, guidelines, or directives that seek to support sustainable purchasing across multiple commodity categories institution-wide?:
A copy of the policies, guidelines or directives:
The policies, guidelines or directives:
The University of California Policy on Sustainable Practices establishes goals in nine areas of sustainable practices which includes environmentally preferable purchasing of products and services. It outlines the University’s targets for sustainable procurement as well as requirements for UC sustainable procurement practices, that is the activities of University of California buyers as they relate to sustainable procurement. As per the policy, sustainable procurement should look to reduce unnecessary purchasing first, then prioritize purchase of surplus or multiple use products, before looking at recyclable, compostable, or otherwise sustainable products.
Link to UC Policy on Sustainable Practices, Section G. Sustainable Procurement (pg. 14): https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/3100155/SustainablePractices
The University of California Sustainable Procurement Guidelines act as a companion to the Sustainable Procurement section of the UC Policy on Sustainable Practices. It lays out the minimum sustainability requirements for products and services purchased by the University of California and identify those product attributes that are strongly preferred, if not mandatory. It further defines the green spend, economically & socially responsible spend and sustainable spend in order to meet the sustainable procurement targets set by the UC Policy on Sustainable Practices.
Link to UC Sustainable Procurement Guidelines: https://www.ucop.edu/procurement-services/for-ucstaff/sustainable-procurement/sustainableprocurementguidelines.pdf
Further information on the University of California's sustainable procurement practices can be obtained from below URL.
https://www.ucop.edu/procurement-services/for-ucstaff/sustainable-procurement/index.html
Does the institution employ Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) when evaluating energy- and water-using products and systems?:
Which of the following best describes the institution’s use of LCCA?:
A brief description of the LCCA policy and/or practices:
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.
UCI's Administrative Policies and Procedures contains Section 902-12: Guidelines for Conservation of Energy and Water Resources. The Assistant Vice Chancellor-Facilities Management, under the direction of the Vice Chancellor-Administrative and Business Services, is responsible for improving energy delivery systems and developing new energy-saving programs in accordance with the University of California Sustainable Practices Policy. Section E states: "Every equipment purchase should be cost effective. Include the cost of utilities when determining the life-cycle cost of equipment selected for installation. Consult with Facilities Management throughout the selection process."
Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating chemically intensive products and services?:
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for chemically intensive products and services:
UCI's Green Cleaning Policy outlines sustainability criteria for chemically intensive products: https://procurement.uci.edu/_files/documents/strategic-initiatives/Green-Cleaning-Policy-UC-Irvine-2020.pdf
Criteria examples outlined in the Green Cleaning Policy include:
-- Low environmental impact cleaning products certified by Green Seal standard (GS-37) shall be used.
-- A log will be kept that details all housekeeping chemicals used or stored on the premises (stored products include those that are no longer used, but still in the building). Attachments to the log shall include manufacturer’s Material Safety Data Sheets and Technical Bulletins. The log shall identify:
a. An MSDS and/or label from the manufacturer specifying that the product meets the VOC content level for the appropriate product category as found in the California Code of Regulations.
b. A copy of the Green Seal Certification, or
c. If the product has not been certified by Green Seal, the manufacturer will provide test data documenting that the product meets each of the environmental health & safety criteria set forth in Green Seal Standard GS-37, or that the product meets California Code of Regulations for maximum allowable VOC content.
UCI Environmental Health & Safety Waste Minimization/ Pollution Prevention: https://ehs.uci.edu/enviro/haz-waste/pdfs/haz-waste-minimization-pollution-prev.pdf
Example criteria when purchasing chemically intensive products and services:
-- Select a chemical supplier who will support waste minimization efforts and can deliver small amounts of chemicals on short notice.
-- Standardize chemical purchases. If all (or most) experiments are designed to use chemicals from an approved list, then another researcher may be able to use your surplus chemicals.
-- Consider passing all orders by one person. A laboratory may be able to take advantage of bulk pricing because the purchaser will be buying for more experiments at once.
UC Sustainable Procurement Guidelines have set specific standards for Cleaning Chemical Supplies. Cleaning supplies include general purpose bathroom, glass and carpet cleaners; degreasing agents; biologically-active cleaning products (enzymatic and microbial products); floor-care products (e.g. floor finish and floor finish strippers); hand soaps and hand sanitizers; disinfectants; and metal polish and other specialty cleaning products.
