When procuring energy-using products or any services that use those products, federal agencies must comply with certain regulations designed to save energy and costs. Energy-using products include lighting products, heating and cooling equipment, computers and other IT products, food service equipment, and more.
This page provides general information for purchasing these products, covering key legislation, considering cost-effectiveness, and developing compliance strategies.
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Looking for product-specific guidance?
Use the product search page to find information about a specific product.
If you’re not sure where to start, the Pathways to Energy Efficiency Requirements (PEER) Tool can help you determine whether and which requirements apply and provide links for more information.
How To Determine Cost-Effectiveness
Federal law and acquisition regulations require that buyers choose products that use energy based on life cycle cost-effectiveness. An energy-saving product is cost-effective when the energy costs saved over the lifetime of the product exceed any potential additional cost associated with a higher-efficiency model compared to a less-efficient option. Federal purchasers can assume that products that are either ENERGY STAR-certified or meet Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP)-designated efficiency requirements are life cycle cost-effective. In high-use applications or when energy rates are above the federal average, purchasers may save even more if they specify products that exceed the federal efficiency requirements listed on the FEMP web pages for each product type.
In certain low-use applications or in locations with significantly lower than average utility rates, FEMP-designated or ENERGY STAR-certified products may not be life cycle cost-effective. The federal purchasing requirements state that purchasers may claim an exception if no FEMP-designated or ENERGY STAR-certified product is life cycle cost-effective and meets the agency’s functional requirements. Claims of exceptions should be documented in the acquisition package or purchasing record. For most applications though, purchasers will find that energy-efficient products have the lowest life cycle cost.
Take Five: Life Cycle Costs for Acquisition
Got five minutes? Watch FEMP’s short training on the how and why of life cycle costing. The use of life cycle cost to guide purchases is not only a federal requirement but can enable optimal cost savings for agencies and taxpayers.
How To Incorporate Federal Acquisition Regulation Language in Contracts
Reference the Clause
Federal purchasing requirements apply to the procurement of all energy-using products and services for federal use, including construction services, renovation and repair, operation and maintenance (O&M) contracts, lease agreements, and all types of acquisition vehicles including purchase cards and solicitations for offers. Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 23.109 (previously Part 23.206) requires agencies to insert the clause at FAR section 52.223-23 into contracts and solicitations that deliver, acquire, furnish, or specify energy-consuming products for use in federal government facilities.
Include Minimum-Efficiency Requirements
To comply with FAR requirements, FEMP recommends that agencies either specify compliant energy-saving products or incorporate efficiency requirements into both the technical specification and evaluation sections of solicitations. For most heating and cooling product acquisitions, FEMP created tables that show minimum-efficiency requirements and mirror the latest American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) 90.1 tables. Federal buyers can use these tables as a reference or copy and paste them into solicitations and contracts.
Don’t Forget P-Card Purchases
The federal purchasing requirements also apply to P-card or micro purchasers using this vehicle instead of a contract. If you are purchasing energy-using products from a preferred vendor, make sure that the purchase is compliant with the requirements outlined in FAR Part 23.
Where To Look Up and Buy Compliant Products
Federal agencies can use a range of online tools, procurement platforms, and standardized coding systems to easily look up and purchase energy-saving products and track progress toward purchasing goals.
General Services Administration (GSA) Platforms
- Learn about efficient, healthy buildings and environmentally responsible purchasing from the Sustainable Facilities (SF) Tool.
- GSA offers products through the GSA Environmental Program Aisle on GSA Advantage, which allows you to search for and purchase thousands of individual compliant products through GSA Multiple Award Schedules, Best-In-Class contracts, and more. Buyers are advised, however, to verify that each energy-using product that they intend to purchase through these channels meets the FEMP-designated energy performance level or is ENERGY STAR certified.
Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Platforms and Codes
- DLA offers products through the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia and online through DOD FedMall.
- Products sold through DLA are coded with a 13-digit National Stock Number (NSN) and, in some cases, a two-letter Environmental Attribute Code (ENAC). The ENAC identifies items with energy characteristics that meet standards set by an approved third party, such as FEMP and EnergyStar.
United Nations Standard Products and Services Codes (UNSPSCs)
- The United Nations Standard Products and Services Code (UNSPSC) is a worldwide classification system for e-commerce. It contains more than 50,000 commodities, including many used in the federal sector, each with a unique eight-digit, four-level identification code. Manufacturers and vendors are beginning to adopt the UNSPSC classification convention, and electronic procurement systems are beginning to include UNSPSC tracking in their software packages. UNSPSCs can help the federal acquisition community identify product categories covered by federal requirements, track purchases of products within those categories, and report on progress toward saving energy costs or meeting other policy goals, e.g., domestic competitiveness.
- FEMP has developed a table of ENERGY STAR and FEMP-designated covered product categories and related UNSPSC numbers.
Other Purchasing Requirements
In addition to reviewing FEMP guidance on purchasing efficient, cost-saving products, buyers should consider compliance with the programs cited in FAR Part 23. These programs may cover related products including, but not limited to: heat transfer fluids, paints and coatings, lubricants, printer inks, and cleaning products which buyers may need to purchase to help with the installation, function, and maintenance of their energy-using products.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) BioPreferred Program was created to increase the purchase and use of biobased products. Federal law and the FAR direct that all federal agencies and their contractors purchase biobased products in categories identified by USDA. Review the 139 categories of biobased products.