§ 3201.5 - Category designation.

§ 3201.5 Category designation.

(a) Procedure. Designated product categories, designated intermediate ingredient or feedstock categories, and designated final product categories composed of qualifying intermediate ingredients or feedstocks are listed in subpart B of this part.

(1) In designating product categories, USDA will designate categories composed of generic groupings of specific products or complex assemblies and will identify the minimum biobased content for each listed category or subcategory. As product categories are designated for procurement preference, they will be added to subpart B of this part.

(2) In designating intermediate ingredient or feedstock categories, USDA will designate categories composed of generic groupings of specific intermediate ingredients or feedstocks, and will identify the minimum biobased content for each listed category or sub-category. As categories are designated for product qualification, they will be added to subpart B of this part. USDA encourages manufacturers and vendors of intermediate ingredients or feedstocks to provide USDA with information relevant to significant potential applications for intermediate ingredients or feedstocks, including estimates of typical formulation rates.

(3) During the process of designating intermediate ingredient or feedstock categories, USDA will also gather information on the various types of final products that are, or can be, made from those intermediate ingredients or feedstocks. Final products that fall within existing designated product categories will be subject to the minimum biobased content requirements for those product categories, as specified in subpart B of this part. New product categories that are identified during the information gathering process will be listed in the Federal Register proposed rule for designating the intermediate ingredient or feedstock categories. A minimum biobased content for each of the final product categories will also be identified based on the amount of designated intermediate ingredients or feedstocks such products contain. Public comment will be invited on the list of potential final product categories, and the minimum biobased content for each, as well as on the intermediate ingredient and feedstock categories being proposed for designation. Public comments on the list of potential final product categories will be considered, along with any additional information gathered by USDA, and the list will be finalized. When the final rule designating the intermediate ingredient or feedstock categories, by adding them to subpart B of this part, is published in the Federal Register, the list of final product categories will also be added to subpart B of this part. Once these final product categories are listed in subpart B of this part, they will become eligible for the Federal procurement preference.

(b) Considerations.

(1) In designating product categories and intermediate ingredient or feedstock categories, USDA will consider the availability of qualified biobased products and the economic and technological feasibility of using such products, including price. USDA will gather information on individual qualified biobased products within a category and extrapolate that information to the category level for consideration in designating categories.

(2) In designating product categories and intermediate ingredient or feedstock categories for the BioPreferred Program, USDA will consider as eligible only those products that use innovative approaches in the growing, harvesting, sourcing, procuring, processing, manufacturing, or application of the biobased product. USDA will consider products that meet one or more of the criteria in paragraphs (b)(2)(i) through (iv) of this section to be eligible for the BioPreferred Program. USDA will also consider other documentation of innovative approaches in the growing, harvesting, sourcing, procuring, processing, manufacturing, or application of biobased products on a case-by-case basis. USDA may exclude from the BioPreferred Program any products whose manufacturers are unable to provide USDA with the documentation necessary to verify claims that innovative approaches are used in the growing, harvesting, sourcing, procuring, processing, manufacturing, or application of their biobased products.

(i) Product applications.

(A) The biobased product or material is used or applied in applications that differ from historical applications; or

(B) The biobased product or material is grown, harvested, manufactured, processed, sourced, or applied in other innovative ways; or

(C) The biobased content of the product or material makes its composition different from products or material used for the same historical uses or applications.

(ii) Manufacturing and processing.

(A) The biobased product or material is manufactured or processed using renewable, biomass energy or using technology that is demonstrated to increase energy efficiency or reduce reliance on fossil-fuel based energy sources; or

(B) The biobased product or material is manufactured or processed with technologies that ensure high feedstock material recovery and use.

(iii) Environmental Product Declaration. The product has a current Environmental Product Declaration as defined by International Standard ISO 14025, Environmental Labels and Declarations - Type III Environmental Declarations - Principles and Procedures.

(iv) Raw material sourcing.

(A) The raw material used in the product is sourced from a Legal Source, a Responsible Source, or a Certified Source as designated by ASTM D7612-10, Standard Practice for Categorizing Wood and Wood-Based Products According to Their Fiber Sources; or

(B) The raw material used in the product is 100% resourced or recycled (such as material obtained from building deconstruction); or

(C) The raw material used in the product is from an urban environment and is acquired as a result of activities related to a natural disaster, land clearing, right-of-way maintenance, tree health improvement, or public safety.

(c) Exclusions. Motor vehicle fuels, heating oil, and electricity are excluded by statute from this program.

[79 FR 44655, Aug. 1, 2014, as amended at 80 FR 34029, June 15, 2015]