Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center

Industry seeks easy fixes to lengthy, redundant vetting process for DHS contractors

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Industry is pushing members of Congress to help the Homeland Security Department address a series of major roadblocks that companies have with the agency’s long, confusing and redundant process for vetting contractor personnel.

Most members of industry and Congress agree: the governmentwide security clearance process, which recently made its way back on the Government Accountability Office’s biennial High-Risk List, has its many challenges.

But the least DHS could do, industry said, is standardize and simplify the requirements it uses to determine whether contracting personnel are fit to work on behalf of the agency.

“We want them standardized,” Marc Pearl, president and CEO of the Homeland Security and Defense Business Council, said Tuesday at a hearing on the DHS vetting process.

Keep reading this article at: https://federalnewsradio.com/workforce/2018/02/industry-seeks-easy-fixes-to-lengthy-redundant-vetting-process-for-dhs-contractors/

Ecolabeling could be a way to reach ‘green’ consumers

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To differentiate your product or service as environmentally sound, you may want to obtain certification from an independent, third-party so that you can include their logo or “ecolabel” on your product’s label and other marketing materials. Ecolabeling is important way to market your product to green consumers.

"Ecolabels" identify overall, proven environmental preference of a product or service within a specific product/service category. In contrast to "green" symbols, or claim statements developed by manufacturers and service providers, the most credible labels are based on life cycle considerations; they are awarded by an impartial third-party in relation to certain products or services that are independently determined to meet transparent environmental leadership criteria.
“Ecolabels” identify overall, proven environmental preference of a product or service within a specific product/service category. In contrast to “green” symbols, or claim statements developed by manufacturers and service providers, the most credible ecolabels are based on life-cycle considerations.  They are awarded by an impartial third-party in relation to certain products or services that are independently determined to meet transparent environmental leadership criteria.

Federal Ecolabeling and Certification Programs

  • USDA Organic: Organic certification verifies that your farm or handling facility complies with the USDA organic regulations and allows you to sell, label, and represent your products as organic.
  • USDA Biopreferred: This label is for biobased products. Biobased products are commercial or industrial products (other than food or feed) that are composed in whole, or in significant part, of biological products, renewable agricultural materials or forestry materials.
  • Energy Star: Products can earn the Energy Star label by meeting the energy efficiency requirements set forth in Energy Star product specifications.
  • Design for the Environment: The Design for the Environment label means that EPA scientists have evaluated every ingredient in the product to ensure it meets stringent criteria.
  • WaterSense: The WaterSense label allows consumers to recognize products and programs that save water without sacrificing performance or quality.
  • EPEAT: EPEAT uses comprehensive criteria for design, production, energy use and recycling. EPEAT currently covers computers and displays; imaging equipment and television standards are currently being implemented and server standard development will continue in 2013.
  • Other Federal Green Product Programs

Non-Governmental Ecolabeling Programs

Non-governmental ecolabeling programs vary widely in their scope and stringency. Before applying to a specific ecolabel program, research the label and ensure that you understand the terminology involved.

Source: https://www.sba.gov/content/green-certification-and-ecolabeling 

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