Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 41.01
Liaison Chad Carwein
Submission Date Feb. 14, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

East Carolina University
OP-11: Sustainable Procurement

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 3.00 Chad Carwein
University Sustainability Manager
HSC Facilities Services
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1: Institution-Wide Policies 

Does the institution have written policies, guidelines or directives that seek to support sustainable purchasing across commodity categories institution-wide?:
Yes

A copy of the policies, guidelines or directives:
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The policies, guidelines or directives:
As a public institution in the UNC System, ECU is directed under Executive Order No. 156 "State Government Environmental Sustainability, Reduction of Solid Waste, and Procurement of Environmentally Preferable Products" to: (1) In cooperation with the Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance, the Division of Purchase and Contract shall make every effort to identify environmentally preferable goods and services and products made from recycled materials that meet appropriate standards for use by state agencies. When environmentally preferable and recycled-content products are offered that are comparable in quality, availability, and price to products not having recycled content or similar environmental attributes, term contracts shall carry only the environmentally preferable products. (2) To enable agencies to readily identify the availability of these products, term contracts shall be written in a format that prominently identifies environmentally preferable and recycled-content products, and these products shall be listed in conjunction with any comparable products not having recycled content or similar environmental attributes. The Division of Purchase and Contract shall prepare an electronic listing of all environmentally preferable and recycled-content products available on state contracts and make it available to all state agency purchasers. (3) State agencies that have delegated purchasing authority shall develop product specifications to encourage vendors to offer environmentally preferable and recycled-content products. Specifications shall be written to ensure that they do not contain restrictive language or other barriers to purchasing environmentally preferable or recycled-content products, unless such specifications are necessary to protect public health, safety, or welfare. (4) All electronic office equipment, including but not limited to, computers, monitors, printers, scanners, photocopy machines, facsimile machines, and other such equipment purchased by state agencies shall be Energy Star® compliant. (5) State agencies shall give priority consideration to the purchase of re-manufactured and used equipment, including, but not limited to, such equipment as photocopiers and other office equipment. (6) State agencies shall give priority consideration to the purchase of fleet vehicles that use less-polluting fuels and that have the highest available miles-per-gallon rating.

Part 2: Life Cycle Cost Analysis 

Does the institution employ Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) when evaluating energy- and water-using products and systems?:
Yes

Which of the following best describes the institution’s use of LCCA?:
Institution employs LCCA less comprehensively, e.g. for certain types of systems or projects and not others

A brief description of the LCCA policy and/or practices:
University adheres to state legislation, Chapter 143, Article 3B Energy Conservation in Public Facilities. Which requires that every new or renovated state "facility" of 20,000 square feet or more must be designed on the basis of life-cycle cost. Additionally our engineers conduct life cycle cost analysis when selecting equipment/systems for smaller in-house projects that do not involve third party consultants. More information is available here: and http://www.nc-sco.com/lifecyclecostanalysis.aspx

Part 3: Commodity-Specific Sustainability Criteria

To count, the criteria must address the specific sustainability challenges and impacts associated with products/services in each category, e.g. by requiring or giving preference to multi-criteria sustainability standards, certifications and labels appropriate to the category. Broader, institution-wide policies should be reported in Part 1, above. 

Chemically Intensive Products and Services

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating chemically intensive products and services (e.g. building and facilities maintenance, cleaning and sanitizing, landscaping and grounds maintenance)?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for chemically intensive products and services:
Data Source: Carl Thorell

Construction and Renovation 

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating construction and renovation products (e.g. furnishings and building materials)?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for construction and renovation products:
We are currently in the process of revising our Construction Guidelines; however there are state mandates that require certain materials to be sourced within North Carolina.

