Sustainable Procurement Checklist

Cover scope (make-ready, capex, recurring vendor spend), the owner-disclosure stance, and how sustainability ranks against bid price. Reference IREM's Sustainable Property Operations guidance and the firm's NARPM commitments so the policy isn't written in a vacuum.

Pick targets the rent roll can actually report on: kWh per occupied unit, gallons per occupied unit, percent of repaints using low-VOC, percent of appliance replacements ENERGY STAR. Avoid aspirational targets that aren't measurable from AppFolio or Yardi data.

Update the onboarding packet: COI naming the property as additional insured, W-9, and the new sustainability questionnaire (waste handling, low-VOC product use, EPA Safer Choice or Green Seal certifications). The questionnaire is a screen, not a disqualifier — most local trades won't have certifications.

Verify the COI hasn't lapsed and that workers comp is current. Attach any Green Seal, EPA WaterSense Partner, or B Corp documentation the vendor provides. A lapsed COI on file leaves the manager personally exposed for vendor accidents on premises.

Score on product line (low-VOC, ENERGY STAR, WaterSense), waste handling, and labor practices. "Approve with conditions" is the realistic outcome for most local trades — the vendor is competent but needs to swap one or two SKUs.

Spell out the gaps with deadlines: which SKUs to swap, which certifications to obtain, the date the firm will re-score. Keep the tone collaborative — this is a vendor the firm wants to keep, not a wind-down.

Standardize on a Green Seal GS-11 line (Sherwin-Williams Harmony, Benjamin Moore Natura, or equivalent). The cost premium is roughly 10-15% per gallon and the indoor-air-quality benefit shortens the off-gas window before showings.

Applies to refrigerators, dishwashers, and in-unit laundry. The make-ready coordinator should not order a non-ENERGY STAR unit without an ops-level exception. Owner statements should distinguish appliance replacements (capex, depreciated) from a $400 disposal swap (repair, immediately deductible).

Default toilets to 1.28 gpf, showerheads to 1.8 gpm, faucet aerators to 1.5 gpm. The tenant doesn't notice the difference; the owner sees it on the water bill, especially in master-metered properties.

Compare 14 SEER baseline against 16+ SEER on a 12-year hold. Include any utility rebates and the federal 25C tax credit where it applies. Present TCO to owners alongside the upfront bid so the conversation isn't just sticker price.

Hallways, parking, exterior, and laundry. Most utility companies have a small-commercial rebate that covers 30-50% of fixture cost. Capture the rebate before specifying — many programs require pre-approval.

Pull master-metered electric, gas, and water against the prior quarter, normalized for occupancy. Flag any property up more than 10% for a maintenance review — runaway irrigation and failed toilet flappers are the usual culprits.

Score on response time, first-time fix rate, COI currency, and adherence to the approved-product list. "Below threshold" triggers a written improvement notice and a 60-day re-review before the firm pulls work.

Written notice with specific gaps, the 60-day cure window, and which work the vendor is paused from receiving in the meantime. Keep the file — if the firm later moves the work, the paper trail matters when the vendor pushes back.

One page per property: kWh and gallons per occupied unit year-over-year, percent of make-readies on the approved-product spec, capex captured by ENERGY STAR or WaterSense. Owners care about NOI impact; lead with the dollar effect, not the carbon.