Feds seek contractor emissions data

On May 25, the Defense Department, General Services Administration and NASA proposed a new rule for federal acquisition regulations that would require vendors to make their company's greenhouse emissions data available through the Systems for Awards Management.

The agencies want "an annual representation within the System for Award Management for vendors to indicate if and where they publicly disclose greenhouse gas emissions and greenhouse gas reduction goals or targets."

In a joint May 25 White House blog post on the proposed rule, the administration's Chief Acquisition Officer Anne Rung, Federal Chief Sustainability Officer, Christine Harada and Associate Director for Natural Resources, Energy, and Science, Ali Zaidi said the information gathered would help assess suppliers' greenhouse gas management practices and help agencies develop strategies to talk with contractors about ways to reduce supply chain emissions.

President Barack Obama issued an executive order on federal sustainability last March. The May 15 Federal Register notice said the proposed rules were part of that directive to engage contractors in ways to reduce supply chain emissions.

"There are significant existing demand drivers for disclosure of greenhouse gas emissions and climate-related risk data, including growing calls from investors, insurers, and institutions like the Financial Stability Board," said the joint blog post. The proposed FAR rule "sends another clear market signal that there is strong interest for disclosure of greenhouse gas emissions and climate-related risk data government-wide."