Lessons Learned - Sustainable Purchasing Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

WIPP Sustainable Purchasing Lessons Learned Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) - A National Solution WIPP is the world's first repository for the permanent disposal of defense-generated transuranic (TRU) radioactive waste created from research and production of nuclear weapons. First Waste Acceptance – 1999 Located in the sparsely populated desert Land Withdrawal Area 16 square miles (10,240 acres) Design Criteria – limited life 2

WIPP Sustainable Purchasing Lessons Learned The WIPP Repository WIPP capacity is 6.2 million cubic feet of TRU waste (Land Withdrawal Act) 2,150 feet below ground Contact Handled < 200 mrem/h Remote Handled ≥ 200 mrem/h 3

WIPP Sustainable Purchasing Lessons Learned Lesson Learned / Best Practice Submitted to Department of Energy Headquarters : Even when you think a particular area has been addressed appropriately, there may still be gaps. Thus, the Environmental Management System sub-systems need to be periodically reviewed in depth to ensure they produce desired results. This was WIPP's experience with sustainable procurement and why the FY2011 targets related to this area were established. The modifications made in FY2011 to both procurement card (P-Card) and purchase requisition (PR) systems will provide significant improvement in ensuring requirements are met by WIPP purchasing and using increasing numbers of sustainable products. 4

WIPP Sustainable Purchasing Lessons Learned Affirmative Procurement Program Had been established for many years Required the requisitioner to determine the potential for purchasing green Required an environmental review and approval/guidance to purchase green Purchase Requisition Procedure required an environmental staff review Procurement management system had a mechanism to mark P-card purchases that were green Lessons Learned Background Information 5 An internal assessment in 2010 of the Environmental Management System (EMS) compliance with DOE Order 450.1A identified needed improvements related to buying recycled or bio-based products.

WIPP Sustainable Purchasing Lessons Learned Lessons Learned Background Information Issues identified: Few PRs were being submitted for environmental review P-card holders provided positive feedback, however data did not support it -approximately 16% of dollars spent on office supplies were on green products No system for identifying products with potential for buying green No exemption process in place for products that did not meet criteria -performance, cost comparative, or availability The procurement management system did not provide query capability for P-card green purchases PR procedure did not provide sufficient guidance for requisitioners to know when an environmental review was necessary 6

WIPP Sustainable Purchasing Lessons Learned FY2011 Environmental Targets to Improve Sustainable Procurement -Develop a "green" catalog for procurement card purchases which identifies green products required for purchase. -Update the procurement process to ensure that 95% of applicable new subcontract actions include the DOE's new sustainability clauses. Establish method for tracking and reporting status on annual basis. -Perform analysis of how to improve tracking of sustainable acquisitions for determining effectiveness of system and reporting in DOE HQ Pollution Prevention Tracking and Reporting System (PPTRS). EMS Corrective Measures 7

WIPP Sustainable Purchasing Lessons Learned Actions Completed to Achieve Targets PR Procedure updated to require -Inclusion of sustainability clauses in specified categories (e.g. construction, custodial) -Completion of justification for exemption if sustainable products are available but are not purchased -Preference for bio-based as well as recycled content products P-card procedure updated to -Direct card holder to purchase green -Add an exemption request option 8

WIPP Sustainable Purchasing Lessons Learned GREEN CATALOG EXEMPTION FORM Provide a description of the item to be purchased Is a green alternative available in the Green Catalog Provide a reason why the request is being made Provide the vendor’s name Provide a cost comparison to the green alternative Requestor’s signature Requestor’s manager’s signature Environmental reviewer’s signature 9

WIPP Sustainable Purchasing Lessons Learned Actions Completed to Achieve Targets Updated the training program for purchasers to incorporate and reinforce the green purchasing requirement Purchasing staff were trained on the updates to reinforce the green purchasing requirement and on the tools available on the website Procurement management system updated to require purchase requisitioners to flag potentially green purchases prior to completing the PR Procurement management system updated to incorporate querying capabilities on PRs identified as having potential to purchase green Environmental review of proposed projects to look for potential use of green products (e.g. buildings, carpet, office furniture, plumbing fixtures) 10

WIPP Sustainable Purchasing Lessons Learned Updated the environmental website to provide access to information, tools and resources Provided links to: -Green Catalog -Green Catalog Exemption Form -EPA designated products website -Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines -Contract Language for Green Purchasing Actions Continued 11

WIPP Sustainable Purchasing Lessons Learned Results Green Catalog developed - electronic file of green products compiled from all vendor catalogs P-card Green Catalog Exemption requests are being completed and include items - That do not meet performance, cost or availability criteria (e.g. toner cartridges, message pads, gel pens, etc.) - That do not have a green alternative (e.g. staplers, binder clips, grease pens, tape, etc.) Increased number of PRs are being submitted for environmental review Requisitioners are increasingly identifying in the procurement management system PRs that have a potential to purchase green 12

WIPP Sustainable Purchasing Lessons Learned Continued Improvements Planned Established FY2012 Environmental Management System Objectives/Targets for further improvement - Implement reporting for two more office supply vendors - Ensure 20% of eligible office products purchased are sustainable Improve the green catalog to enhance usability - Large document (1359 pages) with a long loading time and cumbersome to navigate - Convert to a web page - Provide additional information on products Reassess program to determine effectiveness of improvements 13

WIPP Sustainable Purchasing Lessons Learned Contact Information R. Lynn Johnson Judy McLemore Susan McCauslin