eppform.doc

Additional Environmentally Preferable Products / Practices Bidder Company Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: _______________ In line with the Commonwealth’s efforts to promote products and practices which reduce our impact on the environment and human health, Bidders are encouraged provide information regarding their environmentally preferable/sustainable business practices as they relate to this contract wherever possible.

Bidders who can demonstrate such initiatives (referencing, but not limited to, the items listed below) will be eligible to receive evaluation points. In order to receive evaluation points, Bidders must complete this form and submit it with their RFR Response.

Bidders must submit appropriate documentation to support the items for which the Bidder indicated a “Yes” (and/or include information in the box following each question). (See page 2 for additional guidance on completing this form)

1. Packaging

Has the Bidder implemented any of the following environmental initiatives? (A checkmark indicates “Yes”) Use of corrugated materials that exceeds the required minimum of 35% post-consumer recycled content

Use of other packaging materials that contain recycled content and are recyclable in most local programs Promotes waste prevention and source reduction by reducing the extent of the packaging and/or offering packaging take-back services, or shipping carton return Reduces or eliminates materials which have been bleached with chlorine or chlorine derivatives

Eliminates any packaging that may contain polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or polystyrene or heavy metals

If yes, documentation of practices must be included in the box below, which will expand to accommodate your response.

2. Business Practices / Operations / Manufacturing

Does the bidder engage in practices that serve to reduce or minimize an impact to the environment, including, but not necessarily limited to, the following items? (A checkmark indicates “Yes”) Recycles materials in the warehouse or other operations

Use of alternative fuel vehicles or vehicles equipped with diesel emission control devices for delivery or transportation purposes Use of energy efficient office equipment or signage or the incorporation of green building design elements Use of recycled paper (that meets federal specifications) in their marketing and/or resource materials

Other sustainable initiative If yes, documentation of practices must be included in the box below, which will expand to accommodate your response.

3. Training and Education

Does the bidder conduct/offer a program to train or inform customers of the environmental benefits of the products to be offered under this contract, and/or does the bidder conduct environmental training of its own staff? FORMCHECKBOX Yes

FORMCHECKBOX

No

If yes, bidders must attach a description of the training offered and the specific criteria targeted by the training in the box below which will expand to accommodate your response.

4. Certifications

Has the bidder or any of its manufacturers and/or subcontractors obtained any of the following product/industry certifications?

ISO 14000 or adopted some other equivalent environmental management system

Other industry environmental standards (where applicable), such as the CERES principles, LEED Certification, C2C Protocol, Responsible Care Codes of Practice or other similar standards

Third Party product certifications such as Green Seal, Scientific Certification Systems, Smartwood, etc.

A check = “yes”; Bidders must indicate certificate name in the box below and attach a (scanned) copy with their response.

5. Other Environmental Criteria Bidders are encouraged to respond to criteria specifically indicated in this RFR as “desirable environmental criteria” to receive consideration in the evaluation. (Please provide information in the box which will expand to accommodate your response.)

Purpose of the Form Additional Environmentally Preferable Products / Practices The Additional Environmentally Preferable Products / Practices form is a standard evaluation tool included with virtually all OSD Requests for Response (RFR) that will result in a Statewide Contract. It applies to the operations of the Bidder (not any manufacturer or other company represented buy the Bidder).

Purpose of the Form

The primary purpose for incorporating this language into RFRs is to encourage potential Bidders to adopt business practices that foster a sustainable approach to conducting their operations. Such an approach may include one that has a reduced impact on the environment or public health, such as, but not limited to, creating less waste by using less packaging; eliminating the use substances and/or materials that are considered toxic during the manufacturing process, at time of product use, or upon disposal; or utilizing vehicles in the delivery fleet that operate on alternative fuels for the purpose of reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

Other purposes for the form that may be beneficial to the Bidder include:

· The form alerts Bidders to the fact that the Commonwealth considers such initiatives part of the “best value” of a procurement.

· The form provides Bidders with an opportunity to receive “preference” in the evaluation phase of the RFR for the environmental initiatives they have instituted. It is important for Bidders to provide a statement (or other documentation) along with their response to substantiate or better explain how those initiatives are implemented in their operations in order to receive a preference or points.

Guidance on Completing the Form

1) Packaging – Many forms of corrugated containers now contain 60% or more post-consumer recycled content and are comparable in cost; in addition, several alternatives to using polystyrene as a packaging cushion are now available. Bidders should check with their box manufacturers to learn about the recycled content they use and include information about that in their RFR Response. Companies are also encouraged to research the EPP alternative products and practices indicated on the form and convert to their use wherever possible.

2) Business Operations – This section refers to things the Bidder does within their own operations to create a smaller “environmental footprint” in the marketplace by reducing the impact of their operations through energy conservation, waste and toxics reduction and other sustainable practices.

3) Training and Education – If Bidders offer a product or service that involves an environmentally preferable component and they train their staff to inform customers of these features, such training should be mentioned in conjunction with this form to receive credit. If Bidders provide materials (brochures, info on websites, etc.) on the environmental attributes of their products/services, they can also receive credit in the evaluation process if a brief explanation is included with the form. It is preferable if such training materials and other information are included with the Response.

4) Certifications – Bidders should familiarize themselves with the various certifications for products and processes that are available within the industry in which they operate, with particular attention to those concerning environmental issues. Providing information with the EPP form on such certifications and/or attaching a copy of the actual certificate is important to receive credit in the evaluation process.

5) Other Environmental Criteria – If Bidders are already doing something indicated in the RFR as a “desirable” criteria and they include a statement with their RFR that they have implemented such measures, this will be considered in the evaluation phase as well. In addition, any initiative untaken by the Bidder that may be considered an environmental benefit, should be mentioned as part of this section in the RFR.

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Updated August 2009 Sensitivity level - low