Sustainable Procurement: San Jose vs Santa Clara
How do sustainable procurement rules compare between San Jose, CA and Santa Clara, CA?
San Jose and Santa Clara have similar restriction levels.
San Jose, CA
Santa Clara County
San Jose's Sustainable Procurement Policy directs all departments to specify environmentally preferable products in contracts, including recycled-content paper, low-VOC supplies, EPEAT-rated electronics, and zero-emission fleet vehicles wherever commercially available.
View full San Jose rules →Santa Clara, CA
Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County's Sustainable Procurement Policy directs all departments to prioritize recycled-content, energy-efficient, low-toxicity, and locally sourced products. Procurement leads the county's transition to a zero-emission light-duty fleet under the OneSCC Sustainability Plan.
View full Santa Clara rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | San Jose | Santa Clara |
|---|---|---|
| Policy adopted | Sustainable Procurement 2017 | - |
| Fleet rule | Zero-emission light-duty replacements | Light-duty replacements zero-emission |
| Electronics standard | EPEAT-rated equipment required | EPEAT-rated required |
| Paper standard | Minimum recycled content | - |
| Coordinator | Environmental Services Department | - |
| Lead department | - | SCC Procurement Department |
| Policy framework | - | OneSCC Sustainability Plan |
| Construction rule | - | Recycled aggregate where feasible |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
San Jose FAQ
Does this apply to private businesses in San Jose?
Only when bidding on or fulfilling a city contract. Private purchases are unregulated, but vendors selling to the city must meet sustainable-product specifications written into solicitations and purchase orders.
Are gas-powered city vehicles still allowed?
Heavy-duty trucks and specialty equipment may still use combustion engines where zero-emission models are unavailable. Light-duty sedans, SUVs, and vans must be battery-electric or plug-in hybrid at fleet replacement.
Santa Clara FAQ
Does this policy apply to private businesses?
Only when bidding on or fulfilling a county contract. Private commerce is unregulated by the policy, but vendors selling to Santa Clara County must meet the sustainable specifications written into solicitations and master agreements.
Are diesel trucks still allowed in the county fleet?
Heavy-duty trucks and specialty equipment may still be diesel where zero-emission models are unavailable. Light-duty replacements must be battery-electric or plug-in hybrid, and the policy phases out new diesel passenger vehicles entirely going forward.
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