Establishing a Green Procurement Program at Keesler Air Force Base March 22, 2006 Robyn Kreimborg Lisa Nobles, REM Keesler Air Force Base
Introduction Background on Keesler AFB Keesler AFB is located in Biloxi, Mississippi on the Gulf Coast. Since World War II, Keesler AFB has become the largest technical training center in the Air Force. Keesler AFB provides high-tech training on electronics, communications and computer networking, information management, personnel support, aerospace command and control, and air traffic control courses. Keesler AFB is also home to the second largest medical facility in the Air Force, and educates doctors, nurses, and technicians in a variety of medical specialties. 2
Introduction (cont.) About the Project Keesler AFB already had an Affirmative Procurement (AP) Program Green Procurement Program (GPP) required by Under Secretary of Defense Memo, Establishment of the DoD Green Procurement Program (27 August 2004). Environmental Flight visited Columbus AFB and saw how they started their GPP. Columbus AFB did not write a Green Procurement Plan, but instead modified their installation AFI to include GPP. Columbus AFB easily modified their existing Purchase Request Form (AF Form 9) to include GPP. 3
Introduction (cont.) Objectives of the Project Understand all purchasing processes at Keesler AFB and how they conduct business. Utilize existing, already established programs AP program Existing training infrastructure Existing forms and processes as much as possible Provide a road map, instructional guidance, and a management action plan in the Green Procurement Plan to help Keesler AFB establish and implement a GPP. 4
What is the Air Force s Green Procurement Program? Green Purchasing is essentially: The purchase of environmentally preferable products and services. Green products can include recycled-content paper, recycled-plastic lumber, biobased products, etc. Green services can include closed-loop contracts, sources of supply, recycling contracts, etc. 5
What is the Air Force s Green Procurement Program? (cont.) GPP is nothing new Broadens the requirements of the existing AP Program. GPP is an umbrella program that encompasses AP and adds six more program elements: Energy and Water Efficient Products Alternative Fuels and Fuel Efficiency Biobased Products Non-Ozone Depleting Substances EPA Priority Chemicals Environmentally Preferable Products. Most of the GPP elements are not new initiatives and are already being executed, but often by organizations other than Environmental Flight. GPP seeks to consolidate all of the program elements so that purchasers can understand and execute them more efficiently. GPP also seeks to integrate green purchasing practices into the installation s existing Environmental Management System (EMS). 6
Keesler AFB s Green Procurement Plan 7
Keesler AFB s Green Procurement Plan (cont.) Serves as a management action plan. Identifies personnel and their responsibilities. Provides instructions on integrating the Plan into Keesler AFB s EMS. Discusses each of the GPP elements, training and awareness, communication strategies, purchasing document control, green procurement processes and forms, metrics and reporting, performance measures, and management review. 8
Green Procurement Policy Similar to an EMS, Keesler AFB established policy on green procurement. In summary, Keesler AFB s policy directs the Base to consider environmental factors in all purchasing decisions. 9
Green Procurement Team To implement GPP, Keesler AFB s Environmental Protection Committee (EPC) chartered a Green Procurement Team (GPT) Consisted of representatives that are intimately responsible for managing purchasing decisions, including: Contracting Civil Engineering Construction and Operations Environmental Flight Co-chaired by Environmental Flight and Contracting The Plan details green procurement responsibilities for: GPT Base personnel responsible for purchases and contracts, such as: Project Managers Quality Assurance Evaluators (QAEs) Government Purchase Card (GPC) Cardholders, etc. 10
GPP Goals, Targets, and Actions As part of an EMS framework, the Plan sets objectives and targets for Keesler AFB s GPP. 11
Green Procurement Program Elements GPP has six mandatory program elements and one voluntary element: Each program element had a separate tab in the Plan for easy reference. For each program element, the Plan provided: Element requirements Program exemptions List of available green products Procurement sources described sources and listed websites Product Certifications Regulatory Drivers 12
Green Procurement Program Elements (cont.) Example section from Plan 13
Green Procurement Training Training of personnel is key to executing a successful GPP. GPP Training is both formal and informal (awareness). Formal GPP Training is required for certain personnel in Contracting and Civil Engineering Environmental, Engineering, and Operations Flights. Additional training was also identified for CE PMs, QAEs, Resource Advisors (RAs), Contracting Personnel, and Government Purchase Card (GPC) Approving Officials and Cardholders. Informal Awareness GPP Training provided to all Keesler AFB personnel who buy or specify items for purchase. 14