As per the UC Sustainable Procurement Guidelines, at least 25% of Cleaning supplies purchases are required to be certified by one of the below certifications/ standards; Green Seal, UL Ecologo, EPA Safer Choice. Beyond the minimum requirement, UC prefers to drive towards a minimum of 75% of certified purchases for cleaning supplies. For more information, refer the UC Sustainable Procurement Guidelines - Page 9 and Page 15: https://www.ucop.edu/procurement-services/for-ucstaff/sustainable-procurement/sustainableprocurementguidelines.pdf
Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating consumable office products?:
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for consumable office products:
The University will require suppliers to clearly identify products with UC recognized certifications, as defined by the Guidelines, in both hosted and punch out catalog e-procurement environments. a. Commodity/Contract Managers will work with all contracted suppliers to ensure that contract items that meet the UC criteria for Green and EaSR Spend as outlined in the Guidelines will be prioritized in all product searches. University of California – Policy on Sustainable Practices Sustainable Practices 31 of 39 b. Unless locations request otherwise, products that do not meet the University’s minimum criteria requirements will be blocked in all hosted catalogs and punch out catalogs upon contract award.
As per UC Sustainable Procurement Guidelines, sustainability criteria have been set for copy paper, paper office supplies, non-paper office supplies and toner.
- A minimum of 30% of copy paper is required to be Post-Consumer Recycled Content (PCRC) or agricultural residue content or Green Seal (GS-07) certified.
- A minimum of 30% of paper office supplies other than copy paper is required to be Post-Consumer Recycled Content (PCRC) certified.
- Non-paper office supplies are required to meet the minimum EPA Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG) recycled-content levels for Non-Paper Office Products, and a minimum 30% recycled content for all writing utensils (dryerase markers, highlighters, markers, pens, and pencils) or other plastic-based accessories.
- Toner purchases are required to meet the recognized standards, either Remanufactured or High Yield. For more information, refer the UC Sustainable Procurement Guidelines - Page 10, 11 and Page 17 (https://www.ucop.edu/procurement-services/for-ucstaff/sustainable-procurement/sustainableprocurementguidelines.pdf).
Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating furniture and furnishings?:
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for furniture and furnishings:
As per UC Sustainable Procurement Guidelines, all indoor furniture must meet all of the following criteria.
- GREENGUARD Gold or SCS Indoor Advantage Gold certified
- Free of the below 6 classes of chemicals of concern as specified in the Section 7.E of the UC Sustainable Procurement Guidelines; Flame retardant chemicals, Formaldehyde and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Per and Poly-Fluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) used as stain/water/oil resistant treatments, Antimicrobials, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and Heavy Metals
For more information, refer the UC Sustainable Procurement Guidelines - Pages 11, 16, and 17
https://www.ucop.edu/procurement-services/for-ucstaff/sustainable-procurement/sustainableprocurementguidelines.pdf
Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating Information technology (IT) and equipment?:
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for Information Technology (IT) and equipment:
UCI has established a campus-based policy to require that when an ENERGY STAR choice exists, the required purchase will be the Energy Star product. **Note: UC Irvine purchases equipment with the GOLD registration by identifying preferred equipment packages.
This includes:
-- Office equipment
-- Equipment for new capital projects
-- Ongoing purchasing, rented as well as purchased equipment, and procurements extending across all fund-sources.
UCI Policy on ENERGY STAR Products: https://www.procurement.uci.edu/strategic-initiatives/sustainable-purchasing.php
UC Sustainable Procurement Guidelines have set specific standards for Electronics. Electronics includes any product for which an Electronic Products Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT®) certification is available. EPEAT currently includes PCs and Displays (including tablets), Imaging Equipment (which includes printers, copiers, scanners and multifunction devices), Televisions, Mobile Phones and Servers. All Electronics purchased by the University are required to have achieved a minimum EPEAT Bronze-level registration or higher, where applicable. All Electronics must also be Energy Star® rated. Beyond this minimum requirement, UC prefers and has set spend goals to further drive the purchase of EPEAT Gold-level registered products, where applicable.
For more information, refer the UC Sustainable Procurement Guidelines - Pages 9 and 15 https://www.ucop.edu/procurement-services/for-ucstaff/sustainable-procurement/sustainableprocurementguidelines.pdf
Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating food service providers?:
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for food service providers:
The University of California Sustainable Practices Policy states:
H. Sustainable Foodservices
1. Campus and Health Location Foodservice Operations
a. Food Procurement: Each campus foodservice operation shall strive to procure 25% sustainable food products by the year 2030 as defined by AASHE STARS and each health location foodservice operation shall strive to procure 30% sustainable food products by the year 2030 as defined by Practice Greenhealth, while maintaining accessibility and affordability for all students and health location’s foodservice patrons.
b. Education: Each campus and health location shall provide patrons and foodservice staff with access to educational and training materials that will help support their food choices.
c. Menu Development: Each campus and health location shall strive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of their food purchases through globally- inspired, culturally acceptable plant-forward menus.
- i. Campuses and health centers shall establish a baseline and goal in 2020.
- ii. Progress shall be tracked annually by report
2. Foodservice Operations in Leased Locations:
a. Foodservice operations leased in campuses and health locations owned by the University of California and contractors providing foodservices in campus and health locations will strive to meet the policies in III.H.1.a-c. above.
b. Campuses and health locations will include Section H of this Policy in lease language as new leases and contracts are negotiated or existing leases are renewed. However, campus and health locations will also work with tenants to advance sustainable foodservice practices as much as possible within the timeframe of current leases.
https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/3100155/SustainablePractices
According to Sustainable Procurement Guidelines, compostable food service containers and packages that have recycled and/or sustainably harvested content are preferred wherever possible. For more information, refer the UC Sustainable Procurement Guidelines - Page 17 https://www.ucop.edu/procurement-services/for-ucstaff/sustainable-procurement/sustainableprocurementguidelines.pdf
Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating garments and linens?:
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for garments and linens:
The University of California code of conduct stipulates that any article of clothing bearing the UC name be made in a factory that treats its workers as people, not as slaves, and the recent passing of the Designated Suppliers Act stipulates that 25% of licensed apparel must be paid a living wage – a wage that is higher than the minimum wage in all countries.
https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/3000130/TrademarkLicensing
UCI Trademarks & Strategic Contracts: https://trademarks.uci.edu/
Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating professional service providers?:
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for professional service providers:
UCI’s policies for Professional Services Agreements (PSA), including architectural, landscape architectural, engineering, environmental, land surveying, real property development services, or construction project management services require that firms are selected based on demonstrated competence and professional qualifications to perform the required services, rather than selection based on price. As a result of this policy, the PSA selection process includes evaluation of the firms experience and qualifications in sustainable design as this is a required performance policy for all UCI design, construction, and real estate project delivery.
https://www.ucop.edu/construction-services/facilities-manual/volume-3/vol-3-chapter-2.html
UC Sustainable Practices Policy and Guidelines have set best practices for the purchase of services broadly. The UC system procures a multitude of professional services from small one-time engagements to large multi-year partnerships. As per the UC Sustainable Practices Policy - Section G.5, university has committed to allocating a minimum of 15% of the points utilized in competitive solicitation evaluations to sustainability criteria including but not limited to supplier diversity, supplier practices (corporate social responsibility policies and practices) as well as contributions to health and wellbeing.
Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating transportation and fuels?:
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for transportation and fuels:
Under Sustainable transportation, the University 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. By 2025, zero-emission vehicles or hybrid vehicles shall account for at least 50%of all new light-duty vehicle acquisitions. 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. https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/3100155/SustainablePractices (p 11)
As per the UC Policy on Sustainable Practices (Section D.1), zero emission vehicles (ZEV) or hybrid vehicles shall account for at least 50% of all new light-duty vehicle acquisitions across all UC locations by 2025. Further, being consistent with the State of California goal of increasing alternative fuel, specifically electric-vehicle usage, the University shall promote purchases and support investment in alternative fuel infrastructure at each location with a goal of having at least 4.5% of commuter vehicles be ZEV, by 2025 (Section D.3).
Refer the UC Policy on Sustainable Practices (https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/3100155/SustainablePractices) for more details.
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:
UCI is committed to the acquisition of recycled content products, environmentally preferable products and services, bio-based products, energy- and water-efficient products, alternate fuel vehicles, products using renewable energy, and alternatives to hazardous or toxic chemicals.
An update to the Sustainable Procurement Policy was established in 2020. Some key highlights of this update are:
- 100% compliance with Required Level Green Spend criteria within three (3) fiscal years of the addition of those products and/or product categories to the Guidelines.
- 25% Green Spend as a total percentage of spend per product category; target to be reached within three (3) fiscal years after a category is added to the Guidelines.
- 25% Socially and Economically Responsible Spend as a total percentage of addressable spend; target to be reached within five (5) fiscal years of adoption of this section of the Guidelines.
UCI is committed to the acquisition of recycled content products, environmentally preferable products and services, bio-based products, energy- and water-efficient products, alternate fuel vehicles, products using renewable energy, and alternatives to hazardous or toxic chemicals.
An update to the Sustainable Procurement Policy was established in 2020. Some key highlights of this update are:
- 100% compliance with Required Level Green Spend criteria within three (3) fiscal years of the addition of those products and/or product categories to the Guidelines.
- 25% Green Spend as a total percentage of spend per product category; target to be reached within three (3) fiscal years after a category is added to the Guidelines.
- 25% Socially and Economically Responsible Spend as a total percentage of addressable spend; target to be reached within five (5) fiscal years of adoption of this section of the Guidelines.
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.