Sustainable

Procurement Strategy:

A Joint City of Portland and Multnomah County Effort

- 1st Annual Review - 2003

Document Prepared by

the Sustainable Procurement Steering Committee

June, 2003

Members of the Joint City of Portland/ Multnomah County

Sustainable Procurement Steering Committee

Executive Summary

In April and May of 2002, the City of Portland Council and the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners approved Resolutions that adopted the “Sustainable Procurement Strategy: A Joint City of Portland and Multnomah County Effort.” The vision of that Strategy is to:

“…promote actions which are environmentally, and socially beneficial while also being economically intelligent.” In other words, it is the desire of both the City and the County to buy less polluting products and services from less polluting companies that also provide additional societal benefits beyond the jobs, products, and services they already deliver.

Since that time, staff from Multnomah County and the City of Portland have been working to move toward purchasing decisions that promote long-term interests of the community. This 2003 Annual Report summarizes the recommendations resulting from the first year effort.

Specifically the Sustainable Procurement effort looked at the area of paper products, office furniture, automotive vehicles and equipment, cleaning and coating products and building materials. Each area was reviewed and specific procurement and use recommendations were made as described in more detail in the attached report. In summary, the recommendations include:

•  A detailed paper use policy to be presented for approval to both the City Council and a similar paper use resolution to the County Board of Commissioners;

•  Recommend changes to be included in future bid specifications for paper, office furniture, vehicles, and building specifications for recycled paint;

•  The research and testing of safer and more environmentally preferable graffiti remover products; and

•  Changes to City Code to make the donation of surplus property easier, purchasing guidelines for used furniture clearer.

It is recommended that the joint Sustainable Procurement effort continue. During the next year, another set of specific products will be identified. Staff will then work to identify possible policies and procedures that should be changed to ensure both the purchase of sustainable products, but also the appropriate use and disposal methods.

In addition to the continued review of specific commodities, the Steering Committee is continuing to look at ways to improve and provide coordinated employee training. Also, the Steering Committee continues to be frustrated by the lack of obvious ways to corporately provide incentives for employees to “do the right thing.” With limited resources – both fiscal and staff – this continues to be a difficult task.

Over all, the first year goals and of the “Sustainable Procurement Strategy: A joint City of Portland and Multnomah County Effort” have been met and it is recommended that the effort continue.

Background

In April and May of 2002, the City of Portland Council and the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners approved Resolutions that adopted the “Sustainable Procurement Strategy: A joint City of Portland and Multnomah County Effort.” Both Resolutions are included in Appendix 1.

The Strategy set forth a process for integrating environmental, social, and economic factors into specific purchasing decisions. The Strategy also provided a blueprint to implement sustainable procurement at the City of Portland and Multnomah County and move both governments toward purchasing decisions that promote the long-term interests of the community.

The Strategy uses an inter-jurisdictional Steering Committee to oversee multiple Task Forces that would focus on specific commodity areas and determine proposed recommendations (See Table A). The Steering Committee identified what they believed to be key staff from both the City and County to participate on each Task Force (a full list of Task Force Members is included in Appendix 2).

Based on previous work done at the State level, the first five commodity areas for review were:

•  Paper Products

•  Office Furniture

•  Automotive Vehicles and Equipment

•  Cleaning and Coating Products

•  Building Materials

On May 1, 2002, approximately 85 City and County staff participated in a four hour training session. The training included an introduction to the concept of sustainability from both a global, local and personal perspective, as well as short overviews of the purchasing parameters and initial Task Force assignments.

The Task Forces were charged with the responsibility to:

•  Review available information about the specific commodity area and obtain any additional information needed.

•  Determine focus of group effort within commodity area. For example, because the area of “Paper Products” is so broad, it was necessary to focus on copier paper in the beginning and then move on to other products as time permitted.

•  Obtain feedback from industry representatives and/or subject matter experts about product availability, packaging, specifications, usage, disposal, or other aspects of a product’s life cycle.

•  Identify possible quantifiable performance benchmarks that will allow the City and County to measure the increased sustainable procurement of the particular product(s).

•  Produce written recommendations on how to increase sustainable procurement of the particular product(s) to the Sustainable Procurement Steering Committee.

Each Task Force provided intermittent reports to the Steering Committee to ensure that the groups were able to stay on task and complete recommendations by January 2003.

Table B represents the Task Timeline or initial schedule proposed for the Steering Committee and Task Forces and approved by Council in March 2002.

While the Task Force effort was proceeding, the Steering Committee grappled with the question of how to continuously educate approximately 10,000 City and County employees on the concept of sustainability, the purchasing rules that exist and possible product choices. During the summer of 2002, an intern provided through the Oregon Performance Intern Program was able to focus on this question. The whitepaper developed is attached as Appendix 3.

Table A

Sustainable Procurement Strategy

Process Description

Table B – Sustainable Procurement Strategy Task Timeline as Approved by Council April 2002

Recommendations

Each of the five Task Forces submitted interim reports during the process (all reports are included in Appendices 4 – 8). Consistent with the Strategy Process Description (Table A), the Steering Committee reviewed each of the final reports and summarized the recommendations and related action items. This summary information was then reviewed with the City of Portland’s Contract Coordinating Committee, the Mayor’s Fair Contracting Forum and the joint City/County Sustainable Development Commission. No substantive changes were made as a result of these reviews.

Recommendations fell into three major categories:

a.  Those recommendations which can be implemented with no further action by Council or Board;

b.  Those items which require Council or Board direction because of a change to Code or laws; or

c.  Those items requiring Council or Board policy direction because of fiscal or service delivery impact.

The recommendations and next steps for each of the commodity areas is summarized and included in the following pages. Because the City and County have different structures and policies or procedures, it was necessary to articulate the distinctions between both jurisdictions.

However, as much as possible, consistent actions were recommended for both agencies.

Current Actions

Many of the type “a.” recommendations or those that can be implemented with no further action of the Council or Board are already being worked on. For example,

•  The City and County are already collaborating on writing new specifications and an Invitation to Bid for a paper contract which will require that paper purchased by either jurisdiction meet or exceed EPA content guidelines and that the vendor report regularly on the amount of paper purchased.

•  Purchases and the City Attorney’s office is currently reviewing possible code changes that will allow easier donations of surplus property between or to bureaus, other government agencies, Qualified Rehabilitation Facilities and non-profit organizations.

•  County fleet services is reviewing data on use of biodiesel fuel and sharing that information with the City to determine possible future use.

•  Procurement staffs for both the City and County are incorporating more sustainability information into training packages.

•  The Office of Sustainable Development (OSD) is working with the Mayor's Graffiti Task Force and external experts to research and test safer and more environmentally preferable graffiti remover products.

•  Multnomah County Facilities is preparing recommendations for revisions to paint specifications to reflect pending Board action for reblended latex paint.

The remaining work elements, shown on the following pages, will be implemented by a cooperative effort between the City and the County. City Purchases Bureau, the Bureau of General Services, the Office of Sustainable Development and the City Attorney will lead the effort for the City of Portland. In the County, the Central Procurement and Contracts Administration, Sustainability, Facilities and Property Management, Central Stores, and County Attorney will all be involved.

Council and Board Actions

Many of the recommendations can be implemented with no further action by the Council or Board. Some recommendations, however, require action by the elected officials to implement. Those include:

Paper

•  Purchase copy and printing paper from the Printing and Distribution Bureau.

•  Increase use of City printing services and centralized office printing stations.

•  Eliminate use of individual desktop printers except as allowed by exception criteria (outlined in the separate Paper Policy to be adopted by Council).

•  Set printer defaults to duplex mode and require future purchases of printer, facsimile, and copier equipment to have duplex capability.

•  Increase internal and external electronic communications and transactions.

•  Manage mailing lists to remove duplicate and unnecessary addresses.

Automotive

•  Approval of future contract for biodiesel fuel for City vehicles.

•  Approval of future contract for City vehicles which meet fuel and emissions requirements.

Cleaning and Coating Products

•  Approve modified City Code and County PCRB Rules which further defines language requiring use of reblended latex paint products when latex paint is specified.

Bureau/ Department Actions Directed by Council/ Board

In addition to the specific Council or Board actions, by adoption of this 2003 annual update, the Council will be directing Bureaus and Departments to do the following:

Paper

•  Increase use of centralized printing.

•  Eliminate use of desktop printers except as allowed by exception criteria (outlined in the separate Paper Policy to be adopted by Council only).

