Title: Reading and Audio-Visual Assignments
Course: WGF 106 DEVELOPMENT > Section: Content

Sub-Title | Examples for Best IEQ Management Practices Plans (BMPs) – Cafeterias & Food Services, Janitorial Services
Content
Cafeteria & Food Services

Federal cafeteria and other food services impact millions of federal employees and set a precedent for the rest of the country. These services include the preparation and offering of food and beverage items, waste management, and the ongoing management of the cafeteria space. It is not only important to provide healthy food and beverage offerings, but to do so in an environmentally sustainable way. Federal buyers can help green contracts for cafeteria and food services by requiring sustainable food and beverage offerings, waste management programs, green cleaning and pest management practices, and the use of reusable and green products.

Required Green Products

In accordance with FAR Subpart 23.1, federal contracts for cafeteria and food services must require contractors to use or supply products covered by the following environmental programs, when applicable:

- BioPreferred
- Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines
- Energy Star
- Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP)
- Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program

Examples of products covered by these programs include commercial and household appliances, cleaning products, cutlery, napkins and paper towels, and trash bags. In the introductory section above, you may download a suggested list of related products covered by federal environmental programs.

You should also consider requiring contractors to submit regular reports identifying the quantity and type of green products used or delivered during contract performance. For performance-based contracts, checking for contractor use of sustainable products should be part of the Quality Assurance Plan.

Optional Green Practices

There are many other commercial practices that will result in a more sustainable and environmentally preferable service. Below are a few suggestions you may consider when defining performance requirements and developing evaluation criteria. For additional details on sustainable practices and nutrition guidelines, users are encouraged to review the Health and Sustainability Guidelines for Federal Concessions and Vending Operations. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and GSA worked collaboratively to create this document, which proposes specific food, nutrition, and sustainability guidelines to complement the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

- Food & Beverage Offerings
- General Operations
- Use and Maintenance of Appliances
- Green Cleaning & Pest Management
  - Offer healthy food choices in line with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
  - Require a minimum percentage of foods be organically, locally, or documented sustainably grown (e.g., integrated pest management, pesticide free, and other labeling programs).
  - Offer seasonal varieties of fruits and vegetables.
  - Where seafood options are offered, provide those procured from responsibly managed, sustainable, healthy fisheries. Guidance on how to make sustainable seafood choices is found on the NOAA FishWatch site.
  - Offer Certified Organic or documented sustainably or locally produced milk and milk products.
  - Offer only Certified Organic or documented sustainably or locally produced eggs and meat (e.g., grass fed, free-range, pasture raised, grass finished, humanely raised and handled).
  - Offer coffee and tea that are Certified Organic, shade grown, and/or bird friendly.
  - Label organic, local, or documented sustainably grown items available in food service at the point of choice. For locally grown foods, include information that identifies the farms and sustainable practices used.
  - Offer drinking water, preferably chilled tap. Promote the use of tap water over bottled water.
  - When bottled water is necessary, require bottled water be offered in containers that minimize plastic or compostable bottles (if composting is available).

Evaluation Factors

The concept of best value allows federal buyers to account for many competing interests and policies, including environmental considerations. When contracting for cafeteria and food services, consider including environmental criteria in your evaluation factors. This should encourage the selection of environmentally conscious contractors and promote federal sustainability objectives.

It is important to tailor your evaluation factors to each individual acquisition. The contracting team must decide whether environmental considerations should be represented as a stand-alone evaluation factor (e.g., Sustainability Plan), used as a threshold determinant, or incorporated into other factors (e.g., Technical Approach, Past Performance, etc.). Below are a just a few examples of possible factors.

- Technical Approach and Sustainability Plan – Evaluate the contractor’s technical approach and plans to implement sustainable practices. Require contractors to detail how they will use green products, minimize waste, introduce energy and water efficiency methods, green general operations, provide sustainable menu offerings, and educate customers on sustainable practices.
- Waste Management – Evaluate how contractors intend to minimize, manage, and dispose of waste, including plans to minimize, recycle, compost, and reuse materials.
- Past Performance – Evaluate how well the contractor performed previous projects where they have successfully implemented green cafeteria and food services, including the use of green products.
- Previous Experience – Require contractors to demonstrate their experience and capability to provide green cafeteria and food services similar in size, scope, and complexity to the required work.
- Staffing Plan – Give consideration to staffing plans that propose persons with green certifications or to contractors that require employees to take environmental training.

Your evaluation should also consider all costs over the life of the project, not just the initial cost. For instance, energy- and water-efficient appliances and reusable linens, flatware, and glassware may save money over time.

Where to Buy

Federal agencies may purchase a full range of food service supplies, equipment and services under GSA Multiple Award Schedule 73. While these contracts include basic terms and conditions, the ordering agency is responsible for inserting the appropriate green requirements and language into the solicitation. More information on ordering through GSA Multiple Award Schedules can be found here.

References

- Concessions and Cafeterias: Healthy Food in the Federal Workplace
- Food Waste Basics
- National Park Service Commercial Services
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Content
Janitorial Services

Federal janitorial services include the cleaning and upkeep of a wide variety of space types, including office spaces, cafeterias, and fitness facilities. Janitorial service contracts not only involve the use of cleaning products, but they often require the replenishment of building products (e.g., trash bags, bathroom tissue, paper towels). Waste management is another significant component of janitorial services contracts, whether a contractor develops its own waste management plan or helps execute an existing strategy. Due to the nature of the work and types of products used, janitorial services have the potential to have significant negative impacts on the environment and public health. Federal buyers can employ sustainable janitorial practices by considering and accounting for environmental factors in federal solicitations and contracts. Below are some tips to help get you started.

