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Table 9 – Green Procurement

Meeting Policy Requirements

Has the department incorporated environmental performance considerations in its procurement decision-making processes?


In progress

Summary of initiatives to incorporate environmental performance considerations in procurement decision-making processes:

Policy

  • A departmental procurement policy has been drafted and is expected to be approved in summer 2009. It reaffirms the requirement to incorporate environmental performance considerations into the procurement decision-making process.

Communications

  • A baseline evaluation of existing publications was conducted to determine what percentage were printed versus made available in an online format only, and to determine the recycled content of paper used in printed publications.
  • PWGSC green publishing standards were developed.
  • A review of all publications produced by Communications Sector was conducted to analyze audience, format (printed versus online), and content.

Managed Print

  • In moving to a managed print environment, the department conducted an inventory of equipment at the Place du Portage and Place Bonaventure locations. Progress was made in the determining the total cost of ownership to support the development of a business case.

Training

  • Materiel managers, procurement personnel and acquisition card holders are required to complete the online Green Procurement course offered by the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS). Additionally, a green procurement module is included in the PWGSC Introduction to Procurement Course.

Guidance and Tools

  • The department issued a Contract Management Guide on February 5, 2009. It includes guidance on incorporating environmental performance considerations in its procurement decision-making processes.
  • PWGSC's Supply Manual, which contains the department's purchasing policies and references to relevant government laws and conditions, was recently revised. The new version reflects the environmental performance considerations and requirements of the Policy on Green Procurement.

Results achieved:

Communications

  • Baseline evaluation showed that 57% of publications were available in an online or PDF format only, with no mass printing. Of printed publications, 20% were printed on paper with 50% or greater recycled content, and 30% were printed on paper with a post-consumer waste recycled content of 25% or greater.
  • The Way Forward News (a newsletter which had been printed six times per year at 2,000 copies per issue) and Facts and Figures (an annual brochure with a print run of 2,000) were both reformatted and moved to online only, which saved a significant amount of paper.

Training

  • 14.07% of Acquisition cardholders have completed the CSPS Green Procurement Course
  • 100% of Materiel Managers have completed the CSPS Green Procurement course
  • 22% of Procurement Officers have completed the CSPS Green Procurement course
  • 100% of employees who took the PWGSC introduction to procurement course received the Green Procurement module training. This training is complimentary to the CSPS Green Procurement Course offered online

Further performance results are referenced in part 8 of this table.

Contributions to facilitate government-wide implementation of green procurement:

In 2008-2009, PWGSC focussed its green procurement implementation efforts on the development of additional information, tools and guidance to support individual departments and agencies incorporating environmental performance considerations in their procurement decision-making. This is reflected in the recently developed Guideline - Integrating Environmental Considerations in Departmental Management Frameworks and the Guideline for Greening Services Procurement. Further guidance was provided to departments through PWGSC's work with the Treasury Board Secretariat on the guidance for Table 9 - Green Procurement in the Departmental Performance Reports 2008-2009.

The Interdepartmental Green Procurement Engagement Strategy, which includes the Green Procurement Forum, provides further opportunities to promote the requirement to incorporate environmental performance considerations in procurement decision-making.

The Performance Measurement Framework (PMF) for the Policy on Green Procurement, which reflects a multi-year incremental approach to improve measurement of government-wide progress against key green procurement objectives, has been refined. It includes departmental reporting against key performance indicators such as "increasing integration of environmental considerations in procurement decision-making processes with respect to: training; employee performance evaluations; direction and processes; green procurement targets; and documenting and reporting on green procurement performance".

The Green Procurement course is available to all federal employees on Campusdirect free of charge. The Office of Greening Government Operations (OGGO) Web site hosts several tools and guidelines and will soon include more that have been recently developed including: Tips for Departments Implementing Green Procurement, the Guideline - Integrating Environmental Considerations Into Departmental Procurement Management Frameworks and the Guideline for Greening Services Procurement.

Acquisitions Branch's Green Procurement Publiservice Web site hosts commodity specific Green Procurement Plans, and a list of Green Standing Offers, Supply Arrangements and Contracts. A Repertoire of Green Language, to assist procurement personnel in developing evaluation criteria, clauses and conditions, statements of work or supplier surveys that must include environmental considerations, was developed and is soon to be published.

Through the commodity management process, PWGSC developed Green Procurement Plans for commodity management initiatives totalling an estimated spend value of $3.3 billion. Further greening efforts are underway with Green Procurement Plans for commodity management initiatives totalling over $2 billion.

Two Acquisitions Branch targets, set for completion in 2008, were completed on time:

  • By March 2008, establish managed print services contracts that support departments' and agencies' initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of their printing services
  • By March 2008, embed environmental performance as a key consideration in the departmental performance review process for planned procurements in excess of $2 million.

More information on the Policy on Green Procurement is available at: http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/ecologisation-greening/achats-procurement/politique-policy-eng.html

Green Procurement Targets

Has the department established green procurement targets?


