2. Sustainable Purchasing Update — original pdf

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Sustainable Procurement Program update to the JSC August, 2024 Agenda ○ Summary from last JSC update in December 2023 ○ February 2024 Resolution & August 2024 response ■ Sustainable Purchasing program development ■ Prioritized purchasing categories ○ Next Steps ■ Internal Share Platform pilot Summary from last JSC update in December 2023 ● 2022 Procurement Emissions inventory complete in Dec 2023 ○ 2022 Procurement emissions: 206,000 MT CO2e ○ Construction-related purchasing category represents highest spend and largest climate impact Resolution 20240229-058 Be it resolved that we… the City ● Develop a systemic approach for the procurement processes of ● Commence an initial pilot program: ○ concrete construction and ○ greenspace maintenance services and equipment. ● Include environmental impact information used for evaluation or tracking, such as Environmental Product Declarations, as a part of any request for Council action on a Council agenda related to these pilot areas. Program development systemic approach Sustainable Procurement Leadership Council Coaching ● Sustainable procurement program development action team meetings to develop: ○ Organizational inventory, ○ Strategy cycles/pilots for prioritized purchasing categories ● Includes quarterly check-ins with SPLC staff ● Outputs: ○ Program vision and charter, ○ Strategic program plan Landscape pilot: ● Preference policy to be added to greenspace solicitation documents, and a zero-emission requirement will be used on a case-by-case basis as the market expands ● Staff will identify active contracts and update solicitation documents to add environmental preferences and requirements as appropriate Concrete pilot The process of developing contracting contracting preferences requires: ● Collecting data on and understanding the life-cycle emissions from different concrete mixes; ● Testing new concrete mixes to ensure they meet performance ● Defining “lower carbon” concrete and establishing a regional baseline; requirements; and ● Adding a preference policy for concrete with emissions below a baseline carbon intensity (kg of CO2 per cubic meter of concrete). EPDs ● Environmental preferences and requirements for concrete are being developed in accordance with the Plan to Transition to Low-Embodied Carbon Concrete in pursuit of a Carbon Neutral Austin. ● This document, authored by the Transportation and Public Works Department’s (TPW) Office of the City Engineer, is meant to be a living document and lays out a plan and timeline for updates to low carbon concrete preferences and requirements. Next Steps: ● This resolution further directs additional data tracking, monitoring, data analysis and reporting as well as procedure development and regular contract review and language updates for innovative products and services. ● These new activities are currently being developed through a collaboration between FSD and the Office of Sustainability ● Staff anticipates needing new permanent positions as development of the purchasing program approaches the implementation stage. ● No additional funding is included for implementation of these recommendations in the Fiscal Year 2025 budget. Looking ahead: ● Internal Share Platform pilot ○ 2024-2025 Pilot Solicitation ○ Aligned with climate plan strategy “reduce barriers to internal reuse of products and materials” ○ Circularizing departmental surplus to reduce waste and consumption ○ Spending and climate emissions impacts to be quantified through platform use