•  Increase internal and external electronic communications and transactions

•  Manage mailing lists to remove duplicate and unnecessary addresses

Building Materials

•  Continue/expand use of standard lighting best practices such as:

o  Low mercury lamps

o  Recycle all lamps at end-of-life

o  Replace T12 lamps with T8 lamps

o  LED exit signs

•  Include recycling of unused paint in bid specs.

•  Modify bid specs to not require gallons of extra paint.

•  Educate Project Managers, contractors on new specs and best practices.

Education

•  Encourage employee attendance at external sustainability training sessions – i.e. The Natural Step programs.

•  Officially recognize the City’s Green Team and direct major Bureaus to provide staff time to participate in citywide Green Team activities.

•  Identify sustainability priorities for each bureau and department.

Next Steps

With the adoption of this 1st Annual Review, the Joint City/County Sustainable Procurement effort will continue. The recommendations outlined will be implemented.

In addition to the ongoing review of specific commodities, the Steering Committee will carry on with efforts to look at:

•  ways to improve and provide coordinated employee training;

•  ways to corporately provide incentives for employees to make sustainable procurement decisions; and

•  ways to better communicate the sustainable procurement efforts so as to maximize the use of “best practices.”

Paper Task Force

City of Portland Next Steps

Paper Task Force

Multnomah County Next Steps

Office Furniture Task Force

City of Portland Next Steps

Office Furniture Task Force

Multnomah County Next Steps

Automotive Task Force

City of Portland Next Steps

Multnomah County Next Steps

Cleaning and Coating Products Task Force

City of Portland Next Steps

Cleaning and Coating Products Task Force

Multnomah County Next Steps

Building Materials Task Force

City of Portland Next Steps

Building Materials Task Force

Multnomah County Next Steps

Education Task Force

City of Portland Next Steps

Education Task Force

Multnomah County Next Steps

Changes in Strategy

Task Timeline

The original timeline called for two sessions of Task Force efforts during the 18-month period. With reductions at both the City and the County, adequate staffing has not been available to complete that level of effort. The updated timeline, shown in Table C, recommends only one session during the next 18 months. With this change, the effort should still be able to meet the original Strategy Goal of:

 Complete a review and procurement policy update of at least 3 to 5 major commodity areas annually for the next five years resulting in improvements in 15 to 25 major commodity areas. Each review and update should result in commodity or contract specific guidelines and/or specification, policy, rule and/or code changes.

Changes in Process

Following the first round of Task Force recommendations, all Task Force participants were asked to complete and evaluation survey. Of the 73 people involved in the Task Force effort, 42 (57.5%) responded to the survey. While more than 90% of respondents felt that the task force created an open environment in which they could express their ideas and that the City/ County collaboration was beneficial, there were some changes recommended by the participants.

•  Select the specific products to be reviewed before selecting Task Force members.

Initially, broader commodity areas were selected and the Task Force members were asked to narrow their own discussions to specific products. Based on feedback from the Task Force members, the initial screening and selection of products for review will be conducted by the Steering Committee.

•  Review and revise, as needed, report format.

Although opinions were mixed about the amount of structure provided for the Task Force reports (45.2% of respondents thought the reports were too structured while 47.6% thought the structure was adequate), an effort will be made to simplify the format and allow more flexibility for different commodities

•  Method for Communication

Email notices are overwhelmingly preferred by Task Force members as the method for maintaining input on the continued development/implementation of task force recommendations once Task Force final reports have been submitted.

•  Task Force Leader Support

Each of the five Task Force groups had an assigned leader from either the City or the County. These leaders expressed a desire for more up-front discussion as to group expectations, more support from the Steering Committee, and assignment of a “helper” to assist in note taking and report writing. Every effort will be made to better equip the Task Force leaders within the available resources.

Table C – Sustainable Procurement Strategy Task Timeline for FY 2003 – 04

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Appendix 1

City of Portland Resolution

Multnomah County Resolution

RESOLUTION No. 36061

Adopt Sustainable Procurement Strategy - A Joint City of Portland and Multnomah County Effort (Resolution)

WHEREAS, In November 1994 Council adopted the Sustainable City Principles which direct the City to "purchase products based on long-term environmental and operating costs and find ways to include environmental and social cost in short-term prices;" and

WHEREAS, In April 2001, the City of Portland and Multnomah County adopted a joint Global Warming Action Plan which includes actions items addressing purchase of efficient equipment and vehicles and paper with recycled content; and

WHEREAS, The City of Portland values procurement actions that are beneficial for the environment and the natural resource capital base as well as for the health and safety of employees and the public. Changing purchasing practices is an important strategy for meeting the City's solid waste and clean river goals and the City should be a model of good practice; and

WHEREAS; The City of Portland values a strong, varied, adaptive, and diverse contracting economy that provides employment and training for all individuals; and

WHEREAS; The City of Portland values a long-term perspective in evaluating products, avoiding those that appear inexpensive, but cost more in the long run due to maintenance, operation, insurance, handling, training, disposal, or other costs; and

WHEREAS; An evaluation of alternatives is required to make recommendations for changes in how particular commodities are purchased. Identifying workable solutions will require a team approach because responsibility for purchasing within city government is very diffuse and widespread involvement and support will be needed for implementation; and

WHEREAS, A large number of employees affect the City's purchasing decisions, and many are unaware of current procurement policies, or are unclear about how to apply the City's policies; and

WHEREAS, Both the City and Multnomah County are working to promote more sustainable policies and actions, including the evaluation of the environmental, social, and economic impacts of the purchases they make. Improvements will occur faster by pooling resources and working together; and

WHEREAS, Assuming a joint leadership role and establishing a joint Strategy and shared procurement standards will increase coordination and staff ability to assess sustainable procurement information of both the City and the Multnomah County,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED

That The Sustainable Procurement Strategy: A Joint City of Portland and Multnomah County Effort, attached hereto as Exhibit A, is adopted, and that The Sustainable Procurement Strategy is Binding City Policy.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED

That the implementation of the Strategy in a timely fashion is imperative in order to address the many challenges identified; therefore, this Resolution shall be in full force and effect from and after its adoption by the Council.

Adopted by the Council: March 20, 2002      GARY BLACKMER

Auditor of the City of Portland

Mayor Vera Katz

Sue L. Klobertanz,          By /S/Susan Parsons

March 14, 2002             Deputy

BEFORE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

FOR MULTNOMAH COUNTY, OREGON

RESOLUTION NO. 02-058

Approving a Joint Multnomah County and City of Portland Sustainable Procurement Strategy to Balance Environmental Issues with Economic and Equity Issues in the Expenditures of Public Funds Promoting the Long Term Interests of the Community

The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners Finds:

a)  To achieve a sustainable community, Multnomah County must balance environmental, economic and social equity values in the procurement of goods and services.

b)  Multnomah County values procurement actions that reduce adverse impacts and effects on our natural capital base and on the health and safety of our employees and the public.

c)  Multnomah County values a strong, varied, adaptive, and diverse contracting economy that provides employment and training for all individuals.

d)  An evaluation of alternatives is required to review and make recommendations for changes in how particular commodities are purchased.

e)  All decisions should be evaluated with the standard of investing funds wisely today and in the future. Wherever possible, more than the initial purchase price should be considered in the evaluation of goods and services such as evaluating the full life cycle cost of the purchase including maintenance, disposal, or other costs.

f)  Multnomah County and the City of Portland have assumed leadership roles in working together to identify a strategy to develop recommendations that would balance environment, economics and equity issues with our procurement decisions.

g)  In April 2001 by Resolution No. 01-052, Multnomah County adopted a joint Global Warming Action Plan with the City of Portland that includes actions addressing purchase of recycled content products and energy efficient equipment and vehicles.

h)  In January 2002, the Board approved Ordinance No. 972 to establish the Sustainable Development Commission to “advise and make recommendations to the Jurisdictions’ governing bodies on policies and programs to create sustainable communities and to encourage sustainable development.”

i)  This strategy is consistent with Resolution No. 01-052 and Ordinance No. 972 in recommending a sustainable procurement strategy that reduces greenhouse gases and promotes sustainable communities.

The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners Resolves:

1.  The Board approves the attached Sustainable Procurement Strategy to partner with the City of Portland and advance sustainable purchasing decisions that promote the long-term interests of the community.

ADOPTED this 25th day of April, 2002.

             BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

             FOR MULTNOMAH COUNTY, OREGON

             ____________________________________

             Diane M. Linn, Chair

REVIEWED:

THOMAS SPONSLER, COUNTY ATTORNEY

FOR MULTNOMAH COUNTY, OREGON

By_____________________________________

John S. Thomas, Assistant County Attorney

Appendix 2

City / Multnomah County Sustainable Procurement

Task Force Members

Proposed Sustainable Procurement Task Force Members – As of 4/2/03

ü- Indicates where Bureau/Department representation is recommended. /* - Indicates Task Force Chair/Facilitator

Appendix 3

City / Multnomah County Sustainable Procurement

An Education Program for Sustainable Procurement

AN EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT

GOALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Prepared for the

Sustainable Procurement Steering Committee

August 16, 2002

Executive Summary

The City and County have adopted a Sustainable Procurement Strategy that will lead to lasting changes in agency operations. The long term success of sustainable procurement will depend on whether employees receive the guidance and resources they need to understand and apply new policies. Consequently, education is an essential component of overall implementation efforts and is a priority for the City and County.

City and County education efforts must balance two needs:

1.  Broad-based learning should focus on the concepts and goals of sustainable procurement. All employees should receive some information on this level so they have a common understanding of City and County priorities.

2.  Specific training is necessary for employees who implement new procurement policies or use new products.

The recommendations in this report address both immediate implementation needs of the Sustainable Procurement Strategy, and long-term education goals.

Key components of this program include:

▪  A lead entity to coordinate education initiatives;

▪  An education subcommittee of the Steering Committee to provide executive direction;

▪  Active agency involvement;

▪  Effective use of available resources;

▪  Steps to evaluate training effectiveness.

These components are discussed further in the following recommendations:

1.  Dedicate staff resources in City and County central procurement offices to direct implementation and education initiatives.

▪  Dedicated staff attention will ensure resources are available to coordinate overall implementation, including education programs. This position could be either a new full-time hire, or become part of the duties of an existing position.

2.  Create an education subcommittee of the Steering Committee to direct education initiatives.

▪  The Education Subcommittee will be responsible for identifying learning needs and working with agencies to meet those needs through education programs.

3.  Create a system of agency-appointed procurement coordinators to direct agency education efforts, in cooperation with the Steering Committee.

▪  Agency coordinators would be the primary contact between their agency and the Education Subcommittee and would have responsibility for helping to coordinate education efforts within their agencies. The Education Committee should write a set of expectations and tasks for these coordinators.

4.  Establish an agency recognition program to highlight agency successes and achievements accomplished through sustainable procurement.

▪  Agencies would be recognized separately in the City and the County on a monthly or quarterly basis to showcase and reward their accomplishments. An annual report to City Council and County Board will recognize agency accomplishments.

5.  Evaluate the effectiveness of education programs and make changes in less effective efforts based on evaluation results.

▪  Effectiveness should be measured through surveys of employee attitudes and behavior and tracking product purchasing under new procurement policies.

6.  Introduce sustainable procurement policies in all existing education and training venues for procurement officials.

▪  While new initiatives may also be necessary, agencies can maximize resources and minimize costs by integrating sustainability messages into existing education programs.

7.  Educate employees on a general level about sustainable procurement concepts through existing education media that reach all employees.

▪  Using existing media will provide an efficient way to educate employees on a broad level in a context they are familiar with.

8.  Educate employees about sustainability issues related to their personal choices and behaviors within the workplace.

▪  Use of existing media should be increased to educate employees on a personal level about sustainability and product usage.

9.  Assist agencies in educating employees about the relationships between sustainable procurement goals and other City and County sustainability policies.

▪  Education programs should clarify how sustainable procurement supports social, environmental, and economic goals of the City and County.

10.  Create informal working groups for each of the five commodity areas where procurement officials can discuss implementation issues.

▪  The Sustainable Procurement Strategy is already building partnerships and exchange of information between the City and the County. As the Task Forces complete their initial works, the City and County should transition to a self-sustaining system for continuing this exchange.

11.  Involve vendors in the education process to address employee questions and concerns and communicate City and County procurement goals.

▪  Vendor participation can help build relationships with new and current vendors while providing employees with information about new products.

A majority of these recommendations depend on having an entity in place that can direct and coordinate education efforts. This report suggests that dedicated staff resources be responsible for developing overall implementation programs in cooperation with the education subcommittee. However, if resources for new staff are unavailable, the education subcommittee would be responsible for coordinating education efforts in cooperation with agency procurement coordinators.

Should resources become available, existing staff or new full-time staff should be given primary responsibility for implementation efforts, with education as a key component of their duties. The education subcommittee should continue to function in addition to full-time staff in order to lend support and executive direction to staff efforts. Agency procurement coordinators should also continue to function in order to organize agency efforts and coordinate with the education subcommittee and sustainable procurement staff.

Fortunately, many educational resources are already in place. The critical piece needed is establishing mechanisms to shape and direct these resources to meet the needs of the Sustainable Procurement Strategy.

Table of Contents

I. Introduction

II. Education Strategy Map

A visual summary of who needs to be educated, specific learning goals and strategies for targeting key groups of employees based on their positions.

III. Goals and Recommendations

An outline of the goals that sustainable procurement education should achieve. Goals are listed along with implementation strategies and recommendations.

IV. Challenges and Opportunities

A discussion of the key challenges and opportunities facing the City and County.

V. Case Study Analysis

Case study analysis of the education efforts in two municipalities with environmental purchasing programs.

VI. Measuring Effectiveness

Options for measuring the effectiveness of training.

I. Introduction

The City and County’s commitment to sustainable procurement will lead to lasting changes in government operations. Education and training opportunities need to be focused on long-term outcomes to support these changes. The Steering Committee should consider education and training that meets immediate needs but also establishes the foundation for an educational process that can be used to meet future training requirements.

Education is necessary in order to ensure employees are aware of new policies and are prepared to implement them. Without some form of education, employees will either not be aware of new policies or be unable to apply them for lack of technical expertise.

In developing education efforts, the City and County must balance broad-based learning with specific training on new policies and products. Broad-based learning will focus on the concepts and goals involved in the Sustainable Procurement Initiative. All employees should receive some information on this level so they have a common understanding of City and County priorities. Specific training will be necessary for employees who are either implementing new procurement policies or using new products. This report identifies ways to address these varying education needs.

As this report indicates, there is considerable overlap between education strategies and implementation issues. In order to have employees use new purchasing guidelines, they need to be informed about the content and use of those guidelines. In some cases, the same entity will be responsible for education programs, as well as evaluating implementation progress. Due to this cross-cutting dynamic, a number of recommendations for education strategies in this report intersect with implementation strategies as well.

In order to develop an education process, there needs to be a lead entity responsible for coordinating education efforts on a long-term basis. The Steering Committee should not adopt this function given its primary responsibility for overseeing the task force process. However, the Steering Committee should have supervisory direction over the entity that is responsible for coordinating education efforts. This will help ensure that such efforts are properly targeted, are tied to the larger goals of the Sustainable Procurement Strategy and are balanced with other implementation issues.

To ensure program success, at least one full time staff person in both the City and the County should be responsible for coordinating education efforts. Dedicated staff will institutionalize the education function and establish direct lines of responsibility for education results rather than having this function shared among a committee. Full time staff would also facilitate consistent communication between the Steering Committee and agencies, and work with agencies on specific issues and education needs.

Lessons from other municipalities implementing environmental procurement programs, described in section VI, indicate that full-time staff dedicated to product education and support is a key component of program success. The two municipalities discussed operate environmental purchasing programs that are not directly comparable to the sustainable procurement program envisioned in the City and County. However, the experience of those programs suggests that full time staff could lend the necessary skill, time and energy to ensure sustainable procurement education goals are achieved.

A majority of these recommendations depend on having an education infrastructure in place to coordinate efforts. However, depending on resource availability the City and County may be unable to create a new staff position as recommended. Until resources become available, education efforts should be coordinated through the education subcommittee, in cooperation with agency procurement coordinators.

Should resources become available, full-time staff should be hired while maintaining the education subcommittee and system of agency procurement coordinators. Together these three elements will help ensure education and implementation initiatives are fully developed and coordinated

II. Education Strategy Map

Sustainable Procurement   Ways to Access to Further

Concepts         Information

III. Goals and Recommendations

Given the scale of education on sustainable procurement, it is important to consider all of the ways employees receive information about policies and products. Apart from formal classroom training, education opportunities exist among the various ways that employees interact with one another, with their agencies, with external parties and with the products they use. Education on sustainable procurement will be most effective to the extent the City and County can leverage these opportunities and explain new polices and concepts to employees in a familiar context.

