Forum: Advancing sustainable federal procurement

Agenda

Thursday, March 10, 2-4pm ET

• 2:00-2:15 p.m. ET: Opportunities presented by the new federal policy for sustainable purchasing
  • Overview of the new federal procurement policy
  • Opportunities for alternatives to PFAS-containing products
  • Goals for the forum.
• 2:15-3:15 p.m. ET: Discussion – identify obstacles and challenges relating to sustainable business marketing to the federal government
  • GSA initiatives and schedules
  • Business opportunities and access
  • Actions that business would like to see from government
• 3:15-4 p.m. ET: Listening session with government leaders 
  • Participants discuss actions to advance sustainable federal procurement

Participants and background materials below.

Background

The purpose of this forum is to engage sustainable business leaders in government efforts to move toward a sustainability-centered procurement system, and ultimately to help President Biden's E.O. 14057 succeed. The new directive presents a historic opportunity for marketing “PFAS free” products to the government, especially for suppliers of carpeting, floor treatments, furniture, textiles, cookware, firefighting turnout gear and other product categories. The forum will identify actions and next steps for sustainable and PFAS-free federal procurement. 

Participants

Businesses

Gabe Wing

Director of Sustainability, Miller Knoll

Lisa Brunie-McDermott

Safety and Sustainability Director, HNI Corporation

Phantila Phataraprasit

Co-founder, Sabai Design

Martin Wolf

Director of Sustainability and Authenticity, Seventh Generation

Connie Hensler

Global Director Environmental Management and Product Stewardship, Interface

Kristine Waldren

Senior Director of Corporate Communication, ECOS

Patrick Shelton

Vice President of Sales, Valdese Weavers

Jennifer Gwynn

Vice President of Product Assurance, Valdese Weavers

Jacob Maurer

CEO, The Cookware Company

Robb Ginter

Vice President Marketing & Creative, The Cookware Company

Seth Eshelman

Principal & Founder, Staach

Participants

Associations and advocates

David Levine

President, American Sustainable Business Network

John Reeder

Vice President for Federal Affairs, Environmental Working Group

Arlene Blum

President, Green Science Policy Institute

Steve Kooy

Technical Director, Health and Sustainability, BIFMA

Liz Hitchcock

Director of Safer Chemicals Healthy Families, Toxic-Free Future

John Ullman

Executive Director, Health Care Without Harm U.S.

Camille Cannistraci

Deputy Director, New York Sustainable Business Council

Participants

Government

Dee Siegel

Deputy Chief Sustainability Officer, Council on Environmental Quality

Jennie Romer

Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pollution Prevention, Environmental Protection Agency

David Asiello

Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Environment & Energy Resilience), Department of Defense

Jeff Koses

Senior Procurement Executive and Deputy Chief Acquisition Officer, General Services Administration