Meeting — May 22, 2024

The GSA Acquisition Policy Federal Advisory Full Committee convened for a virtual public meeting at 9:00 AM on May 22, 2024, with Troy Cribb, Chair, and Cassius Butts, Co-Chair presiding.

In accordance with FACA, as amended, 5 U.S.C. App 2, the meeting was open to the public from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EST

Meeting agenda

Committee members present

Troy Cribb, Chair Partnership for Public Service
Cassius Butts, Co-Chair Global Leader Group
Farad Ali Asociar LLC
Luke Bassis Port Authority of New York & New Jersey
Richard Beutel George Mason Center for Government Contracting
Leslie Cordes Ceres
Nicole Darnall Arizona State University
Antonio Doss Small Business Administration
Mark Hayden New Mexico Retiree Health Care Authority
Mamie Mallory Mallory & Associates LLC
David Malone AquireIQ
Dr. Amlan Mukherjee WAP Sustainability Consulting
Jennie Romer Environmental Protection Agency
Anne Rung Varis, LLC
Kristin Seaver General Dynamics Information Technology
Nigel Stephens Phoenix Strategies
Clyde Thompson GovStrive LLC
Anish Tilak Rocky Mountain Institute
David Wagger Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries
Kimberly Wise White American Chemistry Council

Absent: Denise Bailey, Gail Bassette, Susan Lorenz-Fisher, Deryl McKissack, Steven Schooner, Stacy Smedley, Keith Tillage

GSA staff present

Robin Carnahan GSA Administrator
Mehul Parekh GSA Acting Associate Administrator
Jeff Koses Senior Procurement Executive
Boris Arratia Designated Federal Officer
Stephanie Hardison Deputy Designated Federal Officer
David Cochennic GAP FAC Support
Skylar Holloway GAP FAC Support
Bianca McIntosh GAP FAC Support
Annabelle Thompson Closed Captioner
Laura Young ASL Interpreter
Karrie Jo Favro-White ASL Interpreter

Call to order

Boris Arratia, the Designated Federal Officer, opened the meeting by welcoming the group. Attendees were reminded that there would be an opportunity for comments and statements at the end of the meeting. The public was also encouraged to submit comments by emailing gapfac@gsa.gov.

Roll call was conducted to confirm attendance and once a quorum was confirmed, Boris introduced GSA’s Acting Associate Administrator, Mehul Parekh. Mehul joined GSA in 2018 as the Budget Director in the Finance Office and has since held various positions within the agency. He is now the Acting Associate Administrator for the Office of Governmnet-wide Policy (OGP). Mehul expressed his enthusiasm for meeting the group and participating in today’s meeting.

Welcome and opening remarks

Troy expressed gratitude to the committee for their diligent work and the recommendations they have developed. She thanked Administrator Carnahan for creating and supporting the GAP FAC, and extended her appreciation to all the innovative experts across GSA who have spoken to the committee during their meetings, guiding them toward the recommendations being presented today.

The committee’s previous recommendations have informed key actions at GSA, including training on sustainability and climate risk management for the acquisition workforce, issuing a proposed regulation to incentivize practices free of single-use plastics, and contributing to the rewrite of FAR Part 23. These are just a few of the successes that have emerged from the GAP FAC. Today, GSA will hear more recommendations aimed at equipping the acquisition workforce with the tools to incorporate sustainability and climate considerations into their procurements.

Robin Carnahan, GSA Administrator, expressed her gratitude to the committee for their time and recommendations on incorporating climate and sustainability considerations into federal acquisitions. Administrator Carnahan highlighted several initiatives GSA has undertaken since receiving the group’s prior recommendations.

GSA recently updated the FAR Part 23 rule on sustainable procurement, marking this its most significant revision in 15 years. The Federal Management Regulations were also amended to promote sustainability, equity, and community engagement in decisions regarding the location of federal facilities. Additionally, GSA announced an investment of $25 million in electric vehicle supply equipment at federal buildings nationwide, aiming to achieve zero emissions within the federal fleet. Progress is also being made on the Buy American, Buy Clean, and Investing in America agendas, with various web pages detailing the use of Inflation Reduction Act funds toward these goals.