Information Technology (IT) 

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating Information technology (IT) products and services (e.g. computers, imaging equipment, mobile phones, data centers and cloud services)?:
Yes

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for IT products and services:
Departments using state-appropriated funds to purchase computer desktops and laptops are now required to order through a new bulk IT purchasing program, the Combined Pricing Initiative (CPI). Approved in 2010 by the UNC-General Administration, the Combined Pricing Initiative saves money through the combined purchasing power of the entire UNC system. Like all UNC institutions, ECU is now purchasing through this mandatory program. Currently, only desktops and laptops/notebooks are purchased through this program. Tablets are not included in the CPI program at this time. Standard desktops and laptops meet diverse computing needs, but reduce the total cost of ownership. They also meet EPEAT/Energy Star requirements. More information is available here: http://www.ecu.edu/cs-itcs/purchasing/cpi.cfm

Food Services 

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating food services (i.e. franchises, vending services, concessions, convenience stores)?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for food services:
Data Source: Joyce Sealy (ECU) and J.P. Fesserman (Aramark)

Garments and Linens 

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating garments and linens?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for garments and linens:
ECU Athletics Department has adopted a "Don't Do Indonesia" policy that prohibits the purchase or sale of apparel goods manufactured in unsafe workshops and factories in the country of Indonesia.

Professional Services 

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating professional services (e.g. architectural, engineering, public relations, financial)?:
Yes

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for professional services:
According to the Guide to Materials Management & Purchasing, A vendor may be classified as a HUB (Historically Underutilized Business) vendor if their business is minority-owned, female-owned, a disabled business enterprise, or a non-profit workshop for the blind or severely disabled. Departments are encouraged to solicit competition from small and historically underutilized businesses when making any purchase. More information is available here: http://www.ecu.edu/cs-admin/purchasing/materialmgmt/upload/Guide-to-Materials-Management-Purchasing_Oct2016-2.pdf

Transportation and Fuels 

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating transportation and fuels (e.g. travel, vehicles, delivery services, long haul transport, generator fuels, steam plants)?:
Yes

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for transportation and fuels:
As a public institution in the UNC System, ECU is directed under Executive Order No. 156 "State Government Environmental Sustainability, Reduction of Solid Waste, and Procurement of Environmentally Preferable Products" to: (1) To reduce air pollution, particularly ground-level ozone, resulting from state fleet vehicle usage, it shall be the goal of the State that on and after January 1, 2004, at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the new or replacement light duty cars and trucks purchased by state agencies will be alternative-fueled vehicles or low emission vehicles. The Departments of Administration, Transportation, and Environment and Natural Resources, shall jointly develop a plan to achieve this goal and to fuel and maintain these vehicles. (2) To the extent feasible, and within guidelines established jointly by the Office of State Personnel, and the Departments Administration, Transportation, and Environment and Natural Resources, state agencies shall implement measures to reduce the number of vehicle miles driven by state employees in personal and state fleet vehicles resulting from job-related travel including commuting to and from work. These measures may include car-pooling, vanpooling, public transportation incentives, flex-time scheduling to avoid travel during peak traffic, telecommuting, teleconferencing, and other appropriate strategies.

Wood and Paper 

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating wood and paper products?:
Yes

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for wood and paper products:
As a public institution in the UNC System, ECU is directed under Executive Order No. 156 "State Government Environmental Sustainability, Reduction of Solid Waste, and Procurement of Environmentally Preferable Products" to: (1) State agencies are directed to purchase and use recycled paper for all letterhead stationery, reports, memoranda, and other documents when feasible and practicable. All new and re-manufactured photocopy machines and laser printers purchased shall have the ability to use xerographic paper having at least 50% recycled content, 30% of which should be post-consumer content. (2) State agencies shall attempt to meet the goal that, as of Fiscal Year 2000-01, 100% of the total dollar value of expenditures for paper and paper products be toward purchases of paper and paper products with recycled content. In addition, state agencies shall attempt, to the extent feasible and practicable, to purchase recycled paper and paper products with the highest percentage of post consumer content.

Other Commodity Categories 

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating products and services in other commodity categories that the institution has determined to have significant sustainability impacts?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for other commodity categories:
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Optional Fields 

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
---

Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Data Source: Chad Carwein provided the information to complete this credit.

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