**NATIONAL OCEANIC and ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION**

**Environmental Manual**

**Table of Contents**

Synopsis 9-ii

Procurement Checklist 9-iii

**9 PROCUREMENT** 9-1

9.1 Purpose and Scope 9-1

9.2 Definitions 9-1

9.3 Acronyms 9-2

9.4 Regulatory Requirements 9-2

9.5 Executive Orders 9-3

9.6 Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines 9-3

9.7 NOAA Policy 9-4

9.8 Line Office Policies 9-4

9.9 Additional Resources 9-5

9.10 Responsibilities 9-5

9.11 References 9-7

**ATTACHMENT A** 9-A-1

EPA's Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines 9-A-1

**9** **PROCUREMENT**

**Synopsis**

The purpose of this section is to provide guidelines for NOAA
supervisors and employees who purchase goods and services required for
the operation of the facility or workstation. The section applies to all
NOAA facilities, work sites and employees and NOAA contractors who work
on NOAA sites.

**[Initial Implementation Requirements:]{.underline}**

C **Determine Which Items Purchased Are Listed in the EPA Comprehensive
Procurement Guidelines List (9.6 and Attachment A)**

S Ensure products purchased meet the comprehensive procurement
guidelines (CPG) (9.6)

S Inform all affected NOAA employees of the requirements and reasons for
the program

**[Recurring and Annual Task Requirements]{.underline}:**

C **Ensure All Purchases Comply with the CPG** **(9.6)**

**Checklist**

  --------------------------------------------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
  **9 Procurement**                                   **YES**      **NO**       **N/A**

  1\. Has a Designated Person been appointed?         \_\_\_\_\_   \_\_\_\_\_   \_\_\_\_\_

  2\. Does the facility, work site or ship have an    \_\_\_\_\_   \_\_\_\_\_   \_\_\_\_\_
  established policy requiring employees to review                              
  the General Service Administration's Catalog of                               
  Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines Compliant                                
  Products or the Defense Logistic Agency's                                     
  Environmental Products Catalog before purchasing                              
  any item? (9.6)                                                               
  --------------------------------------------------- ------------ ------------ ------------

**9 PROCUREMENT**

**9.1 Purpose and Scope**

> In performing its mission, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
> Administration (NOAA) requires the on-going purchase and use of many
> different items. From "consumables" such as office paper, printer
> cartridges and gasoline to items only used periodically during
> maintenance activities (i.e. paint, fluorescent bulbs, services
> contracted to apply pesticides, various types of oil and lubricants,
> etc.), NOAA operations must consider more than just "cost" when
> procuring items, materials and services to support NOAA mission
> functions. This section describes the basis and purchasing guidelines
> applicable to all NOAA facilities and work sites.

**9.2 Definitions**

> [Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines]{.underline} (CPG) - the
> mechanism through which EPA designates items as containing recycled
> content, for purchase by Federal, State and local agencies or by
> government contractors using appropriated Federal funds.
>
> [Designated Person]{.underline} - a NOAA employee designated by the
> Facility Manager who is responsible for ensuring procurement
> activities at the facility are conducted in accordance with Federal,
> State and local laws as well as Presidential Executive Orders.
>
> [Designated Responsible Official]{.underline} (DRO) - the senior NOAA
> official on-site. This official has authority over operations or
> activities which are subject to environmental and worker safety
> statutes. The responsibility of the DROs is inherent in their position
> and need not be formally designated or ascribed.
>
> [Facility Environmental Coordinator]{.underline} (FEC) -the individual
> responsible for ensuring the activities carried out at a facility are
> conducted in accordance with Federal, state and local environmental
> regulations. Typically, each NOAA facility will have a designated FEC
> who is also responsible for compliance with occupational safety and
> health requirements. In the NWS, this individual is identified as the
> Environmental and/or Safety Focal Point
>
> [Environmental Protection Agency]{.underline} (EPA) - governmental
> agency responsible for the protection of our nation's environmental
> resources.
>
> [Recovered Materials Advisory Notices]{.underline} (RMAN) -
> periodically updated purchasing guidelines issued by the EPA. RMANs
> recommend recycled-content levels and/or ranges to look for when
> purchasing products and materials.

