Purchasing specification for carpet for state buildings .docx

Purchasing Specifications for Carpet and Carpet Installation Projects for State Buildings and State-Funded School Projects.

This purchasing specification shall apply to all modular and broadloom carpet purchases for new construction, renovation and replacement, whether purchased through construction contracts, leases, Contract Multiple Award Schedule (CMAS), or other procurement methods. Patching and repairing within an existing field of carpet is exempt from this requirement when it is not possible to match existing patterns with carpet meeting the specification.

General specifications

1. Carpet must be [specify type(s) of carpet appropriate for the project based on selection criteria delineated in the Carpet & Rug Institutes “Model Specification for Commercial Carpet” at www.carpet-rug.org/Documents/Model_Specification_Commercial_Carpet.aspx.]

2. Carpet must meet the NSF/ANSI-140 Sustainability Assessment for Carpet standard at its GOLD or PLATINUM level, must contain at least 10 percent postconsumer content, must meet the low emission requirements of the Carpet and Rug Institute's Green Label Plus™ program, and must not contain polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants.

3. Carpet purchases shall require proof of independent third-party certification as specified in the NSF/ANSI 140 Standard. Evidence of this certification must accompany carpet submittals, and the [purchasing agent] must receive a copy of the certification at the time of carpet product delivery.

4. The use of carpet tiles is desirable compared to 12 foot rolled goods. (Using carpet tiles aids in spot replacements and longer carpet life, thus reducing waste and extending useful life of the carpet.) The carpet tile vendor must offer a program to take back carpet tiles for recycling when replaced.

5. Contractor must provide a listing of all the carpet backings, when used, which will be used in the project area, and a written statement that they meet the current VOC limits of the Carpet and Rug Institute’s (CRI) Green Label Plus™ Indoor Air Quality Test Program (www.carpet-rug.org/Documents/Factsheets/GLP-Fact-Sheet.pdf.)

6. Contractor must use attached Carpet Removal and/or Installation Project Report spreadsheet to record how much carpet is being recycled and the name and location of the recycling facility. Contractor must produce shipping documents to ensure that the removed carpet (and padding, if present) was received by recycling facility.

7. Contractor must meet the Carpet and Rug Institute’s (CRI) recommended Green Label Plus™ Indoor Air Quality Standards for adhesives, as well as CRI’s recommended methods for installation, application and removal of adhesives, and carpet removal in the Standard for Installation of Commercial Carpet (www.carpet-rug.org/Documents/Publications/CRI_Carpet_Installation_Standard_2011.aspx).

8. All old adhesive must be removed using mechanical methods unless otherwise recommended by the manufacturer of the adhesive to be used for installation of the new carpet. Liquid adhesive removers cannot be used to remove carpet replaced under this contract. (Liquid adhesive removers may cause problems with new adhesive and new carpets as well as the recyclability of the carpet.)

9. Contractor must supply Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for adhesives, cleaners, and other products that will be used with the installation of the carpet.

10. Contractor must use water-based, low VOC adhesives, and/or other environmentally preferable types as expressly made or recommended by the carpet manufacturer for with the particular carpet material, substrates, and application condition.

11. Contractor must comply with the manufacturer’s instructions and recommendations for installation.

12. “No-glue grid” method of installation is preferred if feasible. Dry Adhesive Method or Peel and Stick Method (Low/No VOC’s) may be used for installation of certain rolled carpet and all carpet tile.

RECYCLING OR REUSE PROGRAM FOR USED and UNWANTED CARPET

This section applies to the removal of worn/used/unwanted carpet and new carpet scraps from the installation process. Documentation of the planned program and other related aspects described below must be included as an attached letter, or text page, with the Bidder’s Response and must be approved by the procurement manager.

Awarded (Carpet) Contractors must:

1. Properly prepare and send all worn/used carpet from the project to a carpet processor/recycler, or to the original carpet manufacturer, for recycling to the maximum extent feasible, unless it can be documented that the used carpet is in such condition that reuse or recycling is not feasible (such as bio-contamination).

2. Make every practical effort to reduce, prevent and remove contamination to the carpet during its removal or building’s demolition. The used carpet must be free of extraneous debris, including carpet tacks, tack strips, trash and other debris generated by carpet removal. The carpet must be kept secure and dry while stored. Prepare removed carpet for efficient transportation to a carpet recycling facility, suing the following techniques as appropriate. Cut broadloom carpets in 4 foot widths and tightly roll with fiber side out, and pack in boxes or stack on pallets and shrink wrap. Stack carpet tiles neatly on pallets and shrink wrap or pack in cardboard boxes prior to placing in shipping trailer/container. Place post-consumer carpet in fully-enclosed, front (end) loading trailers/containers designated for postconsumer carpet. Use effective packing techniques to maximize amount of material in containers, such as stacking back to front, balancing the load, and loading to the ceiling. Comply with applicable codes, ordinances, rules, and regulations for weight limits.

