Bid Opportunities

Green Procurement Checklist

Project Description

This checklist is meant to be a quick reference to assist staff when proceeding with a purchase of a good or service (including payment cards, invoices, etc.) on behalf of the City of Burlington.

For additional information on how to implement the Green Procurement Policy, staff should refer to the Green Procurement Guideline.  The guideline provides more detailed information on green procurement terms, environmental certification programs, department roles and responsibilities, and tips to avoid greenwashing.

General Life Cycle Considerations When Purchasing Goods Or Services

Confirm the Need to Buy

In order to confirm the need to buy, ensure that:

• The good/service is necessary and other options for meeting the need have been explored. For example, is there a comparable good available internally?
• The good cannot be shared between offices/departments, borrowed from another office/department or rented on a short term basis.
• quantity of the service or good is appropriate, required, and sure to be utilized.
• Can the good or service be consolidated with other similar projects?
• All elements and features of the good or service are necessary.
• The good or service will be required until the end of its useful life. If not, can the good be easily reallocated to another municipal use or donated to an appropriate community group or agency?  For reallocation or donation Purchasing Services will need your Manager’s approval and if the value of the good or service is over $50,000, your Director’s approval will be required.  

Environmental Attributes 

Ensure that wherever possible, goods procured by the City of Burlington have as many as possible of the following environmental attributes:

The good has a recognized environmentally related certification or label from an independent third party organization (e.g. ENERGY STAR®, Green Seal^TM, EcoLogo^TM)

• The good is free from or has minimal hazardous ingredients and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Consult the good’s MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for more information.
• The good is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified
• The good can be reused or recycled using an existing collection program or technology
• The good minimizes waste
• The good is made of recycled content
• The good is energy efficient and has achieved ENERGY STAR certification
• The operation and maintenance required for the good is not environmentally damaging
• The good minimizes emissions where possible
• The good is designed to reduce consumption (i.e. rechargeable batteries; has a longer lifecycle, etc.)                                                    

Packaging 

Consider the good’s packaging as part of the purchasing process to comply with the City of Burlington’s waste reduction objectives:

• There is minimal packaging
• The good is packaged in bulk, where feasible
• The good packaging is made of recycled content and is accepted in the Region’s existing recycling program, where possible
• If the packaging material cannot be recycled or reused, the vendor should be requested to take it back
• Avoid styrofoam packaging where possible
• Consider the most environmentally friendly packaging available when evaluating goods
• In the purchasing process bidders should be made aware that the City will give due consideration  to reduced packaging to minimize waste

Good Disposal   

Consider the end of the good’s life cycle at the time of purchase:

• The good can be reused or refurbished for further use (e.g. furniture)
• How easily the good can be re-sold or re-allocated
• The vendor will take the good back at the end of its lifecycle and re-use parts where possible or dispose of it in an environmentally friendly way.  Check to see if there is an additional cost.
• Recycled materials are used to make replacement parts, where available

Halton Co-Operative Purchasing Group (HCPG)

Halton Co-operative Purchasing Group (HCPG) Mission

The Halton Co-operative Purchasing Group (HCPG) is focused on maximizing the use of public funds through collaboration, efficiency, and leveraging economies of scale. By pooling our resources and expertise, we aim to streamline the procurement process, promote sustainable practices, and enhance the delivery of public services.

Through strategic partnerships and shared knowledge, we strive to achieve optimal value for our member organizations while maintaining the highest standards of transparency, fairness, and integrity. Together, we are dedicated to driving innovation, maximizing savings, and ensuring the best possible outcomes for our member agencies, client groups, and the communities we serve. 

The HCPG will remain an indispensable, integrated and evolving co-operative procurement service. 

HCPG Values

1. To ensure a high standard of ethics and integrity. 
2. To maintain co-operation and participation, working together to achieve best value. 
3. To maintain support for fair and open market competition, with an objective and impartial approach to the award of all contracts. 
4. To maintain an energetic and proactive approach to customer service. 
5. To maintain an innovative and progressive approach to legislation, market trends, sustainability, and technology. 
6. To foster collaboration and knowledge sharing regarding best practices, market intelligence, and procurement initiatives, while also enabling continuous learning and improvement. 

HCPG Core Members

• Burlington Hydro 

• Burlington Public Library 

• City of Burlington 

• Conservation Halton 

• Halton Regional Police Services 

• Oakville Hydro 

• Milton Hydro 

• Region Municipality of Halton 

• Town of Halton Hills 

• Town of Milton 

• Town of Oakville