Required Green Products

In accordance with FAR Subpart 23.1, federal contracts for janitorial services must require contractors to use or supply products covered by the following environmental programs:

- BioPreferred
- Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines
- Energy Star

Examples of products covered by these programs include cleaners, paper towels, trash bags, bathroom tissue, and air fresheners. Although not mandatory, EPA’s Design for the Environment (DfE) program helps buyers identify products containing safer components, including non- or less-toxic cleaning products. DfE labeled products are examples of environmentally preferable products, which agencies must purchase in accordance with the sustainable acquisition policy. In the introductory section above, you may download a suggested list of related products covered by federal environmental programs.

You should also consider requiring contractors to submit regular reports identifying the quantity and type of green products used or delivered during contract performance. For performance-based contracts, checking for contractor use of sustainable products should be part of the Quality Assurance Plan.

Optional Green Practices

There are many other commercial practices that will result in a more sustainable and environmentally preferable service. Consider these when defining performance requirements and developing evaluation criteria.

- Cleaning Practices
- Waste Management
- Pest Management Considerations
  - Create schedule by cleaning need, especially for highly polluting cleaning activities. For areas that do not require regular cleaning, build in the flexibility to clean as needed. Emphasize cleaning in high-traffic areas, such as building entrances.
  - Identify areas that have a higher risk for germs, such as staph, and therefore require disinfection.
  - Use high efficiency filtration vacuum cleaners.
  - Use of two chamber cleaning buckets as opposed to traditional mop pails.
  - Use indoor cleaning equipment ergonomically designed to minimize vibration, noise, and user fatigue.
  - Require an immediate spot cleaning policy for accidents and stains to prevent transfer. A spot cleaning plan should be in place for both the janitorial contractor and building occupants. Many times a janitorial contractor can have a spot cleaning plan in place, but building occupants do not report spills allowing the spill to set and cause a stain.
  - Consider cleaning during the day. Nighttime cleaning results in lighting inadvertently being left on throughout and additional HVAC needs.
  - Require janitorial teams who have been trained in sustainable methods (chemical management, proper dilution, and waste minimization, etc.).
  - Require janitorial contractors to use “green” cleaning chemicals certified by a reputable source. EPA offers guidance for federal purchasers at http://www.epa.gov/epp/pubs/cleaning.htm.

Evaluation Factors

The concept of best value allows federal buyers to account for many competing interests and policies, including environmental considerations. When contracting for janitorial services, consider including environmental criteria in your evaluation factors. This should encourage the selection of environmentally conscious contractors and promote federal sustainability objectives.

It is important to tailor your evaluation factors to each individual acquisition. The contracting team must decide whether environmental considerations should be represented as a stand-alone evaluation factor (e.g., Sustainability), used as a threshold determinant, or incorporated into other factors (e.g., Technical Approach, Past Performance, etc.). Below are a just a few examples of possible factors.

- Waste Management – Evaluate how contractors intend to manage and dispose of waste, including plans to recycle materials.
- Technical Approach & Management Plan – Require contractors to address sustainable practices, develop environmental project goals and objectives, and develop a project plan that will maximize sustainability objectives.
- Past Performance – Evaluate how well the contractor performed previous projects where they have successfully implemented green janitorial practices, including the use of green products.
- Previous Experience – Require contractors to demonstrate their experience and capability to provide green janitorial services similar in size, scope, and complexity to the required work.
- Staffing Plan – Give consideration to staffing plans that propose persons with green certifications or to contractors that require employees to take environmental training.

Your evaluation should also consider all costs over the life of the project, not just the initial cost. For instance, implementing preventative maintenance practices, limiting the use of disinfectants, and cleaning during work hours may reduce total costs over the life of the contract.

Where to Buy

Federal agencies may purchase janitorial services under GSA Multiple Award Schedule 03FAC Special Item Number 811 002. While these contracts include basic terms and conditions, the ordering agency is responsible for inserting the appropriate green requirements and language into the solicitation. More information on ordering through GSA Multiple Award Schedules can be found here.

SourceAmerica (formerly NISH) also offers federal agencies custodial service solutions, inclusive of its “Clean and Green” green cleaning program.

References

- New York's Green Cleaning Program
- Greening Your Purchase of Cleaning Products: A Guide For Federal Purchasers
Link/Upload
Green Procurement Products & Services Compilation Database (Sustainable Facilities Tool – General Services Administration)                           http://sftool.gov/greenprocurement

Concessions and Cafeterias: Healthy Food in the Federal Workplace                     http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/104429

Cafeteria & Food Services – Sustainable Facilities Tool   http://sftool.gov/GreenProcurement/ServiceCategory/9?slug=cafeteria-food-services

Janitorial Services – Sustainable Facilities Tool

http://sftool.gov/GreenProcurement/ServiceCategory/7?slug=janitorial-services

Meeting & Conference Services – Sustainability Facilities Tool

http://sftool.gov/GreenProcurement/ServiceCategory/10?slug=meeting-conference-services

Landscape Services – Sustainability Facilities Tool

http://sftool.gov/GreenProcurement/ServiceCategory/3?slug=landscaping-services
Attributions | Images and Content courtesy of Sustainable Facilities Tool – U.S. General Services Administration