GSA recently updated the FAR Part 23 rule on sustainable procurement, marking this its most significant revision in 15 years. The Federal Management Regulations were also amended to promote sustainability, equity, and community engagement in decisions regarding the location of federal facilities. Additionally, GSA announced an investment of $25 million in electric vehicle supply equipment at federal buildings nationwide, aiming to achieve zero emissions within the federal fleet. Progress is also being made on the Buy American, Buy Clean, and Investing in America agendas, with various web pages detailing the use of Inflation Reduction Act funds toward these goals.

Given the committee’s success so far, Administrator Carnahan is excited to continue advancing topics such as emerging technology and AI acquisition. She emphasized the importance of technology tools being equitable, user-friendly, and transparent. GSA will seek input from groups similar to GAP FAC to help drive progress in these new areas.

Jeff Koses, Senior Procurement Executive announced that today the GAP FAC will discuss and vote on their final set of recommendations, which will then be compiled into a report to submit to GSA. Later this summer, GSA will formally thank the committee for their time and dedication.

Jeff shared that GSA has implemented some of the previous recommendations and began to take action on others. Upon receiving the first and second sets of recommendations, GSA circulated them across the agency to determine which recommendations could be implemented and in what order. This was followed by a briefing to the Administrator and her senior team.

Jeff highlighted five key areas where significant strides have been made due to the committee’s recommendations:

1. Acquisition Workforce Training: In response to three recommendations, GSA redesigned a government-wide training course to integrate sustainability and climate risk into acquisitions, transforming it from a basic awareness course into a call to action. Additionally, they developed a business case to create a new sustainability credential through the Federal Acquisition Institute, which is set to be briefed to the Government Wide Credential Board this fall and launched early in the new year.
2. Change Acceleration Strategy: Following the committee’s recommendation, GSA modified their FAR supplement (GSAM) to include the Chief Sustainability Officer in the Acquisition Review Boards. Teams presenting before the board are now required to explain how their proposals consider sustainability. Furthermore, they issued a change to the FAR supplement requiring contract leads to designate leads on sustainability topics and other key policy areas.
3. Reducing Single-Use Plastics: GSA’s final rule on reducing single-use plastics and packaging has cleared the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) and is now in the pre-publication cycle. This rule will incentivize federal supply schedule contractors to use single-use plastic-free packaging, marked by a new icon.
4. Reduction of PFAS: In response to a recommendation to reduce PFAS, GSA revised the specifications for custodial contracts to require contractors to use products certified by labels such as EPA’s Safer Choice. Additionally, GSA issued a Request for Information (RFI) in the Federal Register to learn how to reduce and eliminate products with intentionally added PFAS.
5. Artificial Intelligence Task Force: GAP FAC recommended creating an AI task force. GSA plans to extend GAP FAC beyond this fall to focus on emerging technology and AI, in alignment with this recommendation.

Jeff also thanked the committee for their contributions to the FAR Part 23 rewrite and acknowledged other recommendations that GSA is still exploring, such as attracting innovators through Challenge.gov. He reiterated the importance of the committee and their recommendations and looked forward to the new recommendations being presented today.

Introduction to recommendations

Cassius thanked GSA and the committee members for their hard work and dedication before providing a preview of the recommendations the committee will present today:

1. Acquisition Workforce Subcommittee: This subcommittee will discuss further actions GSA can take to implement a change acceleration strategy.
2. Industry Partnerships Subcommittee: This subcommittee will present a vision for how GSA can adopt a lifecycle management approach for new entrants into the federal marketplace.
3. Policy and Practice Subcommittee: This subcommittee will propose actions GSA can take to adopt a principle-based sustainability data framework.

These recommendations build on the previous work of the GAP FAC.

Acquisition workforce subcommittee recommendation

Nicole Darnall and Anne Rung discussed the work of the Acquisition Workforce Subcommittee (AWFS). Nicole began by thanking the subcommittee for their expertise and contributions. Upon the establishment of AWFS, they developed a mission to empower and equip the acquisition workforce to prioritize environmental outcomes and promote sustainability throughout the acquisition lifecycle. The subcommittee focused on two priorities:

1. Identifying essential pathways to make sustainability considerations a core competency in Federal acquisitions.
2. Identifying critical levers to empower the acquisition workforce to prioritize sustainability with minimal effort.