The following goals envision what sustainable procurement education should achieve. A strategy for each goal is identified in order to facilitate a discussion around the best approach for meeting a particular goal.

Each goal is followed by a recommendation suggests concrete way to achieve the goal. Recommendations are then followed by a set of sub-recommendations that are specific to certain programs or strategies.

Goal 1: Coordinate implementation and education initiatives on a consistent basis.

Strategy: Formalize sustainable procurement initiatives through a dedicated staff function.

Hiring dedicated staff will emphasize the City and County’s commitment to sustainability initiatives and policy implementation. This commitment will influence the long-term success of sustainable procurement by providing an organizational resource that can keep sustainability issues elevated and visible among agencies. New staff dedicated to sustainable procurement will also allow the City and County to develop technical expertise that can support agencies, coordinate efforts and assist future task forces.

Recommendation: Dedicate staff resources in City and County central procurement offices to direct implementation and education initiatives.

Existing staff or new full-time staff member should be located in the City’s Bureau of Purchases and in the County’s Office of Central Procurement. Placing the staff function in these organizations will emphasize the connection between procurement and sustainability. This position should be staffed by someone with competency in both procurement and sustainability concepts and programs.

Staff responsibilities would include: overseeing implementation efforts within agencies; directing education programs; conducting training within agencies; helping agency staff to identify and evaluate products; identifying and communicating with vendors; helping the Steering Committee develop implementation plans; and, collecting and evaluating purchasing data from agencies.

Goal 2: Ensure education is provided on a consistent and long term basis.

Strategy: Develop a structure to coordinate new and ongoing education initiatives on sustainable procurement.

A strong focus on education is vital to the successful implementation of sustainable procurement policies, and for measuring the impact and results of those policies. In light of its long-term focus and potential impact on procurement within the City and the County, the sustainable procurement initiative needs to have a continuing focus on education and training.

Recommendation: Create an Education Subcommittee responsible for coordinating new and ongoing initiatives and reporting to the Steering Committee on the status of those initiatives.

The Education Subcommittee will be responsible for: identifying education needs; developing strategies for meeting those needs; coordinating initiatives between the City and the County; helping City and County agencies develop education opportunities; evaluating the effectiveness of education strategies.

The Steering Committee will be responsible for appointing subcommittee members, including the chair. The subcommittee will meet on a semi-regular basis, and will report to the Steering Committee on activities and accomplishments.

Sub-recommendation:

•  Develop an annual report of sustainable procurement accomplishments to educate employees about City and County successes.

Responsible entities: Steering Committee, Education Subcommittee, agency procurement coordinators

Goal 3: Ensure agencies deliver consistent and ongoing education on sustainable procurement.

Strategy: Coordinate education efforts between City and County agencies and the Steering Committee on a structural level.

The Steering Committee can help ensure that agency education and training conforms to a uniform standard. Establishing clear lines of communication and feedback with the agencies will facilitate the Steering Committee’s ability to fulfill this responsibility. Regular coordination with agencies will help ensure agency procurement officials are aware of new policies, can apply them, and know how to seek additional guidance where the criteria are unclear. It will also provide an important source of information on training effectiveness and on issues related to product procurement and usage.

Recommendation: Create a system of agency-appointed procurement coordinators to direct agency education efforts, in cooperation with the Education Subcommittee.

Agency procurement coordinators would be the primary contact between their agency and the Education Subcommittee. Responsibilities of agency coordinators would include: disseminating guidance on new procurement policies; coordinating agency training efforts; providing feedback to the Education Subcommittee on implementation issues; and collecting data on products purchased under new guidelines. In some cases agency coordinators might be asked to conduct agency training using a curriculum developed by the Education Subcommittee. Time requirements to fulfill these duties would be minimized to the greatest extent possible to reduce impact on the agencies.

To ensure continuity within agencies, procurement coordinator duties should be written into an existing position description to be identified by agency management. Coordinators would need to have procurement expertise and be familiar with the procurement and training requirements of their agency.

Sub-recommendations:

1.  Provide specialized training for agency coordinators to instruct them on their responsibilities.

Responsible entities: COP Bureau of Purchases, MCO Central Procurement

2.  Establish a train the trainer program to enable agencies to develop an internal capacity for training procurement officials on technical and specialized policies.

Responsible entities: Education Subcommittee, agency procurement coordinators, Office of Sustainable Development, COP Bureau of Purchases, MCO Central Procurement

3.  Develop information prompts to accompany new products so employees can learn about the products they are using.

Responsible entities: Education Subcommittee, agency procurement coordinators

Goal 4: Facilitate agency efforts in implementing and educating employees about new procurement rules.

Strategy: Assist agencies in promoting their sustainable procurement efforts and accomplishments by disseminating City and Countywide information to all employees.

Many City and County agencies have agency-specific sustainability goals. New procurement policies will provide agencies with a means of developing those goals and objectives. However, implementing new policies will require substantial agency commitment. In order to reward agency efforts, the Steering Committee should publicize agency accomplishments in ways that also educate employees about overall City and County sustainable procurement activities.

Recommendation: Establish an agency recognition program in the City and County to highlight agency successes and achievements accomplished through sustainable procurement.

The Education Subcommittee will manage the program in cooperation with agency liaisons. The program will:

1.  Publicize agency successes in implementing new guidelines

2.  Highlight agencies that have gone beyond guidelines

Agencies would be recognized separately in the City and the County on a monthly or semi-monthly basis. Agencies should receive visible recognition of their success. For instance, the Education Subcommittee should issue an email to all City and County employees announcing the agency award. Recognizing agency awards in this manner will help educate all employees about agency sustainability activities and allow agencies to share information and best practices with one another.

Sub recommendation:

1.  Promote OSD-OMF sustainability manual as a means for agencies to develop or enhance agency sustainability efforts.

Responsible entity: Steering Committee, COP Office of Sustainable Development and Office of Management and Finance

2.  Responsible entity: COP Office of Sustainable Development Maintain an ongoing file of information about agency awards for use in publicizing City and County successes.

Responsible entity: Education Subcommittee

3.  Develop an orientation on sustainable procurement to all employees who receive procurement cards, with follow-up education provided on a semi-annual basis.

Responsible entities: Education Subcommittee, agency procurement coordinators

4.  Provide agencies with product evaluations forms they can use to share information between product users.

Responsible entity: Agency procurement coordinator

Goal 5: Ensure the quality and effectiveness of education efforts

Strategy: Evaluate the effectiveness of different education programs and make changes in under-performing programs based on evaluation results.

Some education methods will be more effective than others. As the City and County experiment with different methods, the Steering Committee should evaluate program effectiveness as a basis for making resource decisions. Education programs that demonstrate effectiveness should be maintained, and expanded where necessary. Those proving ineffective should be discontinued.

Education results should be measured based on overall effectiveness of education programs and the effectiveness of select programs. Data on overall program effectiveness can be derived from changes in the types of products that the City and County purchase. Data on the effectiveness of particular programs can be obtained from employees who benefited from the program being evaluated.

Recommendation: Evaluate the effectiveness of education programs and make changes in less effective programs based on evaluation results.

In order to measure effectiveness:

1.  Conduct a follow-up survey of employee attitudes and perceptions six to twelve months after they have attended training.

Responsible entity: Education Subcommittee

2.  Track those products that are covered under new procurement policies and for which data is available.

Responsible entity: COP Bureau of Purchases, MCO Central Procurement

Goal 6: Further educate City and County employees about procurement policies.

Strategy: Present new procurement policies in the context of existing policies so employees gain a better understanding of overall procurement rules.

As noted by City Council Resolution No. 36061, many employees with procurement authority “are unaware of current procurement policies, or are unclear how to apply the City’s policies.” Given the complexities of government procurement, County employees also require continuing education about procurement.

Training for employees with procurement authority should present new procurement policies alongside a review of general procurement guidelines. Sustainable procurement education can thereby accomplish the dual objective of implementing sustainability while also reinforcing existing policies. This approach will also ensure that employees realize sustainability will be a continuing feature of City and County procurement.

Recommendation: Introduce sustainable procurement policies in all existing education and training mediums for procurement officials.

