The Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council requests comment on minimizing the risk of climate change in Federal Procurement

On October 15, 2021, the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council (FAR Council) published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) requesting public input on ways that the Federal Acquisition Regulations could be amended in response to Executive Order 14030, Climate-Related Financial Risk (May 25, 2021, 86 FR 27967).  This EO requires the FAR Council to consider requiring major Federal suppliers to publicly disclose greenhouse gas emissions and climate-related financial risk. It also requires consideration of ways to leverage Federal procurements to “minimize the risk of climate change, including requiring the social cost of greenhouse gas emissions to be considered in procurement decisions and, where appropriate and feasible, give preference to bids and proposals from suppliers with a lower social cost of greenhouse gas emissions.”

As part of this ANPRM, the FAR Council specifically asks how consideration of the social cost of greenhouse gas emissions would impact small businesses and how the objectives of EO 14030 can be met while ensuring procurement opportunities for small businesses.

Comments are due on December 14, 2021.

• Read EO 14030 here.
• Read the ANPRM here.
• Comment on the ANPRM via regulations.gov. 
• For additional information, contact Major L. Clark, III, major.clark@sba.gov or 202-205-7150.