Nicole presented the subcommittee’s recommendation, which is to amplify GSA’s sustainability change acceleration strategy. This recommendation has three components:

1. Integrating sustainability into recruitment strategies.
2. Embedding sustainability into performance assessment strategies.
3. Developing a competency-based sustainability acquisition credential.

Regarding the integration of sustainability into recruitment strategies, the goal is to emphasize sustainability in acquisition job descriptions to align closely with the agency’s broader sustainability objectives. The aim is to attract new talent to GSA, committed to addressing sustainability concerns.

By integrating sustainability into performance assessment strategies, GSA will harness the power of aligning the agency’s mission and key policy priorities with employee performance. These assessments serve as pivotal feedback mechanisms and foster accountability regarding sustainability efforts.

The final component of the recommendation regarding the development of a competency-based sustainability acquisition credential builds upon GSA’s existing efforts, particularly in the realm of IT acquisition professionals. AWFS strongly advocates that the core element of this new sustainability credential should be rooted in a competency model similar to that used in GSA’s Information Technology Acquisition Credential (ITAC).

All of the recommendations presented by AWFS thus far are aimed at propelling GSA’s momentum as an agency committed to embedding sustainability into the acquisition lifecycle. Among these recommendations, a key focus lies on the change acceleration strategy. These steps are pivotal in aligning the agency towards a sustainability-driven mindset throughout the workforce and establishing pathways to recognize and reward sustainability in acquisition efforts. As AWFS contemplates training and credentialing, their vision revolves around crafting a training pathway to establish sustainability as a cornerstone of expertise for the acquisition workforce.

AWFS is also filled with anticipation as GAP FAC prepares to make its mark at the annual gathering of the National Contract Management Association (NCMA) in Seattle, WA in late July. With an expected attendance of 4,000 individuals, Nicole and Anne, alongside moderators Stephanie Hardison and Boris Arratia, will hold a panel to showcase the impactful work of GAP FAC and foster engaging discussions.

Industry partnerships subcommittee recommendation

Kristin Seaver extended her gratitude to the Industry Partnerships Subcommittee (IPS) for their contributions to today’s recommendation. From the outset, IPS was determined to identify, engage, and empower a broader and more diverse supplier base. Central to IPS’ mission was the prioritization of small, underutilized, and underrepresented businesses, alongside innovative newcomers, ensuring they were front and center in their endeavors.

Farad Ali shared that their journey involved extensive exploration of the Federal Government’s needs in these areas. During this discovery, they recognized the remarkable efforts within GSA and across the government to advance sustainability objectives.

IPS took into account the perspectives of those seeking to do business with the government, addressing the challenges they faced and proposing strategies to overcome them. The subcommittee then curated recommendations aimed at diversifying the supplier base, recognizing the potential to unlock a myriad of opportunities by doing so.

Today, IPS presents its recommendation to GSA to adopt a life cycle management approach tailored for innovative entrants. Nigel Stephens elaborated on the recommendation, which is built around the strategy of identifying, recruiting, and retaining new businesses within the federal ecosystem focused on climate change and sustainability. The aim is to understand the government’s needs and facilitate partnerships to overcome barriers that deter innovative companies from engaging with the government.

Regarding identification, leveraging GSA’s role as a facilitator and convener can enable targeted outreach to specific groups of innovative companies. By creating channels tailored for these entrants, GSA can communicate the government’s needs and help position smaller businesses to address them proactively.

In terms of recruitment, IPS seeks to dispel the misconception that it is challenging to work with the government, particularly for new and small businesses. The lighthouse model, proposed by IPS in a previous recommendation, aims to provide support to these companies, positioning them to offer solutions rather than chasing contracts.

Once onboarded, the focus shifts to GSA’s role as a convener, collaborating with other agencies to streamline outreach efforts and enhance connectivity between stakeholders. By leveraging SBA programs like SBIR and STTR and using channels such as Challenge.gov, where new ventures can vie for opportunities, GSA can foster a dynamic ecosystem of innovation.