Agencies can maximize resources by using existing education and training opportunities to implement new procurement policies. In some cases, it will be necessary to develop new education initiatives. However, using existing committees and training venues will help emphasize the connection between general procurement and new sustainability requirements.

Sub-recommendations:

1.  Incorporate information about sustainable procurement into Purchasing 101 classes.

Responsible entities: COP Bureau of Purchases, MCO Central Procurement

2.  Incorporate information about sustainable procurement into standing committee meetings, such as Purchasing Advisory Committee and Contract Process Team meetings in the County, and Contract Coordinator Committee and the Mayor’s Fair Employment Forum meetings in the City.

Responsible entities: COP Bureau of Purchases, MCO Central Procurement

Goal 7: Ensure employees develop a general level of awareness about sustainable procurement.

Strategy: Use a clear and consistent message to introduce sustainable procurement terms and concepts.

Employees will have varying levels of familiarity with the three elements of sustainable procurement. There may also be some confusion about how some terms are being redefined in relation to procurement. For example, the concept of “sustainability” is typically associated with environmental issues, rather than economic and social ones.

The message employees receive should clearly distinguish between the three elements, describe relevant terms and how each relates to procurement. Information should be on a basic level, but sufficient to give employees a common framework for understanding sustainable procurement concepts. Finally, this message should be accompanied by a definition of terms that creates a common vocabulary about sustainability between the City and County employees.

Recommendation: Introduce sustainable procurement policies in all existing education and training mediums for procurement officials.

Employees have access to a variety of education tools. Using these mediums will provide an efficient way to educate employees on a broad level. Moreover, employees will likely respond better to mediums they are familiar with than to new ones.

Sub-recommendations:

1.  Solicit employee input in designing the core message, definitions and terminology that will be used in education materials and training sessions.

Responsible entity: Education Subcommittee

2.  Incorporate information about sustainable procurement into new employee orientation.

Responsible entities: COP and MCO Human Resources Departments

3.  Approximately ten City and County Green Tips each year should include information about a product being purchased under new procurement policies. At least two products from each commodity area should be introduced within the year.

Responsible entities: COP Office of Sustainable Development, MCO Department of Business and Community Services

4.  Develop website content that describes sustainable procurement goals, programs and products, along with links to other Internet information sources.

Responsible entity: Education Subcommittee

5.  Showcase lobby displays and information to employees in City and County buildings.

Responsible entities: City and County Green Teams

Goal 8: Positively influence employee attitudes and behaviors about sustainability

Strategy: Engage employees on a personal level about how they can adopt sustainable practices and behaviors within the workplace.

Sustainable procurement refers to more than simply how products are purchased. It also relates to how products are used, disposed of, or not used. An element of sustainable procurement education should emphasize these various dimensions in a way that employees can understand on a personal level.

To achieve this goal, specific education efforts should address the attitudes and norms that support sustainable behaviors. These efforts should include appropriate ways to encourage employees to consider their own attitudes and behaviors about sustainability in the workplace in relation to agency and government-wide goals.

Recommendation: Educate employees about sustainability issues related to their personal choices and behaviors within the workplace through available education tools.

The City and County use a number of tools to teach employees about sustainability from an environmental perspective. Use of these tools should be increased to educate about how procurement practices and product usage pertains to the three elements of sustainable procurement.

City and County Green Teams, email Green Tips, agency Intranet content, special events, such as Green Fairs, and informational displays should be used as venues for educating employees about how personal attitudes and behaviors relate to sustainable procurement.

Sub-recommendations:

1.  Develop special projects that teach employees about the personal elements of sustainable procurement.

Responsible entity: City and County Green Teams

2.  Give employees the opportunity to sign a personal pledge in which they commit to adopt sustainable behaviors and practices discussed in training and education materials.

Responsible entities: City and County Green Teams

Goal 9: Emphasize how sustainable procurement relates to overall City and County sustainability policies

Strategy: Use overall City/County sustainability policies as the basis for introducing sustainable procurement concepts.

Existing sustainability policies provide a foundation for employees to understand what sustainable procurement is designed to achieve. While sustainable procurement is a new initiative, it is an outgrowth of long standing City and County goals. It is important employees understand this fact so they can place sustainable procurement in the proper framework. Sustainable procurement will appear more credible if presented as a continuation of the City and County’s well developed commitment to economic, environmental and social sustainability.

Recommendation: assist agencies in educating employees about the relationships between sustainable procurement goals and other City and County sustainability policies.

The Education Subcommittee should develop education resources that identify existing policies that relate to the cost, environment and social elements that comprise sustainable procurement. For instance, policies and programs related to increasing contracting opportunities with the City and County should be discussed in relation to an explanation of the social elements of sustainability. Such resources will help employees understand each of the three elements and increase their awareness of other sustainability efforts in the City and County.

Sub-recommendations:

1.  Solicit a letter from City Council and the County Commissioners emphasizing role of sustainable procurement in fulfilling overall sustainability goals.

Responsible entity: Steering Committee

2.  Deliver presentations to agency staff on status of sustainable procurement policies and broader sustainability initiatives to meetings of agency heads.

Responsible entities: Steering Committee, Sustainable Development Commission

Goal 10: Facilitate coordination of City and County efforts to implement new procurement policies.

Strategy: Develop a mechanism for City and County employees to share information, solve problems and discuss approaches to common implementation issues.

While specific implementation issues may differ, the City and County will be impacted in similar ways through new procurement policies. As implementation progresses, City and County employees should have a means to interact with one another and share technical assistance. Such a mechanism will help the City and County coordinate efforts, create mutual learning opportunities, and provide a network for practical procurement information.

Recommendation: Create informal working groups around each of the five commodity areas for City and County procurement officials to discuss product procurement issues.

The proposed Education Subcommittee should organize the working groups once new procurement policies have been issued. The groups should be organized between the City and County to maximize the variety of information that is exchanged. Once established, the groups would become self-sustaining and not require a staff commitment.

The groups would meet informally and on a periodic basis as deemed necessary by members. Group meetings could be a forum for the Education Subcommittee to discuss procurement issues and facilitate interaction with industry representatives, current vendors and product experts. The Education Subcommittee should periodically monitor the groups and ensure they are providing a useful function.

Sub-recommendation:

•  Support the working groups through semi-annual training and feedback sessions.

Responsible entity: Education Subcommittee

Goal 11: Strengthen relationships with new and existing vendors.

Strategy: Involve vendors in the education process to address employee questions and concerns and communicate City and County procurement goals.

Vendors can play a useful role in helping to educate employees about new products purchased under sustainability criteria. Vendor participation can take the form of personal contact with employees or indirect contact through written product information and guidance. Having vendors participate in employee education can provide a means of enhancing communication and trust between each party. Increased interaction will also help communicate City and County goals and encourage new opportunities for vendors who have not yet contracted with the City or County.

Recommendation: Develop forums for vendors, procurement officials and product users to discuss issues about products purchased under new policies.

The proposed Education Subcommittee should be given responsibility for organizing informal education sessions where City and County employees can interact with vendors about specific products. The forums should be held whenever sufficient interest exists among City or County employees, and should be designed to address issues concerning product performance and usage.

Sub-recommendations:

1.  Develop website content for City and County vendors explaining City and County sustainable procurement goals and activities.

Responsible entities: COP Bureau of Purchases, MCO Central Procurement

2.  Develop informational materials to accompany bid specifications explaining City and County sustainable procurement goals and activities.

Responsible entity: Education Subcommittee

IV. Challenges and Opportunities

Distinct challenges will complicate how education is delivered and received. The Steering Committee must identify and address these challenges as it develops education initiatives. There are also significant opportunities that the City and County can identify for using sustainable procurement education to develop related goals and objectives. Education efforts should address both the challenges and opportunities that exist.

The following list is representative of possible challenges and opportunities. This list is not exhaustive and the task forces and other relevant parties should provide feedback on additional factors that will influence education efforts.

Challenges

•  Resource availability

Developing education programs and delivering them to employees requires a significant investment of staff expertise and time. Without new resources, the Steering Committee must consider how existing resources can be used to implement the Sustainable Procurement Strategy. Asking agencies to do more with less and expecting employees to add new responsibilities to their current ones stretches agency resources and constrains the range of options for developing new education programs.

•  Resistance to change

Employees may be resistant to change that forces them to change learned behaviors and skills. For instance, procurement officials may be reluctant to learn and apply new policies that conflict with previous policies they are use to following. Other employees may resent having to give up using a preferred product in place of a new, more sustainable product. These factors could influence the degree to which employees are open to learning about sustainable procurement.