Green Procurement Communication Strategies Communications are for both internal customers (Keesler AFB personnel) and external customers (contractors or vendors). Internal communication examples: Provide general program information through downloadable brochures or fact sheets. Use informal refresher training to maintain the skills of personnel involved with the GPP. Publish articles through the Public Affairs office in the Keesler News and organizational newsletters. External communication examples: Prepare a Fact Sheet about Keesler AFB s GPP and distribute it to vendors through the contracting office. Discuss the installation GPP at bidder s conferences and preperformance meetings for construction and service contracts. 15
Green Procurement Document Control Keesler AFB s Environmental Safety and Occupational Health Management System (ESOH- MS) Plan (their EMS Plan) has an established procedure for controlling all documents related to environmental systems. Documents are provided and maintained on AETC s intranet website: ENVIRO-Manager. ENVIRO-Manager is a database website that can be used to post data, plans, and documents. 16
Green Procurement Operational Controls (cont.) Operational controls such as forms and procedures help ensure proper green procurement processes. Example forms: AF Form 9 Request for Purchase Main purchase request form. Added a new GPP check block to ask the purchaser if he/she considered GPP guidelines for the item. Other forms included Contracting checklists, DD Form 350, GPC logs, and others. 17
Green Procurement Operational Controls (cont.) AF Form 9 Request for Purchase 18
Green Procurement Operational Controls (cont.) Example procedures: Contracts for Construction Projects and Services (such as Statement of Works (SOWs) and FAR Clauses) Non-Base-Level contracting (such as contracts with AFCEE or U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) Non-Contracted (In-House) Projects (such as Work Orders or preventative maintenance) 19
Green Procurement Metrics and Reporting RCRA 6002 Report Report/Metric EO 13101 Report to the President DoD Metric #1: Tracks number of contracts that successfully acquire EPA-designated products. DoD Metric #2: Tracks purchase of indicator items that were chosen from the list of EPA -designated CPG items. DoD Metric #3: Tracks number of contracting personnel trained in green procurement. Data Collection No data call. All required information gathered from automated systems including the FPDS and ERLS. No data call. All required information gathered from existing sources, including the RCRA Report. No data call. Data is taken from the FPDS. No data call. Data obtained from the ERLS system and not from local purchase records. Registration and course completion data tracked in the course providers database and provided to HQ USAF. Training for personnel in career fields 1102, 1105 and 1106 are also tracked. DoD and HQ AF collects most metrics for reporting. Keesler AFB is responsible for DD Form 350 (tells whether EPA-designated recycled-content products were used in a contract) and training of Contracting personnel in green procurement. 20
Green Procurement Performance Measures Performance measures are conducted through: ESOHCAMP audit protocols Contract performance information GPC program audits Regulatory inspections 21
GPP Management Review To ensure continual improvement to Keesler AFB s GPP, management review procedures were identified. There are several green procurement data that can be monitored, such as: Existing forms e.g., if AETC Form 51s are consistently claiming a certain type of exemption, there may be a root cause to the lack of an environmentally preferable product on the market. GPP Facility Questionnaires provides a checklist to assess an installation s GPP GPP Annual Review Forms evaluates progress of a GPP Installation awards can also be used to recognize and reward outstanding contributions to GPP execution. 22
Appendices to the Green Procurement Plan All necessary forms, checklists, logs, and review sheets. Specifications for SOWs and FAR Clauses GPC Training information Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines and other supplemental program element information (such as water efficiency BMPs and lists of Class I and II ODSs) Green Procurement Quick Reference Sheet for each Program Element: Green Products List Procurement Sources and their websites 23
Conclusions The Green Procurement Plan provides a road map and a management action plan to help establish and implement a GPP. Ensure Plan is user-friendly and provides as much reference information as possible. Identify responsibilities. The Plan tries to utilize existing, established programs. Utilize existing operational controls such as forms (AF Form 9) and procedures (SOWs) to help ensure green procurement implementation. Training will be important for Base personnel. The Plan integrates GPP into the installation s existing EMS. Due to Hurricane Katrina, the GPP has not yet been implemented at Keesler AFB. 24
Questions? 25