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Green Procurement

Meeting Policy Requirements

Has the department incorporated environmental performance considerations in its procurement decision-making processes?

Yes

Summary of initiatives to incorporate environmental performance considerations in procurement decision-making processes.

In addition to using available mandatory standing offers, DFAIT is incorporating green procurement requirements into requests for contracts and clauses on green procurement into the general conditions of its contracts.

The department is expanding Shop@DFAIT, an Intranet site for ordering office supplies, to include missions as well as headquarters. Products that are more environmentally friendly are identified with a green dot.

To maximize the use of resources and reduce the negative impact to the environment, DFAIT has implemented a program to reuse perfectly functional office supplies that are often left behind when offices are vacated. Employees and managers are strongly encouraged to select from these items, which are made available at the front of our Central Stores. In addition, surplus furniture from offices that have been vacated or retrofitted is inventoried, stored and reissued at no cost to our clients.

DFAIT has integrated a recovery program for used batteries into its operations. Employees can ensure proper disposal of used batteries simply by dropping them off at our Central Stores location or sending them there via the internal mail service. To further protect the environment, hybrid vehicles are more fully integrated into the department's executive fleet in Canada.

In addition, the department has developed, to the testing level, an online contracting tool called Remedy, which will not only make the procurement process more efficient but will also reduce the need for paper forms.

To ensure that all procurement and materiel management specialists have knowledge of green procurement, the Green Procurement course that the Canada School of Public Service offers online will be incorporated into all employees Performance Management and Learning Plans.

Results achieved:

DFAIT contributes to advancing the protection of the environment and supports sustainable development by incorporating environmental performance considerations into its procurement decision-making process.

The department has demonstrated leadership in this area by promoting the use of environmentally preferable goods and best "green" practices, thus reducing negative impacts on the environment and conserving natural resources.

Contributions to facilitate government-wide implementation of green procurement:

n/a

Green Procurement Targets

Has the department established green procurement targets?

Yes

Summary of green procurement targets:

1. Green procurement targets.

   1. Continued enhancement of the tracking system within the Integrated Management System to help track and report on green purchases. To ensure the successful implementation of a tracking system at DFAIT, the Procurement, Materiel Management and Logistics Division developed and implemented the online ordering system Shop@DFAIT, which identifies green products with a green dot. This online system for ordering office supplies will allow DFAIT to track the green purchases made through this system on an annual basis. A further objective is to increase the percentage of green purchases throughout the department, as well as to increase the percentage of green dot items offered in the catalogues. The department has expanded the roll-out of Shop@DFAIT to provide the missions access to online procurement.

   2. Ensure that environmental considerations are included in 100% of contracts and standing offers. A "green contracts" initiative is being implemented, including the development of environmental criteria that could be included in all contracts and standing offers for goods and services.

   3. Reduce by 25% the total number of cordless mice purchased by March 31, 2012, using 2008-2009 as the baseline. Data are currently being captured to set the baseline on which the implementation of this target will be measured. The successful completion of this target will reduce the use of cordless mice at the department, which will in turn reduce the number of batteries purchased, used and discarded. In the interim, the Procurement, Materiel Management and Logistics Division has implemented a battery recycling program to reduce the environmental impact of battery use at DFAIT. The cost to dispose of batteries is being absorbed by the division initiating the program.

2. Ensure that 100% of materiel managers and procurement personnel receive green procurement training. The anticipated results associated with this target are that all materiel managers and procurement personnel will obtain a greater knowledge of green procurement, environmental impact will be reduced due to an increase in the purchase of greener products, and financial savings will be passed on to taxpayers. Efforts are under way to ensure that procurement personnel include green procurement training in employees' Performance Management and Learning Plans.

3. Inform all DFAIT employees about environmental initiatives and issues. The primary communication and awareness vehicles will continue to be electronic methods such as e broadcast messages, placement of information on the Intranet, and the future development of wiki pages.

Results achieved:

1a) Incorporation of the capacity to track environmental procurement within the department's financial system (Integrated Management System) is dependent on a government-wide solution. To date, this is not available. DFAIT continues to track progress in this area.

The Procurement, Contracts and Asset Management Section, in collaboration with the Procurement, Materiel Management and Logistics Division and the Contracting Policy, Monitoring and Operations Division, developed and implemented the online procurement system Shop@DFAIT, which identifies green products in the office supply catalogues. We have enhanced the system to include green procurement for goods at missions. In addition, we continue to increase the number of green products offered in the HQ and most of our mission procurement catalogues. A further objective is to increase the percentage of green purchases throughout the department.

1b) A "green contracts" initiative is being implemented, which includes the development of environmental criteria that could be included in all contracts and standing offers. The successful completion of this target will further ensure that environmental criteria are taken into consideration when the department contracts for goods and services.

It is our standard practice to ensure that environmental considerations are included in 100% of our contracts when ordering:

• Copier paper (with 30% recycled content)
• Ministerial and departmental letterheads, envelopes and business cards (on recycled paper stock)

In addition, we encourage bidders to send electronic copies of contracts and proposals. For professional services, we have included the Proposal Environmental Considerations in the RFPs. Bidders are requested to prepare their proposals in a manner that leaves the least amount of carbon footprint trace by using:

• At least 30% recycled paper
• Duplex printing
• Black ink
• "Draft" print settings
• Only one CD, if possible

Other initiatives:

• DFAIT encourages electronic licences and download for software instead of using physical media.
• The department has implemented a digital initiative for all procurement files, correspondence and contract documents.
• HQ pays Ontario's Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) environmental fee for desktop computers, portable computers, peripherals, monitors, printing devices, etc.

1c) Data captured in 2008-2009 were used to establish a baseline from which the implementation of the cordless mouse target will be measured.

In 2009-2010, we reduced the number of purchases of cordless mice by over 50% (116 versus 231), which surpasses the target of 25% by March 31, 2012.

2) To date 96% of procurement and materiel management specialists have completed the Green Procurement training course. The remaining new personnel will complete the training in 2010-2011. Efforts are under way to ensure that 100% of procurement and materiel management personnel include Green Procurement training in their Performance Management and Learning Plans.

When materiel managers and procurement personnel have greater knowledge of green procurement, the department's environmental impact will be reduced due to an increase in the purchase of greener products. Any financial savings accrued from purchasing greener products will be passed on to taxpayers.

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