•  Consistency of effort

In order to implement a new approach to procurement, the City and County will have to provide education and training on a continuous and regular basis. The initial training that most employees receive will only serve to notify them of the fact procurement policies are changing. The actual content of those policies and how to implement them will require more in-depth and hands-on training, where employees have an opportunity to practice new skills and apply new policies. Maintaining training efforts over the long term is a challenge in terms of both sustaining agency support and maintaining employee attention.

•  Complexity of sustainability concepts

The three elements that comprise sustainable procurement involve challenging concepts. Many employees will be unfamiliar with these concepts, or have little previous exposure to them. Even employees who are familiar with certain concepts, may not be familiar with how they relate to government procurement. Education initiatives will have to address these varying degrees of awareness and attempt to create a baseline level of understanding employees can use to implement City and County goals.

In addition to the complexity of the concepts, there are no clear guidelines the Steering Committee can draw upon to teach employees how to apply each element of sustainability to procurement decisions. In the absence of such guidelines, the Steering Committee may be required to develop its own guidelines, or instruct employees how to solve problems.

•  Complexity of Purchasing Operations

The degree to which City and County procurement is decentralized complicates the Steering Committee’s ability to ensure all agency employees with procurement authority receive the training they require. The process of identifying these individuals and delivering training materials will likely be time consuming, complex and resource-intensive.

Opportunities

•  Many education tools already exist

The City and County educate employees about policies related to procurement and sustainability in a variety of ways. The Steering Committee can take advantage of existing education tools to deliver a significant portion of education on sustainable procurement. Using existing tools to the greatest extent possible will maximize resources, create efficiencies and take advantage of available expertise. It will also enable employees to learn new concepts and skills through training methods they are familiar with and have used before.

•  Reinforce existing rules

Employees with procurement authority need continuing education and training on changing policies and issues given the complexity of government procurement. Educating employees about new sustainable procurement policies will provide agencies with the opportunity to review the existing procurement framework and ensure that employees are aware of current policies.

•  Develop agency goals

Many agencies have developed sustainability programs that relate to their specific operations and needs. Sustainable procurement will provide an opportunity for these agencies, and others with less developed programs, to add a new dimension to how they fulfill their mission and implement City or County policies. Sustainable procurement will create a new way in which agencies can develop sustainability initiatives and engage employees about the range of those initiatives. Sustainable procurement will also provide a way for agencies to develop common goals and policies, thereby further developing the depth of City and County sustainability efforts.

•  Enhance City-County cooperation

Through the efforts of the Steering Committee, City and County employees will receive education on sustainable procurement in similar ways and be built around a shared message and terminology. This will provide a common framework for sharing information, coordinating efforts and solving problems. By building this framework, the Steering Committee will facilitate mutual learning and cooperation between the City and County, and deepen their level of interaction.

•  Enhance employee Awareness

Education on sustainable procurement provides an opportunity to elevate employee understanding of the importance and influence of City and County procurement. Employees may not be aware of the volume of agency procurement and the impact it has on the community and the environment. Learning about new policies and procurement goals will help employees gain a better appreciation for the potential that government procurement has to contribute to City and County goals.

V. Case Study Analysis

A number of municipalities have taken steps to reduce the impact that their procurement has upon the natural environment. However, few municipalities have attempted to focus on the impact that government procurement has upon the social, in addition to the natural, environment in the same way as the City and County are considering.

The following case studies describe the education programs that the City of Santa Monica, CA and King County, WA have developed to implement their respective environmental procurement policies. The case studies briefly describe each purchasing program, along with the challenges, opportunities and lessons each municipality has encountered in developing education initiatives.

The education programs discussed in the case studies differ from the one envisioned in this report. Santa Monica and King County have focused their education efforts around specific environmentally preferable products rather than on teaching employees about the broad concepts of environmental sustainability. Education staff in each municipality believe that employees respond better to product or policy specific information, rather than to broad concepts and ideas.

Case Study #1: Santa Monica, CA

Program description: The City of Santa Monica, CA has adopted a variety of policies and initiatives to promote the purchase of environmentally preferable goods and services. The City maintains an informal policy instructing City staff to purchase recycled content products “wherever practicable”, in addition to more formal concerning the purchase of specific environmentally preferable products. Products covered by formal policy/administrative instructions include recycled content paper, non-hazardous janitorial products and clean fuel vehicles.

The Environmental Programs Division (EPD), within the Department of Environmental and Public Works Management, has primary responsibility to implement the City’s environmental purchasing policies. EPD works with the Purchasing Section of the Department of Finance and with City departments to identify and evaluate environmental products, develop bid specifications, and educate employees who use the products.

Education strategies: Santa Monica does not train all employees on its environmental purchasing policies due to the scale and cost involved. Instead, EPD organizes specific training opportunities based around specific products. Training is provided for both product users and for purchasers. Training typically consists of introductory meetings where new products and policies are presented. Following this introduction, EPD organizes informal meetings on a regular basis so employees can discuss problems they have experienced in purchasing or using a product or learn about new environmental products

Training for product users: In 1993, EPD began an effort to reduce the use of toxic materials by developing new criteria for purchasing janitorial products. Janitorial staff were involved in developing these criteria and their input contributed to the development of new bid specifications. EPD organized subsequent meetings on a semi-annual basis for janitorial staff to discuss products purchased through the new bid criteria. Vendors were included in many of these meetings to directly address staff concerns and discuss product specific issues.

Training for purchasing agents: In 1995, the city adopted several policies to increase the purchase and use of recycled and tree-free office paper products. EPD worked with the Purchasing Section to identify purchasing officials in each department who needed training. These individuals were organized into green purchasing groups to create a forum for ongoing education about paper purchasing requirements.

Purchasing Section staff led the initial training sessions in order to provide education on a peer level, rather than from EPD staff. Group meetings were kept informal and were held on a semi-annual basis. Guest speakers, product users and vendors have been included in these meetings to provide different perspectives. A number of green purchasing groups begun informal email exchange networks to share information between meetings.

Challenges and opportunities: Employee resistance to change, reluctance to give up preferred products and resentment at having to comply with new policies has been a significant challenge for the City. There have also been perceptions that EPD initiatives represent an attempt to force its priorities onto other departments.

To address these concerns, EPD staff emphasize peer interaction in training sessions whenever possible. For example, EPD relies on Purchasing Section staff to conduct the majority of training for purchasing officials. EPD staff tries to stimulate interaction among purchasers through informal work groups. In order to train product users, EPD staff invite employees who are excited about the City’s environmental program, or who are familiar with a particular product, to discuss their experience.

According to EPD staff, this has been a highly effective way to communicate with employees on their level and in a non-threatening way. Involving purchasing officials and product users in developing product specifications has been another effective tool for soliciting employee input and encouraging buy-in.

Simplifying purchasing policies is an ongoing challenge. According to EPD staff, employees are less responsive to training on broad concepts and ideas than to specific, clearly stated procedures they must follow. As a result, EPD staff attempt to simplify purchasing policies to the extent possible.

City purchasing is centralized or decentralized based on dollar thresholds. The Purchasing Section has limited ability to track department purchasing below a certain threshold. This complicates data collection and efforts to measure program effectiveness. EPD and Purchasing Section staff are currently trying to develop a capability with the Department of Finance to track the ten products used most widely by the City for which environmental purchasing criteria exist. EPD staff are also working with the City’s larger vendors to help track what the City has purchased and determine what is “environmentally preferable.”

Lessons:

1.  Outreach is not necessary to inform vendors of new purchasing priorities. Issuing revised bid specifications is sufficient to attract vendor interest.

2.  Vendor involvement in training and information sessions can be an effective tool for helping employees become familiar with new products.

3.  Education and training must be consistent and regularly offered in order to communicate new purchasing information.

4.  Peer education and interaction is a highly effective way to deliver training messages.

Case Study #2: King County Environmental Purchasing ProgramProgram description: King County adopted a Recycled Product Procurement Policy in 1989 which directed County agencies to purchase recycled products "whenever practicable". This policy was expanded in 1995 to include environmentally preferable products and processes in addition to recycled products and renamed the Environmental Purchasing Program (EPP).

