(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.
(2) “Environmentally preferable product or service” means a product or service that throughout the full life cycle of the product or service:
(i) is energy efficient, water efficient, biobased, nonozone depleting, made with recycled content, or nontoxic; or
(ii) has other attributes recognized as environmentally preferable by the Maryland Green Purchasing Committee.
(b) (1) To encourage the maximum purchase of environmentally preferable products and services, the Maryland Green Purchasing Committee established under § 14–410 of this subtitle shall establish environmentally preferable specifications to be adopted by State agencies.
(2) The environmentally preferable specifications shall be published and maintained online by the Maryland Green Purchasing Committee for use by State agencies.
(c) Each State unit shall review annually the procurement specifications currently used by the unit and, to the extent practicable:
(1) adopt the environmentally preferable specifications published by the Maryland Green Purchasing Committee; and
(2) revise the unit’s procurement specifications in accordance with § 14–410 of this subtitle.
(d) On or before September 1 of each year, each State unit shall report to the Department of General Services on the unit’s procurement of environmentally preferable products and services as a percentage of the unit’s gross purchases during the preceding fiscal year, including the types and quantities of products and services procured.
(e) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, this section is broadly applicable to all procurements by the State if the quality of the product or service is consistent with the requirements of the bid specifications.
(2) Only to the extent necessary to prevent the denial of federal money or eliminate the inconsistency with federal law, this section does not apply to a procurement by the State if the procurement officer determines that compliance with this section would:
(i) cause denial of federal money; or
(ii) be inconsistent with the requirements of federal law.
Structure Maryland Statutes
Division II - General Procurement Law
Subtitle 4 - Miscellaneous Purchasing Preferences
Section 14-401 - Reciprocal Preference for Resident Bidders
Section 14-401.1 - Reciprocal Preference for Resident Firms
Section 14-402 - Paper Procurement by Department of General Services
Section 14-403 - Low Noise Supplies
Section 14-404 - Coal in Heating Systems
Section 14-405 - Percentage Price Preference for Environmentally Preferable Products or Services
Section 14-406 - Preference for Mercury Free Products and Equipment
Section 14-407 - Percentage Price Preference for Locally Grown Foods
Section 14-408 - State Fleet Biodiesel Fuel or Other Approved Biofuel Usage
Section 14-409 - Use of Compost in Public Lands of the State
Section 14-410 - Maryland Green Purchasing Committee
Section 14-411 - Employee Uniforms and Equipment -- Place of Manufacture
Section 14-412 - Energy Efficient Outdoor Lighting Fixtures in State Buildings
Section 14-413 - Disclosure of Conflict Minerals Originated in Democratic Republic of Congo Required
Section 14-414 - Purchasing Electronic Products
Section 14-415 - Recycling Electronic Products