**9.3 Acronyms Employed in this Section**

CPG - Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines

DLA - Defense Logistics Agency

DRO - Designated Responsible Official

EPA - Environmental Protection Agency

FEC - Facility Environmental Coordinator

FEE - Federal Environmental Executive

FSS - Federal Supply Service

GSA - General Services Administration

NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NWS - National Weather Service

RCRA - Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

RMAN - Recovered Materials Advisory Notices

**9.4 Regulatory Requirements**

9.4.1 Federal Legislation

> Under Subtitle F - Federal Responsibilities of the Resource
> Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), "each agency must comply with
> the requirements set forth by the law in regard to any purchase or
> acquisition of a procurement item." The law advocates the designation
> and use of items that are or can be produced with recovered materials.
> To help agencies fulfill this requirement, the Comprehensive
> Procurement Guideline (CPG) Program was developed by the Environmental
> Protection Agency (EPA). RCRA defines criteria that are to be
> considered when designating items as being produced with recovered
> materials. Consideration is to be given to:

a\. the availability of such items

b\. the impact of the procurement of such items by procuring agencies on
the volume of solid waste which must be treated, stored or disposed

c\. the economic and technological feasibility of producing and using
other items

d\. other uses for such recovered materials.

> Once a recycled content product is designated by EPA, procuring
> agencies are required to purchase it with the highest percentage of
> recovered material content level practicable.
>
> RCRA also stipulates that when procuring agencies write or review
> specifications for their required items, they eliminate any language
> that excludes recovered materials and require the use of recovered
> materials to the maximum extent possible.
>
> The EPA's CPG Program goes further to recommend practices to be
> followed by agencies for buying these products.

**9.5 Executive Orders**

9.5.1 Executive Order 12873 - Federal Acquisition, Recycling and Waste
Prevention

> The President, in signing this order, directed Federal agencies to
> implement acquisition programs aimed at encouraging new technologies
> and building markets for environmentally preferable and recycled
> products. All agencies are directed to review and revise their
> specifications, product descriptions and standards to foster this
> change. Agencies will also set goals for waste prevention and
> acquisition of recycled products.

This order was superceded by the following order.

9.5.2 Executive Order 13101 - Greening the Government Through Waste
Prevention, Recycling and Federal Acquisition

> Signed on September 14, 1998, this Executive Order puts more teeth
> into the concepts introduced in Executive Order 12873. It asks
> executive agencies to work to increase and expand markets for
> recovered materials through greater Federal Government preference and
> demand for such products. The Order imposes an implementation strategy
> that will hold Federal Agencies increasingly accountable for what they
> buy. The order requires the agencies to set recycling goals, creates a
> steering committee to oversee implementation and currently mandates
> the purchase of printing and writing paper with a minimum recycled
> content.
>
> The order requires each agency to make an annual report to the Federal
> Environmental Executive (FEE) about their compliance status with this
> order. To ensure compliance, the order further directs the EPA to also
> report to the FEE the results of its inspections of the agencies. The
> FEE is then required to prepare a biennial report to the President on
> the progress under this order.

**9.6 Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines**

> The Comprehensive Procurement Guideline Program as authorized by
> Congress under Section 6002 of RCRA, is one of EPA's efforts to
> promote the use of materials recovered from solid waste. These
> guidelines are found in 40 CFR 247. In 1995, the EPA issued the first
> CPG which covered EPA's original five (5) procurement guidelines and
> added 19 products. As required by Executive Order 13101, the EPA is
> required to promulgate amendments to the CPG every two (2) years. The
> first update to the CPG (CPG II) in 1997 designated 12 additional
> items and the second update (CPG III) in 2000 designated 18 items. See
> Attachment A for a listing of designated items by category. The EPA's
> website on the Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG) contains a
> description for each product listed as well as EPA's recommended
> recycled-content ranges, manufacturers, vendors and suppliers for each
> item. The General Services Administration (GSA) has prepared a catalog
> of CPG Compliant Products. See 9.9, Additional Resources, for a
> website reference.
>
> As technology and market conditions change, new items and/or increases
> in the levels of recovered materials content become available, the EPA
> will promulgate Recovered Materials Advisory Notices (RMAN) to update
> the listed items in the CPG.
>
> For products that have been designated, agencies must buy those
> products which contain recycled content as long as they are available,
> they meet the performance needs of the agency and they are
> cost-competitive.

