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GSA Sustainability
Lead Agency:
Regulation Reference:
Geography Regulated:
Effective Date:
Sectors Affected:
GSA (General Services Administration)
E.O. 13423, E.O. 13514, Energy Policy Act,
Pollution Prevention Act, RCRA
All the United States
Rolling out since 1992
Covers all
Summary
The General Services Administration (GSA) covers Federal buildings and leases, procurement
and purchasing, and administrative policies, including travel, property and management
practices. GSA offers over 12 millions products and services to other Federal agencies, provides
space to over 9,600 Federal employees, and supplies information and services for citizen
engagement. In 2009, GSA’s business volume was $62 billion, which is about 11% of the
government’s total procurement spending.7
GSA’s work on product sustainability stems from E.O. 13423, E.O. 13514, Energy Policy Act of
2005, Pollution Prevention Act, and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The
GSA Sustainability Plan outlines its plan to “eliminate its impact on the natural environment and
use its government-wide influence to reduce the environmental impact of the Federal
government.” This zero-environmental-footprint goal relates to energy, water, and other
resources in all GSA operations and activities. As such, GSA will green its supply chain,
eliminate waste in its operations and activities, and use its influence to reduce the environmental
impact of the Federal government.8 The three strategic goals of the Sustainability Plan are
innovation, customer intimacy, and operational excellence.9
Resulting from E.O. 13423, the GSA’s Green Procurement Program (GPP) attempts to achieve
compliance and reduce resource consumption and solid and hazardous waste generation.10
Subsequently, E.O. 13514 builds off E.O. 13423 but makes agencies demonstrate progress and
establishes that by 2011, GSA will ensure that 95% of new contract actions require the supply or
use of products and services that are environmentally preferable, including those that are energy
efficient, water efficient, bio-based, environmentally preferable, non-ozone depleting, contain
recycled content, or are non-toxic or less toxic alternatives.11 This includes acquisition of
products and services for internal use, administrative services, and building construction, repairs
and alterations, and operations and maintenance. However, there is no timeline mechanism set
for the GSA regarding product purchasing, as the approach is more phased.
Section 13 of E.O. 13514 established six working groups, one of which is the Product Labeling
Group. This group is to ensure that the product purchasing goals set forth in the E.O. 13514 are
met and to make sure that purchasers can easily disseminate product labels clearly and
effectively; they are charged with creating guidelines on what environmental performance
standards have to be met for federal purchasing.
The designated green products are for building construction; traffic control; landscaping;
roadway construction; building interior; building finishes; paper office products; printing; nonpaper office products; office electronics; refrigeration and AC; renewable energy; vehicles
products; parks and recreation; cleaning products; cafeteria services; lubricants, oils, hydraulic
fluids and greases; and miscellaneous.12 The products listed on the Green Products Com pilation
have been approved by the EPA, Department of Energy, or the Department of Agriculture. Each
product is labeled as recycled content (R), bio-based content/BioPreferred (BP), Energy Star
(ES), FEMP-designated (FEMP), WaterSense (WS), alternative fuel (AF), or Significant New
Alternatives Policy (SNAP).
The Executive Orders and GSA’s subsequent response will have a significant impact on those
who supply products and services to government agencies. Companies must adapt and take these
requirements seriously. However, there will be time to make the necessary operational and
supply chain changes, but most likely at an additional cost. In the long-term though, these
changes in product sustainability will benefit your business by being more efficient and
environmentally friendly.
Sustainable Acquisition Targets and Resources
7 http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/184569.
8 http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/184561.
9 http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/184569.
10 http://www.gsa.gov/graphics/admin/GSA_Acquisition_Ltr_V_08_03_readable.pdf.
11 http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/187317.
12 http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/198257.