The Buy American Act looms large in federal government contracting. Generally, the statute requires contractors to supply domestic end products in supply contracts and use domestic construction materials in construction contracts. There are, of course, nuances to this general requirement. One of these is the Trade Agreements Act, which waives the Buy American Act for products and construction materials substantially transformed in certain countries when the contract exceeds a designated monetary threshold.
Despite its recognized status, the Buy American Act (and Trade Agreements Act) are often misunderstood or misapplied. Compliance questions abound.
We assist clients to understand their obligations under the Buy American Act and Trade Agreements Act. Sure, we handle all contract-specific questions related to these statues. But we also do more. For instance, we provide training sessions for client employees about the ins-and-out of these statutes to ensure that the organization fully grasps the statutes’ demands. Whatever the need, we stand ready to help navigate the sometimes-thorny questions posed by these domestic preference statutes.