The EPP is located in the Procurement and Contract Services Section of the Finance Division and is staffed by two full-time employees. EPP staff identifies and researches new products, identifies agencies which may benefit from a product and interacts with the agencies to encourage evaluation and purchase of new products. Agencies are required to designate “appropriate personnel” to coordinate with program staff for this purpose and to facilitate agency consideration of new products. Products currently purchased under the EPP program include recycled paper, remanufactured toner cartridges, recycled plastic can-liners, tire-retreading services, re-refined antifreeze and motor-oil, plastic lumber among others.

Education strategies: EPP staff does not conduct general training on new products and policies. EPP staff works with agencies directly to share information about new products and discuss alternatives to less sustainable products. They serve as product representatives in this regard, but only to the extent that they are promoting evaluation of certain types of products rather than vendors.

Education consists primarily of direct interaction with agency liaisons and purchasers. EPP staff has found direct interaction with County agencies to be the most effective way to discuss product issues and address agency concerns. EPP staff have developed other education methods to communicate with agency liaisons and County employees, such as an e-mail bulletin, Internet materials, newsletter articles, occasional product workshops, and an annual report describing the successes of County agencies.

EPP staff has found general classroom training less effective for program purposes because agencies use specific products for specific functions. However, EPP staff will conduct targeted training sessions and will share information on specialized training sponsored outside the County where it applies to specific agencies. The County also includes a brief summary of the policy and program in new employee orientation, but only at a general level.

Challenges and opportunities: Given the performance cost issues involved in evaluating and implementing product changes and new ideas agencies are frequently skeptical of new products. EPP staff has addressed this challenge by interacting with agencies on a consistent basis, while being careful to avoid putting inappropriate pressure on responsible agency staff and managers. EPP staff publicize agency efforts and successes through its annual report in order to encourage and recognize agency efforts. The report provides details about new products being used by agencies and resulting cost savings.

Presenting new policies in an interesting, non-threatening and informative way represents a continuing challenge for the County. EPP staff are persistent in working with agencies and help them address their concerns with new product alternatives. In particular, EPP staff are careful to emphasize that they understand the costs involved in evaluating and using new products and that budget issues often constrain agency choices.

Encouraging employees to attend EPP-sponsored events has been an additional challenge. Generally, individuals who are already motivated and interested in environmental issues participate in these events. EPP staff attempt to cultivate these individuals as leaders within their work units and encourage them to share information at their agencies.

Lessons:

1.  It is more effective to provide product-specific information and support than to provide general classroom training about environmental purchasing.

2.  Working with product users to address their concerns requires persistent effort and attention before they are comfortable with a new policy or product.

3.  Agency recognition is an effective tool for motivating employees and agencies to implement new procurement policies.

4.  Direct, personal contact is the most effective means of communicating new policies to employees.

VI. Measuring Effectiveness

Measuring the effectiveness of education and training is a significant challenge. Given the overlap between education and implementation, it is difficult to isolate the effects of specific education initiatives from other initiatives. Collecting the data needed to make accurate measurements is time-consuming and requires a substantial commitment of staff and resources. Despite these challenges, it is critical to evaluate training effectiveness to the extent possible.

The best measure of effectiveness is whether education leads to changes in employee attitudes and behaviors. This requires determining how employees have used their training and whether they internalized training lessons. This can be measured through a combination of methods that provide both direct and indirect measures of effectiveness.

Employee surveys should be used to obtain direct measures of how they have used and understood training material. Tracking product purchasing data should be used as a measure of overall implementation success, and thereby an indirect measure of training effectiveness.

Survey data will provide critical insights into whether employees feel they understood the training of the content, how they have used the training, and what ideas they have for how training could be improved. Behavior change can also be measured to based on whether employees report that training influenced their product usage and habits.

Training efforts cannot be directly correlated to changes in the types and amounts of products that are purchased. For instance, training effects will be commingled with the effect of other implementation efforts and other factors such as differing agency priorities or resources. However, tracking purchasing data can provide a partial indicator of whether training has had an impact on agency operations.

In some cases it will not be possible to track purchasing data depending on the product, how widely it is used and how it is purchased. The City and County should jointly determine which products affected by new purchasing policies can be tracked and then develop data collection mechanisms. Data collection will require a considerable degree of effort over the long term. Agencies will have to be willing to collect and provide data and collection will have to be coordinated by either a full time hire or through the Steering Committee.

I. Performance measures

The following list contains potential performance objectives and measures that the City and County can use to evaluate effectiveness. Most items are focused on direct, outcome measurements so training impacts can be evaluated. However, output measures are also included in order to collect data on the scope and breadth of training efforts.

Objective: determine cost savings achieved through reduced or more efficient product usage.

Measure: percent decrease in dollar amounts of product purchased each month.

Objective: determine if employee education and training results in the purchase of new products.

Measure: percent of x product purchased through new policies measured against all units of x purchased each year.

Objective: determine how education and training affects employee attitudes.

Measure: number of employees who report they personally practice sustainable habits after receiving training.

Objective: determine whether training leads employees to search for additional resources.

Measure: Number of visits to web pages containing sustainable procurement information.

Objective: determine the thoroughness of training

Measure: Number of follow-up questions from employees after attending training

Objective: if education and training messages are persuasive

Measure: Number of employees attending training who voluntarily sign a personal pledge to be more sustainable in their daily activities

Objective: determine extent of training efforts

Measure 1: Number of training sessions of all types delivered each year

Measure 2: Number of training publications delivered

Measure 3: Number of Green Tips delivered with information about sustainable products

Objective: determine whether sustainable procurement information reaches agencies

Measure 1: Number of presentations to agencies and senior agency staff

Measure 2: Number of presentations to procurement coordinating venues

These sample measures represent one approach to determining training effectiveness. Specific measures will need to be developed based on task force recommendations and subsequent training efforts.

II. Employee surveys

The following outline identifies how employees might be surveyed and to what extent:

Survey Objectives: the primary objective would be to measure how employees have responded to training on sustainable procurement. Specific areas of inquiry would include determining whether employees:

•  Understand how sustainable procurement relates to their duties.

•  Know the goals and concepts of sustainable procurement.

•  Believe sustainable procurement has had a positive impact on their agency.

This information would indicate whether employees have a grasp of core concepts and the larger scope of sustainable procurement beyond specific purchasing rules. This would provide a means to evaluate the City and County’s overall approach to training and education.

A secondary objective would be to collect data that can be used to improve training efforts. Employees would be asked to indicate training material that was useful and information that wasn’t provided but would have been useful. This feedback will give an indication of training methods that are effective and ones that can either be improved or discontinued.

Survey Theory: employee surveys can test the basic assumption that employees need to understand core concepts in order to “do” sustainable procurement. By providing training on concepts and goals, the City and County would be assuming that employees need this information to understand and implement new purchasing guidelines. This connects to a broader assumption that training on concepts and goals will enhance overall implementation efforts, which include not only new purchasing guidelines but adopting new product usage policies and habits. While these are practical assumptions, survey data will help test whether they are valid or need to reevaluated.

Target audience: employees to be surveyed would include purchasing officials who have attended classroom training. This would include employees who attend procurement card orientations, Purchasing 101 and agency organized training. These employees can be easily targeted for follow-up surveys through course rosters.

Survey Design: two types of surveys should be administered to each employee who attends training. The first should be a course evaluation that employees receive immediately following a training session. The second should be a follow-up survey that is administered at a standardized period after training has been delivered. This periods should be set to allow employees enough time to apply sustainable procurement guidelines or concepts, while ensuring they can still remember details from the training. A period of six to nine months may be appropriate for this purpose.

Course evaluations and follow-up surveys should include similar questions and similar wording to facilitate comparisons between survey responses. Surveys should be anonymous but should be coded in a way that an employee’s evaluation and follow-up survey can be compared to one another.

Delivery methods: course evaluation surveys should be delivered in person following a training session. Follow-up surveys can be administered in two ways to facilitate employee responses and survey collection. Surveys should be delivered via email, but provide employees with options for completing the survey. This could be accomplished by directing employees to a website where they can complete the survey on-line, or to a survey attachment that could be completed and returned either in writing or electronically. Giving employees a range of options should increase their willingness and ability to respond.

Appendix 4

Paper Task Force Reports

2002 Sustainable Procurement Task Force: Paper

Compilation of Task Force Reports I-IV

Phase I Report

Criteria Selections

Phase Two Task Force Report

Date: August 29, 2002

Task Force: Paper

Products selected for further investigation:

Products that were not chosen:

Phase Three Task Force Report

Date: September 24, 2002

Task Force: Paper

Product: Copier/Printer Paper- All sizes, all colors, all paperweights, carbonless (NCR), card stock. All papers that can be used in any copier or printer (including the print shop equipment).

