Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 65.84
Liaison Morgan Hartman
Submission Date Dec. 12, 2022

STARS v2.2

University of Nebraska - Lincoln
OP-11: Sustainable Procurement

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 3.00 Morgan Hartman
Recycling Coordinator
FMO
"---" 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:
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The policies, guidelines or directives:
https://procurement.unl.edu/policies#sustainable-purchasing

Sustainable Purchasing

University of Nebraska Procurement Services pursues the promotion, development and procurement of environmentally preferred goods and services whenever possible. Procurement Services will work with departments, employees, contractors and suppliers alike to seek out and provide resources and information that will enable our customers to make informed purchasing decisions, while promoting environmental stewardship.

Procurement Services is committed to buying more environmentally preferable goods and services as long as they meet our performance needs and they are available within a reasonable period of time at a reasonable cost. By including environmental considerations in our procurement decisions, along with our traditional concerns with price, performance and availability, we will remain fiscally responsible while promoting products and services that have a reduced effect on human health and the environment.

Our “Green Purchasing” strategy is to develop policies consistent with the following:

Minimize the consumption of natural resources by reviewing current and proposed future usage and evaluating the pros and cons of alternatives.

Seek alternatives to products and processes that are detrimental to the environment by using more “environmentally friendly” products and processes.

Minimize waste, including any packaging, waste produced by the product (or service) in question, and waste generated by the eventual disposal of the product.

Maximize the reuse and recycling of materials.

Stimulate demand for “environmentally friendly” products by letting manufacturers and suppliers know the environmental performance we are looking for in products.

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:
UNL applies a Life Cycle Cost Analysis when evaluating each design decision that significantly impacts long term energy for incorporating construction, energy and operating and maintenance costs.

https://bf.unl.edu/policies/foam-free-campus

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:
The University's Custodial Services has a sustainability initiative to use environmentally responsible cleaning products, equipment, and sustainable processes. The goal is to use environmentally preferred products, practice conservation, and support sustainability by using products and procedures which allow for the systematic reuse of materials and reduction of waste. More information can be found at
http://fmo.unl.edu/custodial-services/custodial-services-sustainability-initiative.

Consumable office products

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating consumable office products?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for consumable office products:
UNL community members are encouraged to purchase sustainable office products. A number of University Prime Vendors offer filters for purchasers to use to identify sustainable product options.

Furniture and furnishings

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

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for furniture and furnishings:
---

Information Technology (IT) and equipment

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating Information technology (IT) and equipment?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for Information Technology (IT) and equipment:
---

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:
On January 1st, 2016, UNL adopted its Foam Free Campus Policy which prohibits the sale, procurement or distribution of packaging foam or expanded polystyrene (EPS) in food containers and discourages packaging materials. More information is available on https://bf.unl.edu/policies/foam-free-campus.

Garments and linens 

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:
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Professional service providers

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating professional service providers?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for professional service providers:
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Transportation and fuels

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

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

Optional Fields 

Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainable procurement program 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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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.