Yes

Are these green procurement targets the same as those identified in your Sustainable Development Strategy (Table 8)?


Yes

Summary of green procurement targets:


Target Activity Associated Benefits Indicate whether target has been set as a function of mandate, spend and/or environmental risk
By March 2010, to complete a pilot project that introduces a fully managed print solution to reduce the environmental impacts of PWGSC printing services.

Performance Measure
Degree to which pilot project is completed
Implement a fully managed print solution in the National Capital Area (NCA) including the double-sided default The following are potential benefits that may be realized:
  • Savings in energy use (from smaller plug load and from less embedded/lifecycle energy)
  • Savings in greenhouse gas and air emissions (energy savings above and from less embedded/lifecycle energy)
  • Savings in water emissions (production)
Savings in toxic materials and hazardous waste generation (production)
Target was set as a function of environmental risk.
Measure and report the results obtained for the NCA
Establish the baseline benefits and impacts of implementing a fully managed print solution in regions including the double-sided default
Start regional implementations
Showcase results to other federal government departments (via the Green Procurement Interdepartmental Steering Group)
By March 2010 reduce the quantity of departmental printing equipment (e.g. printers, photocopiers, facsimile machines) by 50% compared to fiscal year 2005-2006.

Performance Measure
Quantity of printing equipment PWGSC uses
Introduce a fully managed print solution for the department including the double-sided default feature and decreasing the number of personal printers The following are potential benefits that may be realized:
  • Savings in energy use (from smaller plug load and from less embedded/lifecycle energy)
  • Savings in greenhouse gas and air emissions (energy savings above and from less embedded/lifecycle energy)
  • Savings in water emissions (production)
  • Savings in toxic materials and hazardous waste generation (production)
Greater use of paper with high recycled content in publications, and overall reduced mass printing of departmental publications
The target was set as a result of spend, recognizing that it would also reduce the environmental impacts.





Target was set as function of mandate.

Corporate Communications plays a coordination role for publishing for the department.
By March 2010, develop and implement PWGSC Green Printing Standards.

Performance Measure
PWGSC Green Printing Standard approved and communicated

% of PWGSC published documents in compliance with the PWGSC Green Printing Standards
Establish PWGSC green printing standard
Promulgate green printing standard
Monitor and report on use of green printing standard
By March 2010, 90% of materiel managers, procurement personnel and acquisition card holders to have attended green procurement training.

Performance Measure
% of material managers, procurement personnel and acquisition card holders who have received green procurement training
Use the TBS Professional Development and Certification Program for the Procurement, Materiel Management and Real Property Communities Increased awareness and understanding of green procurement The target was set to comply with policy direction.
By March 2009, develop and implement departmental direction for the implementation of the Policy on Green Procurement.

Performance Measure
Departmental direction approved

Procedures and systems established to support monitoring and reporting of departmental direction
Establish departmental direction including clear identification of accountabilities, roles and responsibilities Increased awareness of the requirement to assess environmental impacts as part of the procurement life cycle. The target was set to comply with policy direction.
Establish and communicate procedures and systems to support implementation of departmental direction Increased awareness of the requirement to assess environmental impacts as part of the procurement life cycle. The target was set to comply with policy direction.
Establish monitoring and reporting system to demonstrate departmental progress in the implementation of the Policy on Green Procurement Monitoring will identify areas of success and those that require improvement. The target was set to comply with policy direction.
By March 2008, establish managed print services contracts that support departments' and agencies' initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of their printing services

Performance Measure
Managed print services contract(s) that include support for environmental performance management available to departments and agencies
Establish contracting instrument Access to a procurement instrument that will support in the reduction of the environmental impact of printing services Target was set as a function of environmental risk.
By March 2010, support the inclusion of environmental considerations into the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) standards routinely used in the Government of Canada procurement process

Performance Measure
Number of environmental considerations in the priority CGSB standards routinely used in the GC procurement process

Number of environmental considerations recommendations related back to standards committees for inclusion into the priority CGSB standards
Define environmental considerations and needs for standards used in the procurement process Improves the environmental standards for the 2 commodities in question. Target was set as a function of spend and environmental risk.

Fuels and Lubricants, and Furniture are the 2 commodities targeted and they represent significant government-wide spend and have significant environmental impacts.
Determine priority CGSB standards routinely used in the Government of Canada procurement process
Compare environmental considerations and needs and identify gaps for priority CGSB standards
Relate gaps back to the CGSB's active standards committees for consideration
Assess inclusion of environmental considerations in priority CGSB standards
By March 2008, embed environmental performance as a key consideration in the departmental performance review process for planned procurements in excess of $2 million.

Performance Measure
Environmental considerations in departmental procurement review decisions are addressed
Issue revised departmental procedures Reduced environmental impacts in the procurement of the applicable commodities Target was set as a function of environmental risk.
Track implementation as required

Results achieved:

Detailed progress is provided in the PWGSC Sustainable Development Performance Report. This report is available on the internet at: http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/dd-sd/rendement-performance/index-eng.html