3. Ensure that any of the removed carpet or padding that is contaminated with any controlled hazardous substances be abated by a properly qualified hazardous waste management company. Any hazardous material removed from a facility must be properly disposed of in accordance with EPA guidelines on hazardous waste disposal. This carpet material is NOT recyclable.

4. Enter the used/worn carpet and carpet pad (if applicable) into an on-going, currently operational carpet recovery process (such as programs recognized by the carpet industry’s CARE organization). If the carpet is destined to be recycled or refurbished by the manufacturer, the manufacturer’s handling guidelines shall be followed.

5. Ensure that installation scraps are recovered at the time of the carpet installation; these scraps must be collected and entered into a recycling or reuse program complying with all governing, hauling, and disposal regulations of authorities having jurisdiction.

6. Contractor must use attached Carpet Removal and/or Installation Project Report spreadsheet to record how much carpet is sent for recycling and the name and location of the recycling facility, and submit completed report to the state’s procurement manager within 14 days of the project’s completion. Also, if requested, provide the procurement manager with documentation (receipts) from the recycling company or the manufacturer that details the tonnage received and ultimate disposition.

7. Comply with all applicable governing, hauling, and disposal regulations of authorities having jurisdiction.

8. Agree to educate and ensure that all customers understand the process of recycling their used carpet and the recyclability of their new purchase.

Definitions and Guidance

Green Label™ is an independent testing program that identifies carpets, adhesives, and related products with very low emissions of VOCs and other toxins, to help improve indoor air quality of newly installed flooring.

Green Label Plus™ expands on California’s Section 01350 in several respects, including annual tests for the specific chemicals, a chain of custody process and an annual audit of the testing laboratory. Section 01350 can be found at www.carpet-rug.com.

NSF-140 is a national sustainability assessment standard that addresses issues such as:

1. Safe for Public Health and Environment

1. Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency

1. Recycled Content or Biobased Materials

1. Facility or Company Based Practices

1. Reclamation, Sustainable Reuse, and End of Life Management (see www.nsf.org)

“Post-consumer content”- materials in a recycled product that are derived from businesses or consumers after giving served their original intended use, and which have been separated or diverted from solid waste for the purpose of collection, recycling and disposition.

“Recyclability”- the ability of a product or materials to be recovered from or otherwise diverted from the solid waste stream for the purpose of reuse or recycling

“Virgin products”- made with 100 percent new/raw materials and containing no recycled content.

Low VOC’s” (Low Volatile Organic Compounds, or ‘VOC’s’)- a lower VOC content of a product meant for indoor use has been positively correlated with improved indoor air quality, which is especially important for sensitive individuals.

Adhesives Defined

1. Carpet Pad Installation Adhesive is any adhesive intended by the manufacturer for the installation on a floor or comparable surface of carpet pad (or cushion), which is used beneath a carpet.

1. Cove Base Installation Adhesive is any adhesive intended by the manufacturer for the installation of cove base (or wall base), which is generally made of vinyl or rubber, on a wall or vertical surface at floor level.

1. Indoor Floor Covering Installation Adhesive is any adhesive intended by the manufacturer for the installation of carpet, resilient tile, vinyl tile, vinyl backed carpet, resilient sheet and roll, or artificial grass that is in an enclosure and is not exposed to ambient weather conditions during normal use. Ceramic tile installation and the installation of perimeter bonded sheet flooring with vinyl backing onto a non-porous substrate, such as flexible vinyl, are excluded from this category.

Notes for Procurement Officer

During bid review, confirm that carpet product meets the NSF/ANSI-140 standard by checking the Carpet & Rug Institute’s web site at:

http://www.carpet-rug.org/Carpet-for-Business/Green-Building-and-The-Environment/NSF-ANSI-140-Standard/Sustainable-Carpet-Product-Platforms.aspx

Select “Carpet for Business” tab, search “all manufacturers” at Gold and Platinum levels to verify whether the bid product meets this environmentally preferable performance standard.

See http://www.nsf.org/newsroom/gsa-now-requires-tile-purchased-by-the-us-government-to-be-nsf-ansi-140 for article on federal GSA carpet purchasing specification.

Maine DEP/ BRWM-SU – August 2015 DRAFT Page 1 of 4