FSSI OS4 Sustainable Solutions

The FSSI Office Supplies Fourth Generation (OS4) acquisition solution makes identifying and buying environmentally sustainable products easy, including U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency designated recycled content products. FSSI OS4 vendors offer a wide variety of compliant products, including:

• Inks;
• Recycled content paper;
• Shipping and packing materials;
• Toners; and
• Writing utensils.

Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines

Under the Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG) program, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designates products that are or can be made with recovered materials and recommends practices for buying these products (minimum content levels). Agencies are required to purchase a designated product with the highest recovered material content level practicable. Buying recycled content products helps to ensure that the materials collected in home and office recycling programs will be used again in the manufacturing of new products. Examples include:

• Binders;
• Clipboards;
• Clip portfolios;
• File folders;
• Office paper products;
• Office recycling containers;
• Office waste receptacles;
• Presentation folders;
• Printer ribbons;
• Plastic desktop accessories;
• Plastic envelopes;
• Plastic trash bags; and
• Toner cartridges.

Identify Green Purchasing Requirements with the Green Procurement Compilation

Visit the GSA Green Procurement Compilation (GPC) to find out which types of sustainable products are required for federal purchase. The GPC helps users identify applicable green purchasing requirements by consolidating and organizing information from multiple federal environmental programs in one convenient location. Simply browse or search for a product to find:

• Applicable requirements; 
• Sample solicitation language; 
• Environmental program links; and
• Additional guidance.

Find Sustainable Products on GSA Advantage!®

GSA Advantage!®, GSA’s online shopping portal, makes it easy for buyers to identify environmentally sustainable products. FSSI OS4 vendors should identify sustainable products using various environmental symbols or icons. Just look for the “BioPreferred” or “CPG” symbols next to a product to make sure you’re buying green. You can also limit your search results to sustainable products by selecting the appropriate environmental icon with the advanced search function. Always be sure to verify with the vendor that the product meets applicable environmental requirements prior to placing your order since there may be inaccurate listings.