Policy Development and Implementation
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. When Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, implemented its affirmative procurement program (APP) in November 2001, it set out to meet the Department of Defense and Air Forces' goal of 100 percent procurement of recycled content products and also to increase the purchase of biobased, less toxic, and energy- and water-efficient products. The based created an Affirmative Procurement Working Group with members drawn from environmental management, public affairs, logistics, contracting the medical center, civil engineering, legal, exchange store, support group/services squadrons, and base tenants. The APWG created the base's affirmative procurement plan, increased awareness among all organizations about buying recycled content products, and researched the local availability of recycled content products.

The base identified local suppliers that sold the EPA-designated recycled content products and began replacing virgin engine oil and paper with re-refined motor oil and 30 percent postconsumer recycled content paper and using retread tires. The base medical center changed its online ordering system so that only recycled content paper can be purchased. The base retail supply center inventoried its products and now identifies 185 recycled content products with shelf talkers. One of the squadrons purchased 5 ½ tons of tire rubber mulch for its obstacle course. In addition, base organizations began using biobased products, including biodiesel.

In FY 2002, Wright-Patterson purchased more than 109,000 reams of recycled content paper, 3,025 gallons of re-refined oil, and 48 retread tires. Concrete containing coal fly ash was used to construct an airfield ramp, saving approximately $300,000. And the civil engineering base facility standard now requires all contractors to comply with affirmative procurement requirements. Architect/engineering designs must incorporate recycled content products into construction projects.

For more information about Wright-Patterson Air Force Base's affirmative procurement program, contact Ronald Lester at Ronald.Lester@wpafb.af.mil, (937) 257-5627 ext. 220.

Fish and Wildlife Service Region 6. As a regional environmental compliance coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Jim Behrmann has been instrumental in developing a comprehensive APP for his region, which stretches from North Dakota to Utah. Mr. Behrmann laid the groundwork for the Region 6 green procurement program in 2000 when he began coordinating monthly meetings with the Engineering and Contracting as well as General Services divisions. With both divisions at the table, Mr. Behrmann appointed recycling coordinators at each of the division's field stations. Subsequently, he initiated the use of 100 percent postconsumer recycled content paper at the regional office and in 20 field stations.

Mr. Behrmann provided funding to field stations for the purchase of their first barrel of re-refined oil. Additionally, he provided funds for the purchase of recycled plastic shingles for a residence at La Creek National Wildlife Refuge in South Dakota and encouraged the use of recycled plastic lumber at 20 other projects in the region.

Demonstrating his interest in devising innovative approaches to recycling, Mr. Behrmann conducted pilot programs to demonstrate the feasibility of engine coolant recycling equipment and also provided guidance to the field stations on recycling items such as fluorescent bulbs, batteries, and light ballasts.

For more information about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Region 6 green procurement program, contact Jim Behrmann at jim_behrmann@fws.gov, (303) 236-8116 ext. 279.

Fort Eustis and Fort Story, Virginia. Fort Eustis, Virginia and its sub-installation, Fort Story, were the first installations in the Commonwealth of Virginia to institute an affirmative procurement program. The base was prompted to begin its "buy-recycled" purchasing program in January 2000 after the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality-Department of Defense Partnership conducted a survey of the installation's integrated solid waste management program and found that there was significant room for improvement.

The Fort Eustis affirmative procurement policy states the Command's preference for recycled content products, outlines the promotional strategy, requires validation of recycled content, and includes an annual survey for monitoring the program's success. The installation promotes affirmative procurement through mandatory Comprehensive Procurement Guideline training for all government credit card holders and hosts two annual events designed to showcase recycled content products. Additionally, the base posts information about green purchasing on a website, available at https://dpw-web.eustis.army.mil/ENRD/ENRDHome/index.htm.

A baseline survey of the APP six months after it began indicated that 69 percent of respondents were familiar with the affirmative procurement guidelines, and 84 percent had routinely purchased recycled content products. The survey also found that 92 percent of respondents had purchased recycled content paper, and 93 percent had purchased non-paper recycled content office products.

For more information about the Fort Eustis affirmative procurement policy, contact Linda Rice at ricel@eustis.army.mil, (757) 878-4123 ext. 299.

Department of Energy. The Department of Energy revised its acquisition guidelines and developed a new affirmative procurement policy that produced a dramatic increase in green purchasing nationwide. Following the issuance of E.O. 13101, the department's Senior Procurement Executive issued a DOE Acquisition Letter on Green Purchasing to all contracting organizations. The letter instructed each organization to designate a "Green Purchasing Advocate" to work with procurement staff to ensure that recycled content products are given preference in order to comply with RCRA and E.O. 13101. DOE also revised its Acquisition Regulations to reflect the new green purchasing guidelines issued under E.O. 13101. In addition, Buy Green training is provided to DOE staff nationwide, and DOE hosts quarterly conference calls with its installations to discuss green purchasing issues.

As a result of these efforts, in Fiscal Year 2002, 91 percent of the department purchases of the EPA-designated products contained recycled materials. On an individual item level, purchases of recycled content products composed 100 percent of landscaping, park and recreation, and transportation products, 96 percent of construction materials, 93 percent of paper products, 83 percent of non-paper office products, and 54 percent of vehicular products.

For more information about the DOE's affirmative procurement efforts, contact Don Lentzen at Donald.Lentzen@eh.doe.gov or Richard Langston at Richard.Langston@hq.doe.gov.