**9.7** **NOAA Policy**

**(Reserved)**

**9.8 Line Office Policies**

**a. NESDIS Policy**

**(Reserved)**

**b. NMF Policy**

**(Reserved)**

**c. NOS Policy**

**(Reserved)**

**d. NWS Policy**

**(Reserved)**

**e. OAR Policy**

**(Reserved)**

**f. OMAO Policy**

**(Reserved)**

**9.9** **Additional Resources**

> The following organizations have environmentally-preferable products
> and services referenced on their websites.

C U.S. General Services Administration. Federal Supply Service (GSA/FSS)

www.fss.gsa.gov/environ

> The U.S. General Services Administration, Federal Supply Service has
> introduced many products into its supply system that have recycled
> content, offer energy and/or water savings or that have been
> reformulated to be less environmentally detrimental. This site
> includes product descriptions, ordering information, information for
> prospective vendors and more. You can also access *[GSA
> Advantage!]{.underline}*, GSA's on-line ordering system to order any
> GSA product.

C CPG-Compliant Products and Other Recycled Content Products

www.gsa-CPG Compliant Products and Other Recycled Content Products.htm

> This on-line catalog identifies CPG-compliant products available
> through GSA. NOAA personnel who purchase these products should review
> this list to determine what is available.

C Defense Logistics Agency (DLA)

www.dscr.dla.mil/products/epa/eppcat.htm

> The Defense Logistics Agency's *Environmental Products Catalog*
> includes information on several CPG-designated items including
> re-refined lubricating oil, recycled plastic lumber and
> remanufactured/recycled laser printer toner cartridges. This site
> provides products and ordering information for these and other
> environmental products.

C Other DLA Catalogs

www.dscr.dla.mil/catalogs/catalog.htm

> This page identifies product catalogs with on-line ordering
> capabilities and includes a link for a catalog for batteries and motor
> oil.

[]{.mark}

**9.10** **Responsibilities**

9.10.1 [NOAA Headquarters]{.underline}

a\. The NOAA Environmental/Safety Office shall perform an annual
assessment of the NOAA headquarters facilities to ensure that the
facilities are in compliance with this section.

b\. The NOAA Environmental/Safety Office shall periodically perform an
assessment of the regional headquarters and field offices to ensure
compliance with this section. The frequency of these regional and field
office assessments shall be determined by the NOAA Environmental/Safety
Office.

c\. Requests for clarification concerning this section shall be directed
to the NOAA Environmental/Safety Office.

9.10.2 [Regional or Operating Unit Environmental/Safety
Coordinator]{.underline}

a\. Shall monitor and coordinate to promote compliance with the
requirements of this procedure for the regional headquarters and field
offices or operating units.

b\. Shall ensure that procedures are developed at regional headquarters
or operating unit facilities.

c\. Shall assist regional headquarters and field offices or operating
units in locating and assessing environmentally-preferable products.

d\. Shall perform an annual assessment of the regional headquarters
facilities or operating unit to monitor and promote compliance with the
requirements of this section.

e\. Shall perform assessments or designate personnel to perform
assessments of all field offices to monitor and promote compliance with
the requirements of the section.

9.10.3 [Designated Responsible Official]{.underline}

a\. Shall have oversight over the implementation of this section and
ensure that the requirements of this section are followed by individuals
at the NOAA facility.

b\. Shall ensure that sufficient personnel and funding are available to
enable compliance with all applicable requirements of this section.

c\. Shall review or delegate review of this section on an annual basis
to ensure that the facility is complying with its requirements.
Confirmation of this review shall be forwarded to the Regional or
Operating Unit Environmental/Safety Coordinator.

9.10.4 [Facility Environmental Coordinator, Environmental and/or Safety
Focal Point]{.underline} [or Designated Person]{.underline}

a\. Shall ensure any tasks delegated to them by the Designated
Responsible Official are implemented in accordance with the requirements
of this section.

9.10.5 [Employees]{.underline}

a\. Individual employees affected by this section are required to read,
understand and comply with the requirements of this section.

b\. Report all violations of the requirements of this section to their
supervisor or Environmental Focal Point.

**9.11** **References**

[Incorporated References]{.underline}

> The following list of references is incorporated as a whole or in part
> into this section. These references can provide additional explanation
> or guidance for the implementation of this section.

