Voluntary Labeling Program for Certified Biobased Products

Login to BioPreferred Company Tools

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Access www.biopreferred.gov and
click on the “Tools” tab.
Note: “Tools” is the entry point for
businesses to enter products, apply
for label, manage labels, etc.

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Click on “Login” and enter your User
ID and password.

Register Your Company

Click on “Register My Company.”
Note: If additional individuals within your
company need access to BioPreferred
Company Tools, they will use “Request
Access to My Company.” As the individual
initially registering company information,
you will be the “administrator” for your
company and will approve access for
others in your company.

Register Your Company

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Enter Company Name and then
click on “Next” in the lower right
hand corner.
After entering Company name,
you will have the option to enter
Equal Employment Opportunity
and Civil Rights (EEOCR)
information.
You will enter additional
company information on a series
of screens. Click on “Next” to
move from one screen to the
next. Then click on “Finish.”

Company Tools Main Menu
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Once you have registered your company, you will be directed to the
Company Tools menu. This menu allows you to enter products,
apply for certification, and manage labels for certified products.
The navigation bar to the left allows you to move within Company
Tools.

DECISION POINT!
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Before proceeding, you need to determine if you are going to enter
information for a stand alone product or for a product family.
A stand alone product is marketed or sold under a single product
name. This type of product may have variations in size, weight,
color, scent, etc.
Product families have products that share the same formulation and
biobased content (within 3%) but are marketed differently
depending on characteristics such as size, shape, color, scent, etc.
Also, a product family is used for a single formulation when the
products have more than one use (e.g. lip balm and grease).
In either case, entering a stand alone product or creating a product
family (and then entering products within the family) is necessary to
determine if a product qualifies for mandatory federal purchasing
and to apply for certification/label. Products that are qualified
and/or certified will be included in the BioPreferred Catalog.

Enter a Stand Alone Product

Click on “Products” (in the navigation bar to the left) to
enter information for a stand alone product. See the
definition under Products in the Company Tools Menu
to determine if you have a stand alone product.
Note: Once you have entered products, click on
“Products” in the navigation bar to manage existing
products. Directions are provided later in this tutorial
for creating a product family.

Enter Stand Alone Product Information

Click on

Enter Stand Alone Product Information

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Click on “Add a Stand Alone Product.”
Click on “Next.”

Enter Stand Alone Product Information

Complete all of the information on this page.
Note: The product name should match how it
appears on its packaging, company website,
and company’s marketing materials.

Enter Stand Alone Product Information

DECISION POINT!
• If you wish to apply for
certification/label, at this time, click on
“I want to apply for certification.” You
may apply for certification at a later
time.
• Whether or not you apply for
certification at this time, click on “Next.”
Note: New product registrations are valid for
3 months and will expire unless the product
qualifies for mandatory federal purchasing
or unless a label application has been
submitted.

Enter Stand Alone Product Information

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Add product application details and
unique features of this product. This
information will be useful to
consumers and will help you
determine the most appropriate
product category or categories for
the product.
Click on “Next.”

Enter Stand Alone Product Information

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According to Program policy, all products
must demonstrate an innovative approach
to growing, harvesting, sourcing, procuring
processing, manufacturing, or application
of the biobased product.
Use the scroll bar to access the options for
“innovative approaches.”
Select the option or options that apply to
this product.
Click on “Next”

Enter Stand Alone Product Information

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Based on the information you entered for
this product, potential product categories
are displayed.
Use the scroll bar to view potential
options.
If the appropriate option(s) is not
displayed, click on “View More”
Select one or more product categories (4
categories maximum) based on the way
your company markets this product, and
then click on “Next”

Register Your Company

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If you chose “View More” on the previous
screen, additional product categories will
be displayed as pictured on this slide.
Use the scroll bar on the left to view
additional categories. (1)
To choose a category, highlight that
category on the menu to the left and then
click on the right arrow (2) to add the
category.

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Enter Stand Alone Product Information

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If your stand alone product has
variations in scent, size, color, shape,
or other, list them here.
Click on “Add Variation.”
Under the headings (Type,
Specification, Units), select from the
drop-down menus or enter
appropriate information regarding this
product’s variations.
If there are additional variations, click
on “Add Variations” until all variations
are entered.
Click on “Next.”

Enter Stand Alone Product Information

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If you wish for your product
information to be displayed in other
federal catalogs, click on “Yes.”
Provide a National Stock Number.
Click on “Next.”

Enter Stand Alone Product Information

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Enter the name of the product’s
manufacturer. This information will
not be displayed in the Catalog.
Click on “Next.”

Enter Stand Alone Product Information

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To include standards for which your
product has been tested, certified, or
approved, click on “Include one or more
standards to which [Product Name]
complies.”
Use the drop down menu to select the first
standard.
Use the “Add” button to include additional
standards.
Click on “Next.”

Note: Including applicable standards may
positively influence federal government and
consumer purchasing decisions.

Enter Stand Alone Product Information

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Review entered information and add
any other additional information such
as UPC.
Click on “Finish”.

Enter Stand Alone Product Information

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Congratulations, you have
successfully entered a product!
If you did not choose to apply for
certification at this time, the
product you entered and other
products you entered earlier, will
be displayed on this screen.
If you click on a product, you are
able to edit product information. If
you click on the product label tab
(see red arrow), you can apply for
certification.

Applying for Certification

The information displayed on this screen
provides an initial determination of whether
this product qualifies for mandatory federal
purchasing. In the example to the right, this
product qualifies for mandatory federal
purchasing and product information will be
displayed in the BioPreferred Catalog.

Note: If your product doesn’t meet the
minimum biobased content requirement for a
product category, then you will not be allowed
to proceed.
Terminology: Once a product receives
certification, it is eligible to display the USDA
Certified Biobased Product label.

Applying for Certification

Note: You will only see this screen if a
pesticide is selected as the product category.
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If your product is a pesticide, and if your
product has been registered with EPA,
click on the first box. You will then be
prompted to enter the Registration
Number and Signal word.
Click on “Next.”

Applying for Certification

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If both the product and its
packaging are biobased, and you
would like the label to indicate
the percentage biobased on the
product and package, click on
“[Product Name] requires
packaging indicators.”
Previously certified products for
your company will be listed.
Select the certified product that
applies.
Click on “Next.”

Applying for Certification

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Read and check each box certifying
and agreeing to the following
disclaimers.
Click on “Submit Application.”

Add Additional “Stand Alone” Products
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Congratulations! You have
completed the label application.

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Do not proceed until you have
been contacted by the
BioPreferred program
At this point, you are at the
Company Tools main menu.
Products you have entered are
displayed on the screen.
Using the navigation bar to the
left, you may enter information for
another product, apply for the
label for a product already
entered, or manage existing labels.
Add products by clicking on the

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