Resources - Procurement

The resources below are provided to assist Partners in “greening” their procurement process and purchases of information technology (IT) equipment.  Additional resources will be added to this section as they are developed or identified. Partners should also check to see if they are eligible or required to purchase off of state contracts offering environmentally preferable computer products. [Go to State Links.]

• Acquisition and Procurement Planning Checklist
  This checklist outlines questions to consider throughout the electronics acquisition and procurement process, and can assist you in planning and purchasing environmentally preferable electronic products and services. Completion of this checklist is required to fulfill the SEC Program Requirements for procurement. 
  
  
• EPEAT™ Standard for Desktops, Laptops and Monitors
  Computer products with EPEAT™designations meet high standards for environmental performance.  Purchasing EPEAT™-designated computer products is required to fulfill the SEC Program Requirements for procurement. The following resources provide information on EPEAT™ and how to identify and specify EPEAT™-registered products.

  EPEAT™ Product Registry
  On the home page of the EPEAT™ Web site is a free, searchable database that allows purchasers to identify computer products that meet the EPEAT™ standard. 

  EPEAT™: A New Tool to Purchase Green Electronics
  This fact sheet, developed by the Northeast Recycling Council, Inc., provides a concise overview of EPEAT™.

  Sample Contract Language
  The EPEAT™ Web site provides sample language for purchasers to “drop in” to or modify for use in their purchasing contracts. The purchasing specification recommends vendor reporting to help track EPEAT™ product purchases.  

  EPEAT™ Presentation
  This PowerPoint Presentation from the SEC Partner Teleconference provides an excellent overview of EPEAT™.

• Environmental Attributes to Consider in Purchasing Electronic Products
  Currently the EPEAT™ standard covers only computer products.  Over the next few years, EPEAT™ is expected to expand to cover imaging equipment (e.g., printers, copiers), televisions, servers and mobile equipment (e.g., mobile phones, PDAs).  Until nationally recognized standards are in place, the following documents provide some guidance for organizations that want to go beyond computers in their green IT procurement.
  

  General Guidance on Environmental Attributes (for non-EPEAT™ products)
  This document outlines some key environmental attributes to consider when purchasing electronic equipment that is not included in EPEAT™. This resource includes processes and programs that you can implement to ensure greener purchases of these electronic products.

  Product Environmental Information Sheet  – a tool for collecting information from vendors – for non-EPEAT™ products
  Organizations can solicit environmental product information from manufacturers or distributors for products not currently included in EPEAT™.  This document is a tool for collecting such information from vendors.

  Greening Your Purchase of Copiers
  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed this online guide to greening the purchase of copiers for federal agencies. This resource provides guidance on characteristics of a “green” copier, and how to improve the life cycle environmental stewardship of copying.  Options for providing the service of copying without direct product purchase are also outlined for consideration.

• Integrating Environmental Attributes into Leasing
  This document explains the different types of leasing arrangements and how they may help your agency procure "greener" electronic equipment, extend the product life cycle, and ensure proper management of equipment at the end of life.
  
  
• Electronics Environmental Benefits Calculator
  The Electronics Environmental Benefits Calculator (EEBC) allows organizations to quantify the environmental benefits of purchasing EPEAT™-registered products. The current version of the EEBC estimates benefits associated with purchasing desktop processors, LCD and CRT monitors, and notebook computers. Users can also calculate the benefits of reuse and recycling computers and mobile phones. The Microsoft Excel spreadsheet can be downloaded from the University of Tennessee Web site. Additional information and instructions on how to use the EEBC are available on this Web site.

• Total Cost of Ownership Modeling
  Total Cost of Ownership, or TCO, modeling is a tool for systematic consideration of all costs related to an information technology (IT) management decision. TCO includes all costs, direct and indirect, incurred throughout the life cycle of an asset, including acquisition and procurement, operation and maintenance and end-of-life management. The U.S. EPA developed the following resources for Partners in the Federal Electronics Challenge that may be useful for SEC Partners. 
  

  Total Cost of Ownership Guidance
  This document provides an overview of TCO modeling and guidance on how to utilize TCO to make purchasing decisions for information technology products.

  Total Cost of Ownership Calculator Tool
  The TCO Calculator Tool allows users to compare the costs of different options for the life cycle management of IT equipment with an emphasis on decisions that may have an environmental impact. The TCO Calculator uses a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet format.

  Summing Up the Total Cost of Ownership
  This PowerPoint presentation developed for the Federal Electronics Challenge provides an overview of TCO modeling and instructions on using the TCO Calculator Tool.