Product: Copier/Printer Paper- All sizes, all colors, all paper weights, carbonless (NCR), card stock. All papers that can be used in any copier or printer (including the print shop equipment).

Product: Restroom Tissue Paper- Toilet Tissue, Tissue Seat Covers, and Hand Towels

Product: Restroom Tissue Paper- Toilet Tissue, Tissue Seat Covers, and Hand Towels.

Product: Envelopes- Business envelopes (Letter, Windowed, Manila, Interoffice, H2O billing design)

Product: Envelopes- Business envelopes (Letter, Windowed, Manila, Interoffice, H2O billing design)

Existing sustainable practices and policies; or practices and policies to upgrade in each product area: Copier/Printer Paper

Existing sustainable practices and policies; or practices and policies to upgrade in each product area: Hand Towels/Toilet tissue

Existing sustainable practices and policies; or practices and policies to upgrade in each product area: Envelopes

Barriers/constraints to replacing a product or modifying product usage: Copier/Printer paper

Barriers/constraints to replacing a product or modifying product usage: Hand towels/toilet tissue

Barriers/constraints to replacing a product or modifying product usage: Envelopes

Phase Four Task Force Report

Date: December 1, 2002

Task force: Paper

Goal to be accomplished: Reduce the environmental, economic, and social impact of governmental paper consumption through new policies and practices that seek to reduce usage and establish more sustainable purchasing requirements.

Actions needed to implement recommendations:

1. Recommendation: Reduce Consumption

2. Recommendation: Require all paper purchased and used to meet or exceed EPA content guidelines (see EPA document EPA530-F-00-013)

3. Recommendation: Mandate that at least 10% of paper purchased and used within the City and County is alternative environmentally preferable paper (AEPP). Promote the use of alternative environmentally preferable paper wherever possible.

4. Recommendation: Provide for and support research, training and evaluation of success in the implementation of the goal.

C. Evaluate city and county sustainable practices and make recommendations for positive change.	a) Have city and county performance audits include an evaluation of sustainable practices.	a) City and county auditors	a) 6 months
	b) Develop format for annual city-county sustainability report; to include evaluation of sustainable purchasing, sustainability training, and pilot projects.	b) OSD; SD; P&D; BOP; City Auditor; SDC	b) 1 year
	c) Insure that procurement practices in the city and county match the recommendations of this report.	c) Sustainable Procurement Steering Committee, expanded to include vendor, public and user representation	c) 1 year

Actions needed to monitor implementation:

1.  Recommendation: Reduce consumption

2.  Recommendation: Require all paper used to meet or exceed EPA content guidelines (see EPA document EPA530-F-00-013).

3. Recommended practice: Mandate that at least 10% of paper purchased and used within the City and County is alternative environmentally preferable paper (AEPP). Promote the use of alternative environmentally preferable paper wherever possible.

4. Recommendation: Provide for and support research, training and evaluation of success in the implementation of the goal.

Accomplishments/improvements achieved as a result of task force efforts in addition to final recommendations:

1. Reduction in office paper storage room and equipment. The reduction in paper use has a direct effect on the need to store and dispose of it. In addition to the reduction in space used to store paper in offices, onsite storage areas, offsite storage areas, records centers, and archives; a reduction in paper use also has a direct effect on paper storage supplies and equipment, including: file folders, hanging folders, storage boxes, various types of shelving, and file cabinets. In addition, costs for the disposition of paper through centralized destruction processes (like the county and city records centers) or though decentralized processes using onsite or contracted shredding services are reduced.

2. Creation of a viable market for environmentally preferable paper. The city and county purchase large volumes of paper products. Requiring the use of papers that meet or exceed EPA recycling content guidelines and promoting the use of alternative environmentally preferable papers will encourage the production of these papers. Providing a market for local producers of these papers will also enhance the local job market, which promotes the social equity component of sustainable development.

3. Fostering a work culture that values sustainability. Changes to work culture are often slow and incremental. The combination of required behaviors, like purchasing and use of prescribed paper, with ongoing and comprehensive employee training will ensure that the transition of city and county workplaces to ones that value sustainability will be as quick and as smooth as possible. Once the transition is complete, city and county workplaces can serve as models for other sectors of the workforce.

4. Standardization of paper and paper-dependant technologies. Centralizing county and city purchase of paper will standardize the types of paper used. Additionally, paper standardization may allow purchasing programs to standardize technologies that use paper. From paper towel dispensers to multifunction printer-copiers, the standardization these technologies allows for bulk purchases, interchangeable consumables like toner or ink, and easier maintenance.

Acronyms

AEPP: Alternative Envrionmentally Preferable Paper

BIT: Bureau of Information Technology (city)

BOP: Bureau of Purchasing (city)

COOL: Countywide Office of Organizational Learning (county)

CPCA: Central Procurement and Contract Administration (county)

EPA: Environmental Protection Agency (federal)

EPP: Environmentally Preferable Products

ITO: Information Technology Organization (county)

OSD: Office of Sustainable Development (city)

P&D: Printing and Distribution (city)

SD: Division of Sustainability (county)

Annotated Glossary

Alternative Environmentally Preferable Papers (AEPP): The EPA defines environmentally preferable products (EPP) as products or 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 or service.” [EPA EPP Final Guidance Report, August 1999]. Alternative EPP (AEPP) are papers which fit the definition of EPP’s but are more restrictive in nature than the minimum EPA recycling content requirements. http://www.rmi.org/sitepages/art7037.php identifies the following alternative papers in descending order of preference: agricultural residues, post-consumer recycled paper, certified sustainably-harvested wood fiber, purpose-grown non-wood fiber crops. Also indicates paper that is unbleached if possible, not genetically modified, and lighter in weight.

Digital Divide: “The term 'digital divide' describes the fact that the world can be divided into people who do and people who don't have access to - and the capability to use - modern information technology”[www.whatis.com; accessed 11/25/2002] “By ‘digital

divide,’ we refer to inequalities in access to the Internet, extent of use, knowledge

of search strategies, quality of technical connections and social support, ability to

evaluate the quality of information, and diversity of uses. [“Social Implications of the Internet,” Paul DiMaggio et al, Annual Review of Sociology, 2001, 27:307–36]

Appendix 5

Office Furniture Task Force Reports

2002 Sustainable Procurement Task Force: Office Furniture

Compilation of Task Force Reports I-IV

Phase I Report

Comments for Furniture Task Group Matrix

1)  New Systems Furniture

The group had a big discussion on the topic of new systems furniture. We discovered the City and County buy Herman Miller off of the State price agreement. The Office Furnishing Work Group Report done in May of 2001 recommended adding sustainable specifications in the State’s RFP and ITB for Systems Furniture. The state put out a solicitation for systems furniture in early 2002. After some research we found out that the work group recommendations were never adopted by the Governor, therefore not included in the solicitation.

The group discussed adopting the sustainable specifications and including them in a joint City/County solicitation. We thought this could be a problem, because our procurement would not have the volume of purchase and would not be able to get better pricing than what already exists on the state price agreement, along with the committee members being discouraged that the recommendation was not adopted by the Governor. We will not be working on this target area.

Office Furniture Phase I Report

2)  Disposal and Reuse of Already Existing Excess Furniture

The committee realized that since both agencies no longer get rid of their excess furniture to the State that this is becoming a problem. The City is currently storing excess furniture on the 3^rd floor of the Portland Building. The County is currently storing excess furniture at various locations. Both agencies have no idea what excess furniture is available and might be reused; instead a lot of times, new furniture is being bought. This is an interesting target area to look at, because we might be able to combine and save money on storage and the buying of new furniture.

3)  Used Systems Furniture Specifications

Some times both agencies have the need to outfit a temporary office. Because of the amount of staff involved with the project the option is to buy new furniture or buy used furniture. Buying of new furniture for a temporary project/office is not usually wanted or recommended. Buying of used furniture would require a formal solicitation. The committee would like to create specifications that can be adopted into a solicitation including the interests of local government agencies. If any agency had the need to outfit a temporary office they would have the option of a contract they could use instead of writing up new specifications. The committee will be working on this target area also.

Phase Two Task Force Report

Date: July 1, 2002

Task Force: Office Furniture

Products selected for further investigation:

Products that were not chosen: