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Operation and Maintenance

The following resources are available to assist you in improving your electronics operation and maintenance practices.

Getting Started

Struggling to improve your electronics operation and maintenance? The following resources can help you assess your current asset management practices; plan and implement improvements; and educate your employees.

Improving Operation and Maintenance of Electronic Equipment (PDF, 136 KB)
This tool will guide you through some simple steps that your facility can take to improve the operation and maintenance of your electronics in three areas: energy conservation and efficiency; efficient use of imaging equipment; and extending product life.

Promotional Posters
These posters are available for partners to customize and post to educate employees about powering down computers at the end of each day, and double-sided copying and printing.

Compressed Air Dusters and Environmental Concerns (PDF, 90 KB)
This fact sheet reviews some of the environmental concerns related to compressed air dusters, which are commonly used to clean electronics, and some alternatives to using these dusters.

» See also: Total Cost of Ownership Tools, which can assist you to account for the indirect and direct life cycle costs related to an information technology (IT) investment decision.

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Energy Conservation

Did you know that a $10 to $100 annual cost savings opportunity may be sitting on nearly every desk in your organization? Energy conservation is a crucial component of responsible electronic operation and maintenance. The following resources provide information on ENERGY STAR® programs and guidance on how to utilize these programs to meet FEC goals.

Answers to Frequent Questions: "Enabling" ENERGY STAR® Features and Power Management (PDF, 53 KB)
This document defines what "enabled" means, with regard to ENERGY STAR qualified monitors and computers, and provides additional information about power management for federal organizations.

Power Management for Computers and Other Office Equipment: A Best Practices Resource Guide (PDF, 366 KB)
This resource guide addresses common questions that energy managers, facility managers, and IT administrators have about the power management of computers and other office equipment. It was developed for the State Electronics Challenge by the Northeast Recycling Council, Inc., with grant funding from the U.S. EPA Region 2.

Sample Language for Power Management and Powering Down Policies (PDF, 36 KB)
This document provides sample language for policies or guidance focused on implementing power management or powering down of computers and monitors.

Department Of Justice Information Technology Standard Power Management (PDF, 676 KB)
This standard provides minimum Department of Justice requirements for implementing power management features on desktop and laptop computers and monitors. This is an excellent example of a power management policy which outlines roles and responsibilities, implementation guidance, and a limited exemption process.

How Federal Agencies Can Comply with Energy-Efficiency Requirements for Office Equipment (PDF, 78 KB)
This ENERGY STAR fact sheet provides basic information for federal agencies on complying with energy efficiency requirements for office equipment.

» See also: ENERGY STAR® and Power Management Presentation (PDF, 67 KB), a presentation outlining power management and federal requirements, and strategies for implementing power management at your organization.

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Duplex Printing and Paper Usage

Department of State Printing Policy (PDF, 280 KB)
This policy and accompanying memo establishes the Department's policy on desktop printing, copying, scanning, print-related purchasing practices, and paper use. It contains exemplary language on duplexing, printer and paper acquisition, and network printing.

Bureau of Reclamation Paper Reduction and Duplex Implementation Requirements Memo (PDF, 78 KB)
This memo outlines an implementation strategy for enabling duplex printing and copying at the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation.

Think Before You Print Poster (PDF, 616 KB)
This poster, developed by the Bureau of Reclamation and referenced in the memo above, provides quick tips for reducing your printing footprint.

Carbon Footprint Sticker for Printer (PDF, 86 KB)
This sticker, developed by the Bureau of Reclamation and referenced in the memo above, can be placed on imaging equipment to notify users that it is set to duplex to conserve resources.

Automation of Duplex Printer Process Flow Diagram (PDF, 245 KB)
The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation developed this flow diagram to outline their process for automatically enabling duplexing across their network using a Windows Group Policy Object and a collection of Visual Basic scripts.

How to Print a Confidential Document Using a Pin Code (PDF, 736 KB)
This document outlines, with screenshots, how to send and print a confidential print job. The ability to print confidential jobs enables users with sensitive printing needs to utilize network printers.

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Extending the Life of Equipment

Extending the Life of Electronic Equipment (PDF, 47 KB)
This resource provides guidance to federal agencies and facilities on extending the life of electronic equipment in use at their organization.

Sample Policy for Four-Year Refresh Cycle (PDF, 55KB)
This is an example of a federal policy requiring a four-year refresh cycle for personal computers.

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