Footnotes - Recommendations of Specifications, Standards, and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing
This page contains footnotes for EPA's Recommendations of Specifications, Standards, and Ecolabels for federal purchasing. The Recommendations provide guidance on the use of private sector environmental performance standards and ecolabels in order assist federal purchasers in identifying and procuring environmentally sustainable products and services.
Footnotes:
1 Recommendation based on an assessment against EPA’s Framework for the assessment of environmental performance standards and ecolabels. For more information on the Framework and the pilot to test the framework, please visit the Framework Development Overview. Assessment Summaries for Carpet, Interior Latex Paints, Flooring, and Furniture are available for more detailed information.
2 Recommendation based on DOE’s Office of Sustainable Environmental Stewardship analysis. For further information on this voluntary program, see:
3 Recommendation based on GSA’s Public Buildings Service analysis. For further information, see:
* This standard does not meet baseline criteria in Section I of EPA’s Framework, which contains the requirements necessary to demonstrate that a standard is a Voluntary Consensus Standard (VCS). Section 12(d) of The National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA, PL 103-114) calls federal agencies to use Voluntary Consensus Standards (VCS) in lieu of government-unique standards in their procurement and regulatory activities, except where inconsistent with law or otherwise impractical. Section 5(e) of the Office of Management and Budget Circular A-119 (OMB A-119) further outlines factors that individual agencies should evaluate when determining whether to use standards, on a case by case basis. This includes the extent to which the standards development process reflected the attributes of a VCS body. Federal agency representatives can contact their agency’s Standards Executive for assistance in determining whether this standard should be considered for use by the agency.
** These certification programs do not meet baseline criteria in Section III of EPA’s Framework, which contains the requirements necessary to demonstrate that a conformity assessment body is competent to assess conformance with the standard and follows general good practice specific to conformity assessment for environmental performance standards. An alternative method to demonstrate that a conformity assessment body is competent to assess conformance to this standard is proof of accreditation by an accreditation body that is a signatory to the International Accreditation Forum Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (IAF MLA) for a scope including ISO/IEC 17065 and this applicable standard. Guidance on Federal Conformity Assessment (15 CFR Part 287) directs federal agencies to identify appropriate private sector conformity assessment practices and programs (including third-party certification) and consider the results of such practices and/or programs as appropriate in procurement activities. The Guidance stresses that responsibility for the determination of appropriateness rests with each agency. Federal agency representatives can contact their agency’s Standards Executive for assistance in determining whether this standard should be considered for use by the agency.
# This standard is not applicable to vinyl floor covering or vinyl furniture/upholstery.