All Wallops employees are required to purchase certain items manufactured from recycled materials instead of new materials. It is not only required, it helps us all take a part in saving natural resources.

If you or anyone in your civil service or contract organization serves as a credit card holder, purchase request initiator, etc, either directly or through a contract, you are required to annually report your purchases of the following items:

Paper, envelopes, file folders, newsprint, tissues, paper towels, sanitary tissue, napkins, industrial wipes, paperboard, binders, recycling containers, waste receptacles, plastic clipboards, plastic desktop accessories, plastic envelopes, plastic folders, printer ribbons, toner cartridges, trash bags, awards and plaques, industrial drums, manual grade strapping, mats, signs, sorbents, blasting grit, bike racks, traffic cones or barricades, parking stops, building insulation, carpet cushion, concrete, floor tiles, laminated paperboard, latex paint, polyester fiber carpet, restroom dividers, structural fiberboard, compost, park benches, picnic tables, engine coolants, lubricating oils (not aircraft), vehicle parts or tires

These items must be purchased with the recommended recovered content as stated at http://www.epa.gov/cpg or a waiver must be initiated by the purchaser and signed by the Environmental Office.

In addition, mobile equipment hydraulic fluids, urethane roof coatings, water tank coatings, diesel fuel additives, penetrating lubricants, bedding, bed linens, and towels should have been purchased with biobased content (made from agricultural products).

Each year WFF is required to report on our purchases. To do this accurately, the Environmental Office needs data from each purchaser. If you or anyone in your organization purchased (credit card, purchase request initiator, etc.) any of the above items in fiscal year 2008 either with the recommended recovered content/bio-based content or without, please provide the Environmental Office with this purchasing information by January 30, 2009. Please submit the information electronically to Marianne.F.Simko@nasa.gov or by guard mail to Marianne Simko, Bldg. F-160.

Required information includes total dollars spent on the item, total dollars spent on items with recommended recovered/biobased content, total number of items purchased, and total number of items purchased with the recommended recovered/biobased content. Items purchased directly through the stock system, without any changes to the stock system generated item, do not need to be reported.

Affirmative Procurement is not a new concept. Since January 24, 1994, EPA has required federal agencies and their contractors to purchase designated items with recommended recovered content. Similarly, the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 requires Federal Agencies to establish procurement preference programs for biobased products and to purchase these products.