The Framework provides a transparent, fair and consistent approach to assessing marketplace standards and ecolabels for environmental sustainability and for potential inclusion into EPA's Recommendations of Specifications, Standards and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing. EPA's Recommendations help federal purchasers identify and procure more sustainable products and services and enable progress towards the Federal Sustainability Plan. The Framework encourages continuous improvement of sustainability approaches and other criteria within standards and ecolabels and the products and services that they address.