University of Notre Dame
OP-11: Sustainable Procurement

The University has adopted the following definition of Sustainable Procurement: 'Sustainable procurement is a purchasing and investment process that takes into account the economic, environmental and social impacts of the entity's spending. Sustainable procurement allows organizations to meet their needs for goods, services, construction works and utilities in a way that achieves value for money on a whole-life basis in terms of generating benefits not only to the organizations, but also to society and the economy, while remaining within the carrying capacity of the environment.' (taken from UK Governments Sustainable Procurement Task Force) Green and ecological preferred products are identified prominently in the BuyND procurement system. The following is a clause used in all Requests For Procurement: 'The University of Notre Dame strives to be a leader in sustainable operations, education and research, and a role model for responsible citizenship. Notre Dame recognizes its responsibility to conserve the natural environment while promoting long-term economic and social justice for all members of society and works to foster a pervasive focus on the connection between environmental stewardship and the Common Good. Notre Dame’s Comprehensive Sustainability Strategy, https://green.nd.edu/about-us/goals/, outlines institutional goals and benchmarks which serve as the foundation and guiding principles for increasing sustainability in all areas and all levels across the University Please provide a detailed narrative in support of these elements including documentation of policy and specific periodic updates detailing progress of your sustainable efforts and how those efforts apply to the products/services Notre Dame is requesting. Any sustainability/green certification programs in which the bidder is engaged or received recognition for achievement should be provided as well.'

In order to ensure adherence with the University's stated aspiration to achieve specific carbon reduction targets all decisions on energy and water use products are scrutinized to ensure that their procurement is in support of this overarching goal. To the greatest extent possible energy efficient and water conserving products are specified, procured and installed. Life cycle cost analysis's along with extended payback targets are used to evaluate applications. As a means of sorting such initiatives the University performs a payback analysis in concert with life cycle cost analysis to fully acknowledge the benefits of such strategies in terms of both saved energy, water, labor and consumable materials. Despite the University's low costs for energy and water it uses a very generous payback period to prioritize its energy/water conservation projects as a means of deploying its available capital to shorter payback projects so that the savings can then be rolled back into longer payback projects in succession.

Yes, the criteria is specifically included in the RFP process and contract for green chemicals. Green seal, Ecologo certified products.

The University's Design Criteria as found in the Basis of Design Reference Guide and Minimum Specifications Requirements on the Facilities Design & Operations website (https://architect.nd.edu/design/) states: ' Each new capital project shall be designed and constructed to achieve LEED Silver certification, based on the most current version of the USGBC rating system requirements. ' ND has completely converted from purchasing incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent and is 90% complete on conversion of metal halide to LED site lighting.

Procurement Services contracts with suppliers that have obtained ePeat silver certification or better for the University’s Desktop and Notebooks computers, and monitors. The current Standard Notre Dame Lenovo Systems are ePeat GOLD certified. "Description of Steps: 1. We state a preference for a supplier that is rated ePeat Silver or better. 2. We established a Computer Purchase Policy that mandates the Preferred Supplier with notable exceptions for Faculty who have unique academic needs. 3. We chose a Preferred Supplier that exceeds the Silver designation. 4. We perform at the 70%+ level of compliance for the use of the Preferred Supplier."

RFPs for any new food services contain the following Sustainability clause: 'The University of Notre Dame strives to be a leader in sustainable operations, education and research, and a role model for responsible citizenship. Notre Dame recognizes its responsibility to conserve the natural environment while promoting long-term economic and social justice for all members of society and works to foster a pervasive focus on the connection between environmental stewardship and the Common Good. Notre Dame’s Comprehensive Sustainability Strategy, https://green.nd.edu/about-us/goals/, outlines institutional goals and benchmarks which serve as the foundation and guiding principles for increasing sustainability in all areas and all levels across the University Please provide a detailed narrative in support of these elements including documentation of policy and specific periodic updates detailing progress of your sustainable efforts and how those efforts apply to the products/services Notre Dame is requesting. Any sustainability/green certification programs in which the bidder is engaged or received recognition for achievement should be provided as well.' Franchises and new eating establishments are selected after feedback from University of Notre Dame students and others on campus. Student Government, Campus Dining and Student Activities have selected Star Ginger Asian Grill and Noodle Bar, Modern Market and a coffee house featuring Intelligentsia coffee as the inaugural dining options for the new Duncan Student Center. All three establishments were selected in part based upon their sustainability record.

Design and construction professionals working for the University are bound by the University's design and construction standards that establish minimum criteria for sustainability, conservation and efficiency. (https://architect.nd.edu/design/) These standards specify 'Stewards of the Natural Environment' as a design tenet. A part of this is 'Applicable building codes are to be considered as minimum requirements. The architect/engineer shall also consider life cycle costs, utility costs, and adaptability/flexibility, should the building use change over its lifetime.'

Office Depot is the Notre Dame partner for purchasing printing paper products. ND received an award from Office Depot in 2017 for being #1 in Private Institutions out of 1,000 total purchasing bodies considered for green spend. Paper with a 30% recycled content is the best value in the list of papers available in the 'preferred' Notre Dame catalog and is featured prominently when the BuyND service is opened by users to order paper and office goods. All janitorial paper supplies are standardized and ordered by Campus Services. They are Kimberly Clark hand towels and toilet tissue: Coreless tissue reduces waste, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified, meets EPA guidelines for post consumer waste, ECOLOGO certified. The 1000' hard wound roll towels: same as tissue: FSC, EPA, ECOLOGO certified.Switching from folded to rolled hand towels has resulted in 33% less consumption.

The University's preferred office furnitire manufacturer is Steelcase. Steelcase strongly focuses on a “cradle-to-grave” certification on their products, relative to recycling opportunities. We have been provided with sustainability reports from Steelcase for the previous two fiscal years that illustrate the recycling content of all of their products as well as providing the total weight of furniture purchased, the amount of that weight that is recyclable, and the amount of the weight that can be diverted from the landfill. Fiscal year 2017 ND purchased over 450 tons of new furniture with a 60% recycled content. ND has a preference for purchase of rubber gloves that may be recycled in the Kimberly-Clark RightCycle Program.