January 2018 

Issue #8 v.2

Managing Supply Chain Risks

Extreme heat waves, tropical storms, hurricanes and wildfires— these are just some of the risks that can affect timely delivery of mission-critical supplies and services to Federal agencies. GSA has developed a supply chain risk management framework to help agencies assess these risks and whether changes to existing risk management practices may be necessary.

Responsible Business Conduct

Private sector companies have learned the hard way that violations like child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking can be hard to detect, especially when sourcing goods internationally. GSA has created a website on responsible business conduct that provides best practices and resources for incorporating responsible business conduct into procurements.

New Supply Chain Tool Highlights Risks and Savings

Over $306 billion. That was the record-breaking cost to the U.S. economy of weather and climate-related disasters in 2017, according to NOAA. Add to that the over $1.8 billion that Federal suppliers saved from energy efficiency in 2017, and it’s a powerful case for companies to invest in climate-related risk mitigation, energy efficiency, and sustainable energy.

GSA is highlighting such investments with the new GSA Federal Supplier Energy and Risk Management (ERM) Tool, a voluntary collaboration between the federal government and its suppliers to create a more resilient and efficient supply chain.

The Supplier ERM Tool encourages Federal suppliers to publicly report on cost-saving business practices related to energy use and climate-related risks. With the Supplier ERM Tool, agency buyers can see each company’s practices and how much they’re saving. Companies can compare their practices to their peers. And with a rich visualization of Federal spending, the public can see how government is spending money, and how suppliers are cutting waste and pollution.

As one of the largest purchasers of goods and services in the world, GSA is in a unique position to collaborate with industry. Businesses across the globe are already realizing cost-saving, waste-reducing efficiencies and competitive advantages while decreasing pollution. GSA’s Supplier ERM Tool leverages these private-sector best practices to move the federal government toward a more efficient and resilient supply chain.

Jed S. Ela  serves as  a sustainable supply chain expert in OFHPB and leads the development and implementation of GSA’s annual sustainability plan.