9.11.1 3 CFR Presidential Executive Order 13101, September 14, 1998,
"Greening the Government Through Waste Prevention, Recycling, and
Federal Acquisition"

**U.S. Environmental Protection Agency**

9.11.2 40 CFR 247 Comprehensive procurement guideline for products
containing recovered materials

9.11.3 http://www.epa.gov/cpg/products.htm

> This website contains a brief description for each of the designated
> products listed in EPA's CPG Program. Additional information on
> recycled content ranges and suppliers is available for viewing.

**Attachment A to Section 9 - Procurement**

**EPA's Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines**

+-------------------------------------+--------------------------------+
| **Construction Products**           | **Proposed:**                  |
|                                     |                                |
| **Designated:**                     | Cement and Concrete            |
|                                     | containing:                    |
| Building insulation products        |                                |
|                                     | -Cenospheres                   |
| Carpet                              |                                |
|                                     | -Silica fume                   |
| Carpet cushion                      |                                |
|                                     | Modular threshold ramps        |
| Cement and concrete containing:     |                                |
|                                     | Nonpressure pipe               |
| -Coal fly ash                       |                                |
|                                     | Nylon carpet and nylon carpet  |
| -Ground granulated blast furnace    |                                |
| slag                                | backing                        |
|                                     |                                |
| Consolidated and reprocessed latex  | Roofing materials              |
| paint                               |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Floor tiles                         |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Flowable fill                       |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Laminated paperboard                |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Patio blocks                        |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Railroad grade crossing surfaces    |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Shower and restroom                 |                                |
| dividers/partitions                 |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Structural fiberboard               |                                |
+-------------------------------------+--------------------------------+
| **Landscaping Products**            | **Proposed:**                  |
|                                     |                                |
| **Designated:**                     | None at this time.             |
|                                     |                                |
| Garden and soaker hoses             |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Hydraulic mulch                     |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Plastic lumber landscaping timbers  |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| and posts                           |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Lawn and garden edging              |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Compost made from yard trimmings    |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| or food waste                       |                                |
+-------------------------------------+--------------------------------+
| **Nonpaper Office Products**        | **Proposed:**                  |
|                                     |                                |
| **Designated:**                     | Office furniture               |
|                                     |                                |
| Binders, clipboards, file folders,  |                                |
| clip                                |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| portfolios, and presentation        |                                |
| folders                             |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Office recycling containers         |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Office waste receptacles            |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Plastic desktop accessories         |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Plastic envelopes                   |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Plastic trash bags                  |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Printer ribbons                     |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Toner cartridges                    |                                |
+-------------------------------------+--------------------------------+

+-------------------------------------+--------------------------------+
| **Paper and Paper Products**        | **Proposed:**                  |
|                                     |                                |
| **Designated:**                     | None at this time              |
|                                     |                                |
| Commercial/industrial sanitary      |                                |
| tissue products                     |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Miscellaneous papers                |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Newsprint                           |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Paperboard and packaging products   |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Printing and writing papers         |                                |
+-------------------------------------+--------------------------------+
| **Park and Recreation Products**    | **Proposed:**                  |
|                                     |                                |
| **Designated:**                     | None at this time.             |
|                                     |                                |
| Park benches and picnic tables      |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Plastic fencing                     |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Playground equipment                |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Playground surfaces                 |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Running tracks                      |                                |
+-------------------------------------+--------------------------------+
| **Transportation Products**         | **Proposed:**                  |
|                                     |                                |
| **Designated:**                     | None at this time.             |
|                                     |                                |
| Channelizers                        |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Delineators                         |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Flexible delineators                |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Parking stops                       |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Traffic barricades                  |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Traffic cones                       |                                |
+-------------------------------------+--------------------------------+
| **Vehicular Products**              | **Proposed:**                  |
|                                     |                                |
| **Designated:**                     | Rebuilt vehicular parts        |
|                                     |                                |
| Engine coolants                     | Tires                          |
|                                     |                                |
| Re-refined lubricating oils         |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Retread tires                       |                                |
+-------------------------------------+--------------------------------+
| **Miscellaneous Products**          | **Proposed:**                  |
|                                     |                                |
| **Designated:**                     | Bike racks                     |
|                                     |                                |
| Awards and plaques                  | Blasting grit                  |
|                                     |                                |
| Industrial drums                    |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Mats                                |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Pallets                             |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Signage                             |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Sorbents                            |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Manual-grade strapping              |                                |
+-------------------------------------+--------------------------------+