Green Procurement
Preference for Sustainable and Environmentally Sound Goods and Services
Contractors doing business with the U.S. House of Representatives are encouraged to operate in an environmentally friendly manner. Products provided by contractors for use on the House Campus or in District Offices must be environmentally sustainable products to the maximum extent practicable. In addition, contractors must ensure energy efficiency in energy-consuming products.
Beginning October 1, 2010, the House will begin collecting environmental data on products purchased by the House. The following categories will be tracked using information provided by House vendors:
Descriptions of Sustainable and Environmentally Sound Goods and Services
Environmentally preferable means products or services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services. This comparison may consider raw materials acquisition, production, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, reuse, operation, maintenance or disposal of the product or service.
Sustainability preferable means products or services that meet today's needs without compromising the ability of future generations to satisfy their needs. Sustainability integrates the concern for social, economic and environmental issues. It involves thinking broadly about objectives, considering long-term as well as short-term effects, assessing indirect as well as direct effects and taking extra care when changes brought about by development might be irreversible.
Energy-efficient means products that meet the Department of Energy (DOE) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) criteria for use of the ENERGY STAR trademark label; or are in the upper 25 percent of efficiency for all similar products as designated by the DOE Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP). The contractor must ensure that energy-consuming products are energy-efficient products (i.e., ENERGY STAR products or FEMP-designated products) at the time of contract award or task order. This applies to products that are delivered, acquired by the contractor for use in performing services on the House Campus or furnished by the contractor for such use. This requirement applies to the contractor (including any subcontractor) unless the energy-consuming product is not listed in the ENERGY STAR Program or FEMP, or otherwise approved in writing in advance by the Contracting Officer. Information about these products is available at the following web sites: