Using BioBased in Laboratories and Green Buildings
Linda Mesaros, Mesaros Associates Inc.
Various laws, such as the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 and the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, require federal government agencies to purchase biobased products and services. This has been enhanced by the recent Presidential Executive Order 13514, "Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance," which mandates the procurement of biobased products. Federal agencies are now using biobased products in janitorial and cafeteria contracts. There is a great opportunity for the use and procurement of biobased products in laboratories and sustainable buildings; but this is not happening now. Ms. Mesaros will give an overview of the program; provide specific examples of how biobased products are being used in some agencies today; and will discuss and hand out practical tools that personnel can use to incorporate biobased products (sample contract templates, free Web-based training, model source selection factors, and business guides).
There will also be a discussion on Congressionally mandated data reporting and data results. Lastly, there will be steps on how laboratories can use and purchase biobased products easily for their operations, construction, and maintenance and repair.
Biography:
Linda Mesaros will speak on behalf of the Department of Agriculture BioPreferred Program. Ms. Mesaros is president of Mesaros Associates, Inc., a woman-owned small business that specializes in environmental, energy, and procurement consulting services.
She also has in-depth experience with federal requirements for purchasing green products as a result of her prior positions as acting federal environmental executive and chief of staff. She ensured government-wide implementation of model Affirmative Procurement Programs, provided assistance to product vendors, implemented government wide training programs on green purchasing; and developed the first government-wide strategic plan on green procurement. As the former deputy associate administrator for procurement innovation at the Executive Office of the President's Office of Management and Budget, she managed the environmental and energy procurement efforts for the entire federal government.
Currently, Mesaros Associates, Inc. is working with federal agencies to develop procurement tools and training and outreach materials to increase the purchasing of green products (i.e., biobased, recycled, energy-efficient). She has developed government-wide sample contract templates and sample source selection factors for green purchasing. She has recently authored fact sheets on biopreferred purchasing for requirements and technical personnel. She authored a document for federal credit card holders on green purchasing. She is the author of the brochure "Federal Procurement Opportunities for Green Vendor" and co-authored a recent "BioPreferred Business Guide."