I. PURPOSE

The "DOST Green Procurement Policy," supports the requirements of Sections 1 and 2 of Executive Order No. 301, the "Establishment of a Green Procurement Program in all Government Agencies," The policy objectives are:

1. To promote the culture of making environmentally-informed decisions in government, especially in the purchase and use of different products.

2. To include environmental criteria in public tenders, whenever possible and practicable.

3. To establish the specifications and requirements for products and services to be considered environmentally advantageous.

4. To develop incentive programs for suppliers of environmentally sound products and services.

II. DEFINITIONS

Agricultural Bio-Based Products means commercial or industrial products (other than food or feed) that utilize agricultural crops or residues but does not include products made from forestry materials.

Buyer means anyone authorized to purchase or contract for purchases on behalf of the agency.

Contractor means any person, group of persons, business, consultant, association, partnership, corporation, supplier, vendor or other entity that has a contract with agency.

Ecolabelling or Environmental Labeling is an international practices of identifying products that reduce environmental impacts compared to other similar products, based on life cycle considerations - from production through packaging, to disposal or recycling.

Environmentally-preferable shall refer to products and services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose. This comparison may consider raw materials acquisition, production, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, reuse, operation, maintenance or disposal of the product of service.

Green Procurement is the selection of environmentally-preferred products and services that minimize negative environmental impacts. These products or services have a lesser or reduced negative effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose.

Green Products are generally produced in a manner that consumes less natural resources. They may involve less energy in their manufacture and may consume less energy when being used, and they generally contain fewer hazardous or toxic materials.

Practicable means sufficient in performance and available at a reasonable price within a reasonable time period and in accordance with generally accepted rules and regulations.

Recyclable Product means a product which, after its intended end use, can demonstrably be diverted from solid waste stream for use as a raw material in the manufacture of another product.

Recycled Product means a product containing recycled material.

Recovered Material shall refer to material and by-products that have been recovered or diverted from solid waste for the purpose of being collected, processed and used as a raw material in the manufacture of a recycled product.

Post-consumer recovered materials means a finished material or product that has served its intended use and would normally be disposed of as solid waste. Examples of post-consumer recovered materials include, but are not limited to; old newspaper, office paper, yard waste, steel, glass, aluminum cans, plastic bottles, oil, asphalt, concrete and tires.

Pre-consumer recovered materials means a material or products generated after manufacturing of a product is completed, but before the product reaches the end use consumer. Examples of pre-consumer recovered materials include, but are not limited to; obsolete inventories of finished goods, rejected unused stock and paper wastes generated during printing, cutting and other converting operations.

Re-use shall refer to the process of recovering materials intended for the same or different purpose without the alteration of physical and chemical characteristics.

Re-used Product means any product designed to be used many times for the same or other purposes without additional processing except for specific requirements such as cleaning, painting, or minor repairs.

Remanufactured Product means any product diverted from the supply of discarded materials by refurbishing and marketing said product without substantial change in its original form.

III. ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA IN THE
SELECTION OF PRODUCTS FOR PUBLIC TENDERS

All DOST agencies shall identify and purchase the most environmentally-preferred products and services that are available for the intended purpose and that meet performance requirements. The following are the environmental criteria that should be considered when determining the environmentally-preferable goods and services:

1. Recyclability

 

- Preference to products and packaging that can be reused, reconditioned for use, or recycled through existing recycled collection programs.

2. Performance and Durability

 

- Preference to products that are durable and long lasting
  - Preference to products with performance standards that are reasonable and related to function and shall not be designed to exclude the purchase of recycled-content products
  -Preference to products that considers repairability and maintenance requirements
  - Preference to products that reduce energy and water consumption

3. Toxicity Reduction or Elimination

 

- Preference to products reducing or eliminating toxicity, air and water emissions.
  - Preference to products and packaging designed to minimize waste and toxic by-products in their manufacture, use, recycling, and disposal method.

4. Biodegradability

 

- Preference to products that are compostable and biodegradable, where applicable.

5. Life cycle/energy/natural resource use

 

- Preference to product alternatives that considers short-term and long-term costs and environmental impacts over the lifetime of a product or service (raw material extraction, manufacturing, packaging, transport, energy consumption, maintenance, disposal)
  - Preference to products that maximize service life cycle.

V. SPECIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Each DOST agency shall consider purchase of:

1. Recycled-Content Products (RCPs) rather than non-recycled-content products. Quality and availability being comparable, will consider only:

 

- White copy/xerographic paper with at least 30 percent post-consumer recycled content
  - Product with the greater recycled content when faced with a choice between two recycled products

 

 

- The highest percentage of recycled post-consumer recovered material, available in the marketplace; and
  - The highest percentage of pre-consumer recovered material available in the marketplace.

 

2. Products that prevent waste

 

- Purchasing high-quality, durable products
  - Purchasing photocopies with a fast, reliable duplex function designed for heavy loads
  - Purchasing refillable pens

3. Used or reused products

 

- Purchasing reused diskettes
  - Purchasing remanufactured toner cartridges for printers and copiers
  - Reusing disks from software purchases

4. Products with no packaging, less packaging, or reusable packaging

 

- Purchasing products in bulk

5. Products with energy and water saving features

 

- Purchasing energy-efficient equipment with the most up-to-date energy efficiency functions. This includes, but is not limited to, high efficiency space heating systems and high space cooling equipment
  - Purchasing energy-efficient products whenever practicable
  - Purchasing water-saving products whenever practicable

6. Products with reduced toxic and pollution effects

 

- Cleaning or disinfecting products (i.e. for janitorial and automotive use) shall not contain ingredients that are carcinogens, mutagens, or teratogens. These include chemicals listed by the DENR under Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 6969- Toxic and Hazardous Waste
  - Phasing-out of chlorofluorocarbon-containing refrigerants and other similar solvents and products as well as new purchases shall not contain them.
  - Utilizing biodegradable surfactants and detergents, where practicable; and products shall not contain phosphates
  - Purchasing materials such as paint, carpeting, adhesives, furniture and casework consider products with the lowest amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), highest recycled content, and low or no formaldehyde
  - Reducing or eliminating use of products that contributes to the formation of dioxins and furans. This includes, but is not limited to:

 

 

- Purchasing paper, paper products, and janitorial paper products that are unbleached or that are processed without chlorine or chlorine derivatives, whenever possible.
  - Prohibiting purchase of products that use polyvinyl chloride (PVC) such as, but not limited to, office binders, furniture, flooring, and medical supplies whenever practicable.
  - Purchasing products and equipment with no lead or mercury whenever possible. For products that contain lead and mercury, DOST agencies shall give preference to those products with lower quantities of these metals and to vendors with established lead and mercury recovery programs
  - Replacing vehicles shall consider less-polluting alternatives to diesel such as compressed natural gas, bio-based fuels, hybrids, electric batteries, and fuel cells, as available.

 

7. Agricultural Bio-Based Products

 

- Encouraging the use of vehicle fuels made from non-wood, plant-based contents such as vegetable oils, whenever practicable
  - Encouraging the use of paper, paper products and construction products made from non-wood, plant-based contents such as agricultural crops and residues, whenever practicable

V. INCENTIVE FOR SUPPLIERS

Incentives will be in the form of preference to or priorities to manufacturers and vendors that reduce environmental impacts in their production, use of recycled products and distributions systems or services through the following:

1. Preference to suppliers offering products bearing eco-label where they are available.

2. Suppliers offering recycled product will be considered that offers low-cost alternatives and no price preference applies if buyers do not, or cannot obtain prices for virgin counterparts. Buyers shall establish virgin prices on a case to case basis at the time of the bid.

3. Preference to products with the highest percentage of post-consumer materials practicable, as long as quality, performance and availability meet requirements and price is reasonable within the parameters of this policy provided no recycled content standards exist.

VI. PROMOTING THE CULTURE OF ENVIRONMENTALLY-INFORMED DECISIONS

Each DOST agency will consider the following in the promotion of a culture of environmentally-informed decisions within the DOST system:

1. Replacing disposable with reusable or recyclable materials.
2. Supporting eco-labelling practices by buying products bearing such labels in preference to others, where they are available.
3. Taking into account life cycle costs and benefits.
4. Evaluating as appropriate, the environmental performance of vendors in providing products and services.
5. Encouraging suppliers and contractors to offer environmentally-preferable products and services at competitive prices.
6.Encouraging providers of services to consider environmental impacts of service delivery.
7. Complying to all environmental legislative and regulatory requirements in the procurement of products and services.
8. Conducting Green Procurement Committee meetings for reporting the progress of policy implementation, including evaluation of results and volume purchased by each Agency and its contractors
9. Raising staff awareness on the environmental issues affecting procurement by providing relevant information and training.

VII. IMPLEMENTATION

A. Responsibilities of all DOST Agencies

In the implementation of this policy, each DOST agency shall:

1. Implement this policy in coordination with other appropriate jurisdiction unit and personnel.

 

- Organizing working groups of key personnel to implement new green procurement practices, including representatives from affected divisions/units.
  - Appointing Green Procurement Coordinator to implement new programs and to coordinate with other agencies.

2. Require contractors and consultants to use environmentally-preferred products in fulfilling contractual obligations whenever practicable.

3. Promote the use of environmentally-preferred products by publicizing its procurement policy whenever practicable.

4. Require successful bidders to provide certification letter that the environmental attributes claimed in competitive bids are accurate. Vendors shall be required to specify the minimum or actual percentage of recovered and post-consumer material in their products, even when such percentages are zero.

5. Encourage vendors, contractors and grantees to comply with applicable sections of this policy for products and services, where applicable.

6. Require any Bids for Services requested by the DOST agency to include a statement that the Agency prefers doing business with companies that adhere to this policy.

7. Request agencies to justify alternate product choices that do not meet the environmentally-preferable product in this policy.

B. Responsibilities of Purchasing Divisions/Units

To facilitate agency implementation of this policy, the Green Procurement program shall be monitored by the Purchasing Divisions/Units. In the implementation of this policy, they shall:

1. Develop and maintain the information about environmentally-preferable products and recycled products containing the maximum practicable amount of recycled materials, to be purchased whenever possible.
2. Inform management, key personnel, vendors and contractors of their responsibilities under this policy and provide implementation assistance.
3. Require the use of recycled materials and recycled products by incorporating them in bid specifications where practicable.
4. Disseminate information on recycled and environmentally-preferable product procurement requirements, specifications, and performance to assist vendors with procurement opportunities.
5. Ensure that contracts issued by the agency require recycled and environmentally-preferable products whenever practicable.
6. Ensure that contracts issued by the agency for recycled-products require the maximum practicable amount of recycled material and that contractors provide certification of this content and report amounts used.
7. Establish guidelines governing the review and approval of specifications for the procurement of selected materials based on considerations of recycling, energy and water conservation, life cycle costing and other environmental considerations.
8. Communicate with agencies through the DOST Green Procurement Coordinator to review policy requirements and new procurement opportunities, and to monitor the status of policy implementation product research results.
9. Report total purchases of environmentally preferable, recycled, and non-recycled products by the agency and its contractors annually to the Lead Agency.
10. Report the progress of policy implementation by the agency to the Lead Agency, including the status of product evaluations conducted by the agency and types of environmentally-preferable products purchased by the agency.

C. Responsibilities of Environmental Division:

To facilitate departmental implementation of the Green Procurement Program, environmental division/units shall:

1. Support Purchasing/Procurement Division/Unit in its implementation of this policy by providing training and information when requested, and assistance in the evaluation of the Environmentally-Preferred Products (EPP).
2. Support departments and agencies in the evaluation and analysis of products and services for EPP Criteria.
3. Help establish and promote needed environmental procurement policies.
4. Evaluate each requested product and service to determine the extent to which the specifications could include an environmentally-preferable option.
5. Ensure that contracts issued by the agency include environmentally-preferable products and recycled products whenever practicable.
6. Determine standard at which products are considered environmentally preferable and use in selective criteria.
7. Expand the awareness and use of environmentally-preferable products.
8. Evaluate each recycled or environmentally-preferable product designated by the Lead Agency to determine the extent to which the product may be used by the agency and its contractors.
9. Ensure that contracts issued by the agency require recycled and environmentally-preferable products whenever practicable.
10. Ensure that contracts issued by the agency for recycled products require the maximum practicable amount of recycled material and that contractors provide certification of this content and report amounts used.

VIII. Evaluation/Monitoring/Reporting

1. Procedures and Guidelines will be established as necessary to ensure the continuation of a strong Green Procurement Program.

2. The Purchasing and Environmental Division/Units along with the DOST Green Procurement Committee shall prepare annual status report on the implementation of this policy. The report shall include documentation of the types, quantities, and amounts of products purchased. The report shall also identify and discuss the following:

 

- Instances where this policy is waived or its requirement found impracticable; and
  - Barriers to the procurement of environmentally-preferred products.

IX. EFFECTIVITY DATES

This Administrative Order shall take effect on December 01, 2004.

Adopted: 22 Dec. 2004

(SGD.) DR. ESTRELLA F. ALABASTRO
Secretary