Comprehensive Procurement Guideline IV for Procurement of Products Containing Recovered Materials (CPG)
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) requires "procuring agencies" to buy recycled-content products designated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the Comprehensive Procurement Guideline IV for Procurement of Products Containing Recovered Materials (CPG). On April 30, 2004 the EPA ammended the CPG by designating seven new items that are or can be made with recycled materials - including rebuilt vehicular parts.The CPG was issued by the EPA under the authority of the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as ammended by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA). The April 30, 2004 ammendments to the CPG became effective on May 2, 2005.The RCRA requires the EPA to designate items that are or can be made with recycled materials (which the CPG addresses), and recommend practices to help procuring agencies meet their obligations under RCRA (which the Recovered Materials Advisory Notice IV [RMAN IV] addresses). RMAN IV also had an effective date of May 2, 2005.To be labeled ‘‘rebuilt’’ or ‘‘remanufactured,’’ a part must be processed in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Guides for the Rebuilt, Reconditioned and Other Used Automotive Parts Industry, 16 CFR Part 20.Who's affected by these regulations?In general, any "procuring agency" that purchases (among other things) rebuilt vehicular parts is required to comply only when the designated item exceeds a price of $10,000 or when the quantity of the item purchased in the previous year exceeded $10,000. Procuring agencies include (1) any federal agency, (2) any state or local agency using appropriated federal funds for a procurement, or (3) any contractors of these agencies who are procuring items for work they perform under the contract.Such agencies had until April 30, 2005 to revise their affirmative procurement programs to include the new items designated by the CPG IV. The RCRA requires that each procuring agency must procure items, "composed of the highest percentage of recovered material practicable consistent with maintaining a satisfactory level of competition, except in defined circumstances. These include a determination that the item (1) is not reasonably available within a reasonable period of time; (2) fails to meet applicable performance standards; and (3) is only available at an unreasonable price."
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