Environmental Certification

Environmental certification is third-party verification that a product, service, or supplier meets established environmental performance standards. When you're building solicitations, these certifications give you an objective way to assess whether bids align with Canada's green procurement requirements. Section 2.20 of the Supply Manual directs contracting officers to work with clients on defining requirements that support green procurement obligations and departmental targets.

How It Works

Suppliers use these certifications to demonstrate they've taken measurable steps to reduce environmental impact. Under the Policy on Green Procurement (updated in 2018), suppliers are encouraged to include third-party certifications in their bids to show mitigation actions addressing life-cycle impacts of goods and services, their organization's environmental footprint, and relative environmental benefits like clean technologies.

Section 4.10.15h of the Supply Manual specifies that bid solicitations should include certification requirements as a minimum element, alongside requirement definitions, bidder instructions, and evaluation procedures. You need to think about which certifications make sense for your procurement early in the process. PSPC's Guide to Completion of the Green Procurement Templates notes that specifying an environmental certification can facilitate implementation of green procurement, though it acknowledges this isn't always possible for every requirement.

In practice, you'll see certifications like EPEAT for electronics, Energy Star for appliances, EcoLogo for various products, or ISO 14001 for environmental management systems. The key is matching the right certification to your requirement type—some are product-specific, others assess organizational practices. Your role as a contracting officer involves helping the client identify which certifications align with their needs and Canada's sustainability objectives without creating unnecessary barriers to competition.

Key Considerations

• Not all certifications carry equal weight. Some are industry-standard and widely recognized; others may be less rigorous or relevant to your specific requirement. Verify that any certification you specify has independent third-party verification.

• Requiring specific certifications can limit your competitive bidding pool. Consider whether you'll accept equivalent certifications or allow suppliers to demonstrate compliance through alternative means if they don't hold the exact certification specified.

• Timing matters. If suppliers need to obtain certifications to bid, you may need longer solicitation periods. Some certifications take months to acquire, which could exclude otherwise qualified suppliers.

• Certifications aren't a substitute for detailed technical specifications in your statement of work. They complement your requirement definition but shouldn't replace clear performance criteria.

Related Terms

Green Procurement - The broader policy framework that makes environmental certifications relevant to federal procurement; Life-Cycle Assessment - The evaluation methodology many certifications use to measure environmental impact; Technical Specifications - The requirement details that certifications help verify

Sources

• Supply Manual - Section 2.20: Green procurement and defining the requirement

• Applying the Policy on Green Procurement

• Procurement practice review of Environment and Climate Change Canada

When you're building your next solicitation, check with your client about applicable environmental standards early. It's easier to incorporate certification requirements during requirement definition than to retrofit them later.