buy american

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Summary

On December 5, 2023, Seyfarth’s Amy Hoang will be a panelist on a Strafford Webinar detailing Build America, Buy America (BABA) requirements. This 90-minute CLE presentation (1:00 PM – 2:30 PM ET), will guide construction counsel through the BABA final guidance with notable revisions from the interim guidance. The panel will discuss how the final rule impacts construction contractors, including sourcing compliant materials, dealing with supply chain issues and increased costs, ensuring subcontractor compliance, and recordkeeping requirements. The panel will also discuss when and how to request a waiver and best practices for compliance. Those interested in attending may contact Ms. Hoang directly at ahoang@seyfarth.com or register here.Continue Reading Seyfarth’s Amy Hoang to Speak on Build America, Buy America Webinar

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On July 21, 2023, President Biden designated July 23-29, 2023, as “Made in America Week.”  This proclamation builds on the Biden Administration’s efforts to bolster domestic manufacturing through evolving policies attached to government funds that require contractors and suppliers to feature varying amounts of U.S.-made content in their products and services. To commemorate this week…

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More than a year has passed since Congress enacted the Build America, Buy America Act (“BABA”)—a sweeping change to domestic sourcing requirements for federally funded infrastructure projects. BABA, which was included as part of the November 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (“IIJA”), materially changes the way many companies must source supplies for federally-funded projects; however, implementation has not happened overnight. With a phased approach, piecemeal guidance from the federal government on how to interpret certain requirements, and a host of waivers that vary by agency, the implementation of BABA can be difficult to track. This post provides a refresher on BABA’s  requirements and a status update on how these requirements are being implemented on federally-funded infrastructure projects.Continue Reading What’s the Status of Buy American Requirements for Public Infrastructure Projects?

Executive Order 14005

Not even one week into the Biden Administration’s tenure, Buy American rules are yet again taking center stage as a fundamental policy objective. On January 25, 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order 14005 entitled “Ensuring the Future is Made in All of America by All of America’s Workers,” which sets forth the new Administration’s policy of utilizing the federal procurement process to maximize the use of goods, products, and materials that are US-origin. Executive Order 14005 takes aim at overhauling “Made in America Laws,” which it defines broadly as inclusive of all statutes, regulations, rules, and Executive Orders relating to federal financial assistance awards or federal procurement—known interchangeably as Buy America or Buy American rules—which provide a preference for purchase of domestic goods and materials that are US-origin. But unlike Executive Order 13788 issued by the Trump Administration making changes to Buy America rules, President Biden’s Executive Order 14005 does not make any immediate changes to those rules. Rather, it calls for a review of existing laws and implementing rules. That review, however, and what proposed changes in existing laws comes out of that review, could be significant.
Continue Reading Biden Administration Issues Executive Order 14005 Aimed at Strengthening Made in America Laws

Since taking office in 2017, President Trump has made no secret of his “Buy American, Hire American” initiative. The President recently took another step to promote American industry by signing an Executive Order on January 31, 2019, (the “Order”) which instructs all agencies to “maximize the use of iron and aluminum as well as steel, cement, and other manufactured products produced in the United States in contracts, sub-contracts, purchase orders, or sub-awards.”

This recent Order comes on the heels of Executive Order No. 13788, signed on April 28, 2017, which required federal agencies to “scrupulously monitor, enforce, and comply with Buy American laws, to the extent they apply, and minimize the use of waivers, consistent with applicable law.” Executive Order 13788 also mandated federal agency action on Buy American laws at specified dates, as well as subsequent reporting on implementation of Buy American laws. In short, agencies were instructed to follow the law and report back.
Continue Reading President Trump Issues Another Executive Order in Pursuit of Buy American Initiative