EPA mulls marketplace for eco-conscious vendors

The Environmental Protection Agency is exploring ways to make it easier to contract with tech companies that use innovative development practices — and that care about the environment.

This week, the agency issued a request for information on a new Environmental Digital Services marketplace that would establish a pool of vendors that practice concepts like human-centered design, agile software development and DevOps, according to a post Thursday on the solicitation featured on 18F’s blog. EPA would also be “evaluating vendors based on their expertise in environmental business issues and their pattern of environmentally sustainable behavior,” according to the post.

“Vendors who qualify for this marketplace will then be able to bid on EPA contracts for digital services,” the post said.

Improving acquisition has been a priority for EPA Chief Technology Office Greg Godbout, a former executive director of 18F, where he helped set up a marketplace similar to what his new agency is considering. Earlier this year, Godbout told FedScoop he saw his position at EPA as a continuation of his work at 18F.

“It was very clear that the goal with 18F was to scale it,” he said. “I very much felt that to continue the cause, I needed to go inside an agency.”