Nigel reflected on the need to address the decline in the number of companies in the supply chain and the imperative to enhance competitiveness by bringing new players to the table. One key challenge is the lack of diversity, competition, innovation, and resilience.

In summary, IPS underscored the need for a life cycle approach to engage companies across all capacities, emphasizing the importance of creativity at the agency level to bolster the number of companies in the federal supply chain.

Policy and practice subcommittee recommendation

David Wagger provided an overview of the Policy & Practice subcommittee, detailing its original mission and previous recommendations. The subcommittee members reflected on their journey before delivering their final set of recommendations to GSA.

The subcommittee identified data as the next critical focus area for GSA, recognizing its central role in advancing sustainable acquisition. The subcommittee’s recommendation is: GSA should adopt a lifecycle approach to sustainable procurement data. GSA can capitalize on existing resources and incorporate new resources to optimize product selection and vendor evaluation, track progress toward sustainability goals, and empower its leadership to develop sustainable acquisition strategies using data.

The recommendation consist of four areas:

1. Data for Measuring Impact & Informing Strategy. A comprehensive data approach will provide GSA with insights, enabling targeted resource allocation and tailored strategies for implementing sustainability initiatives, such as technology investments. The subcommittee recommends GSA strive for uniform collection of sustainability data to analyze trends and patterns effectively.
2. Vendor Evaluation. Recommend a robust data collection effort for vendor selection to influence sustainable practices. Suggest focusing on: tracking a contractor’s performance in meeting sustainability requirements on existing contracts, evaluating a firm’s past experience and policies on sustainability, and scoring their approach to meeting green requirements on new contracts. The GSA’s proposed rule on greenhouse gas emissions disclosure is commendable as it is a prime example of using advanced, measurable data criteria to drive continuous improvement.
3. Selection Process for Goods & Services. There is a need for better data to support the procurement of sustainable goods and services. GSA should focus on improving the decision-making process for acquisition professionals, who face an overwhelming number of resources.
4. Connectivity & Integration. Enhancing connectivity and integration of existing tools is crucial, as increased interoperability will make them simpler and more accessible, leading to greater utilization and impact. GSA’s Green Procurement Compilation, Sustainable Facilities Tool, and other tools offer valuable guidance for identifying sustainable products, developing best practices, and managing climate risk.

Dr. Amlan Mukherjee provided additional context and background for how the subcommittee developed its recommendation. In summary, the goal of this recommendation is to equip procurement specialists with the tools and data to make the best sustainable acquisition decisions.

Discussion and vote

The committee voted on the recommendations that were presented. All three were approved. Next, the committee will compile a recommendations report consisting of the recommendations that were presented today and submit the report to GSA.

Public comments

Elise Jordan commended the committee for their influential platform to enact change. As a professional in commercial real estate, Elise engages in similar discussions with government contractors. She appreciated the committee’s shared commitment to sustainability and climate goals and expressed her desire to become more involved in the future.

Closing remarks

Troy Cribb and Cassius Butts expressed their enthusiasm for delivering the final set of recommendations to GSA and praised the committee for their dedicated efforts. Troy highlighted the committee’s impactful work on sustainability and climate change which has showcased significant success and talent within the government. Additionally, she acknowledged that the committee has established a robust framework for addressing a wide range of issues effectively as well as laying down a roadmap for future areas of focus.

Jeff Koses thanked the committee and the GSA team for their efforts in delivering these recommendations and expressed his anticipation for the final report. While not all previous recommendations have been implemented yet, GSA acknowledges the ongoing work and looks forward to future progress.

Boris Arratia and Stephanie Hardison expressed their gratitude to the committee for their time and contributions in developing and delivering the new recommendations to GSA.

Adjournment

Boris Arratia adjourned the meeting.

I hereby certify that, to the best of my knowledge, the foregoing minutes are accurate and complete.

Digitally signed by Troy Cribb 9/19/2024
Troy Cribb
Chairperson
GSA Acquisition Policy Federal Advisory Committee

Digitally signed by Cassius Butts 9/19/2024
Cassius Butts
Co-Chairperson
GSA Acquisition Policy Federal Advisory Committee