Letter to Stephen A. Perry

January 9, 2003
Stephen A. Perry, Administrator
General Services Administration
1800 F Street, NW
Washington, DC 20405

Dear Mr. Perry:

During consideration of comprehensive energy legislation last year, I was successful in adding an amendment which contained language to require the General Services Administration (GSA) to provide a report to Congress concerning specific procurement policies. And, while Congress adjourned prior to completing work on the energy bill, the preparation of a report addressing these procurement policies remains a high priority.

Specifically, I am requesting your assistance in calling for a report by the General Services Administration (GSA), and the submission of such a report by GSA to Congress not later than July 1, 2003, which specifies the extent to which the various federal agencies have implemented the procurement policies set forth in the following Executive Orders:

Executive Order No. 13101, which mandates the use of retread tires on government vehicles.
Executive Order 13149, which requires all federal agencies to acquire and use EPA-designated Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines, including, but not limited to, retreaded tires, when such products are reasonably available and meet applicable performance standards.

As you know, these Executive Orders were designed to provide energy efficient and cost effective alternatives in federal procurement, and they further the statutory goals of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The RCRA authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue regulations on the use of recycled or "reclaimed" products. Section 6002 of the RCRA requires all federal agencies, in procurements of $10,000 or more, to purchase items "composed of the highest percentage of recovered materials," that are feasible for the intended use of the purchase.

While EPA's Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines identify more than 50 products that can be manufactured using recycled materials, the retread tire industry is of particular importance to Iowa. Bandag, Inc., an Iowa company, has provided retread tires to the federal government under these procurement guidelines, becoming an approved supplier for the Department of Defense, the largest purchaser of tires in the federal government.

Despite the laudable goals of the Executive Orders, and the resulting development of green procurement programs throughout the federal government, I believe it is necessary for GSA to thoroughly evaluate the level of implementation of these policies in order to ensure that the benefits to the public and the environment are maximized.

A comprehensive analysis of the implementation of these procurement policies would achieve a number of positive results, including analyzing the effectiveness of the procurement guidelines and assisting in the development of best practices in procuring recycled materials. In addition, an analysis could demonstrate the value of these programs in providing cost effective and energy efficient alternatives in government purchasing, and identify any shortcomings in existing programs as a means of developing more efficient use of recycled products in government. Finally, I believe this analysis would ensure that the federal government meets or exceeds the private sector in terms of savings from environmentally sound procurement.

It is my hope that GSA could proceed at this time to prepare a report detailing the implementation of the Executive Orders. Thank you for your consideration of my request, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Grassley,
United States Senator