Overall Rating Silver
Overall Score 59.88
Liaison Alex Frank
Submission Date April 14, 2022

STARS v2.2

University of Wisconsin-Madison
OP-11: Sustainable Procurement

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.75 / 3.00 Alex Frank
Sustainability Analyst
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

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:

Sustainability in Procurement Policy: https://doa.wi.gov/ProcurementManual/Pages/PRO-209.aspx
The purpose of this policy is to promote development of contract specifications that minimize the generation of solid waste and increase recyclability and to establish procedures to follow in purchasing goods with recycled content. The Bureau of Procurement, state agencies and authorities as prescribed in s. 16.72(2)(e), Wis. Stats., have certain responsibilities to promote the purchase of recycled or recovered materials, and to minimize solid waste generation through its procurement activities to the extent practicable. To achieve the goals of recycling and waste reduction in procurement, actions will include revising specifications, bidding effectively, and purchasing recycled or recovered products.

State agencies (including UW-Madison) are required to write product specifications which incorporate requirements for recycled materials and recovered materials when technically and economically feasible. Specifications should not contain unnecessary prohibitions to products made from recycled materials or recovered materials. Priority categories currently include:
- Paper and paper products
- Plastic and plastic products
- Glass and glass products
- Motor oil and lubricants
- Construction materials, including insulating materials
- Furnishings, including rugs, carpet, and furniture
- Highway equipment, including signs, signposts, reflectors, guardrails, lane dividers, and barricades

Department of Administration-Supplier Diversity Policy & Reporting: https://doa.wi.gov/ProcurementManual/Pages/PRO-606.aspx
- State Procurement Manual-Minority Business Enterprise (MBE): Statutes provide that agencies “shall attempt to ensure that 5% of the total amount expended ... in each fiscal year is paid to minority businesses.” In addition, state law allows agencies to apply a price preference of up to 5% on behalf of certified MBEs. The MBE goal and preference apply only to minority businesses certified by the Department of Administration Supplier Diversity Program.
- State Procurement Manual-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (DVB): Statutes provide that agencies “shall attempt to ensure that 1% of the total amount expended ... in each fiscal year is paid to disabled veteran-owned businesses.” In addition, state law allows agencies to apply a price preference of up to 5% on behalf of certified DVBs. The DVB goal and preference apply only to disabled veteran-owned businesses certified by the Department of Administration Supplier Diversity Program.

State Use Board - Work Center Program: https://doa.wi.gov/ProcurementManual/Pages/PRO-509.aspx
The Wisconsin State Use Board attempts to maximize state agency, including the University of Wisconsin System, contracting with certified Wisconsin Work Centers, insuring the procurement of quality products and services while providing a positive impact on the employment of individuals with severe disabilities.

In 1989, the State Use Law was created and the Wisconsin’s State Use Program was developed, for the purpose of providing gainful employment for the thousands of Wisconsinites with severe disabilities across the state who seek job opportunities in their communities.

The law, Wis. Stat. 16.752, requires all state agencies to purchase products and services from Wisconsin nonprofit work centers employing persons with severe disabilities when the work center is able to meet the state’s specifications and provide the product or service at fair market value.

Wisconsin’s State Use Program creates economic independence and self-reliance for people with disabilities. The work centers provide long-term, transferable work experience and marketable job skill training to people with disabilities that increase their independence and self-sufficiency. When individuals with disabilities gain employment, they are able to reduce or eliminate reliance on government funded programs and services. In addition, they add to the tax base by becoming tax payers. Having fuller, more diverse employment and by reductions in the need for tax funded support services benefits society as well.


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 less comprehensively, e.g. for certain types of systems or projects and not others

A brief description of the LCCA policy and/or practices:

Life Cycle Costing Policy: https://doa.wi.gov/ProcurementManual/Pages/PRO-208.aspx
The purpose of this policy is to establish the requirement to use life cycle costing where applicable and to provide guidance on the construction of life cycle cost formulations. Pursuant to s. 16.75(1m), Wis. Stats, orders and contracts made by the state for materials, supplies, equipment and contractual services shall be awarded based on life cycle cost estimates whenever such action is appropriate. When life cycle cost considerations are used, the bid or proposal selected may not be the lowest initial cost.


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:

State Procurement Manual-Use of Products Containing Phosphorus: https://doa.wi.gov/ProcurementManual/Pages/PRO-609.aspx
State agencies will not purchase or use products that contain more than 0.5 (one-half of one) percent phosphorus by weight which cannot be sold to the public at the retail level.


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:

As noted above under Part 1, paper products are addressed in the Sustainability in Procurement Policy (https://doa.wi.gov/ProcurementManual/Pages/PRO-209.aspx): "Paper specifications will achieve the maximum postconsumer content that is reasonably available from at least two manufacturers and that satisfies performance standards. "


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:

The Sustainability in Procurement Policy (https://doa.wi.gov/ProcurementManual/Pages/PRO-209.aspx)
requires the development of contract specifications that minimize the generation of solid waste and increase recyclability as well as establish procedures to follow in purchasing goods with recycled content. This requirement applies to a number of items including "Furnishings, including rugs, carpet, and furniture".

Specifically, the policy requires that "[s]pecifications should include requirements that minimize solid waste in accordance with the state solid waste management priorities as identified in s. 287.05(12), Wis. Stats, currently including:
1. The reduction of the amount of solid waste generated (such as reduced packaging)
2. The reuse of solid waste
3. The recycling of solid waste
4. The composting of solid waste
5. The recovery of energy from solid waste
6. The burning of solid waste"


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

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for food service providers:
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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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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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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:
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Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainable procurement program or initiatives is available:
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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.