Buy America Preference in Federal Financial Assistance Programs for Infrastructure – RESTORE Act
On November 15, 2021, President Biden signed into law the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (“IIJA”), Pub. L. No. 117-58, which includes the Build America, Buy America Act (“the Act”). Pub. L. No. 117-58, §§ 70901-52. The Act strengthens Made in America Laws and will bolster America’s industrial base, protect national security, and support high-paying jobs. The Act requires that no later than May 14, 2022—180 days after the enactment of the IIJA—the head of each covered Federal agency shall ensure that “none of the funds made available for a Federal financial assistance program for infrastructure, including each deficient program, may be obligated for a project unless all of the iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used in the project are produced in the United States.”
Buy America preference resources
- Treasury Office of Gulf Coast Restoration BUILD AMERICA, BUY AMERICA ACT, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR RESTORE DIRECT COMPONENT RECIPIENTS_(Word Version)
- Treasury Office of Gulf Coast Restoration BUILD AMERICA, BUY AMERICA ACT, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR RESTORE DIRECT COMPONENT RECIPIENTS _(PDF Version)
- 2 CFR 200 Part 184 – Applies to Infrastructure Awards/Amendments Obligated On or After October 23, 2023
- OMB Memorandum M-22-11 titled, “Initial Implementation Guidance on Application of Buy America Preference in Federal Financial Assistance Programs for Infrastructure” - Replaced by 2 CFR 200 Part 184
- Treasury Office of Gulf Coast Restoration Buy America Preference FAQs (September 2022)
- BABAA Waiver Request Information Form - Part I
- BABAA Waiver Request Information Form - Part II
RESTORE Act - Buy America Waivers
APPROVED WAIVERS
NEW Treasury OGCR Response to Comments - Pipeline Waiver
Effective Date: February 17, 2023
WAIVER REQUESTS RECEIVED BY TREASURY
No waiver requests are currently under review by Treasury.
EXPIRED WAIVERS
Treasury RESTORE Act, Direct Component Program General Applicability Public Interest Adjustment Period Waiver
Adjustment Period Waiver - This waiver was effective from July 13, 2022 to January 12, 2023.
Treasury OGCR Response to Comments
Buy America Preference in Federal Financial Assistance Programs for Infrastructure – Waiver Requests
Each RESTORE Act, Direct Component eligible state or local governmental entity that receives a grant from the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund for a for a infrastructure project is required to use iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials produced in the United States in the construction of its project. Subrecipients are required to comply with the terms and conditions of the Federal award, including the BAP requirements which flow down to the subaward.
If the recipient can justify a claim made under one of the categories below, a waiver may be granted, which will also apply to its subawards. Until a waiver is granted by Treasury, Recipients must comply with the Buy America Preference requirements as described in the Act.
Pursuant to Section 70914(b) of the Act, the head of a Federal agency may waive the application of a Buy America preference for an infrastructure project in any case in which the head of the Federal agency finds that—
(1) applying the domestic content procurement preference would be inconsistent with the public interest (a “public interest waiver”);
(2) types of iron, steel, manufactured products, or construction materials are not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities or of a satisfactory quality (a “nonavailability waiver”); or
(3) the inclusion of iron, steel, manufactured products, or construction materials produced in the United States will increase the cost of the overall project by more than 25 percent (an “unreasonable cost waiver”).
Federal agencies are responsible for processing and approving all waivers, including waivers requested by recipients and on behalf of subrecipients.
RESTORE Act - Buy America Working group
Treasury Office of Gulf Coast Restoration Buy America Implementation Working Group
On June 9, 2022, OGCR will begin holding bi-monthly meetings of the RESTORE Act Buy America Implementation Working Group comprised of RESTORE Act, Direct Component grant recipients, subrecipients, and contractors to fill knowledge gaps and plan for implementation of Buy America Preference. The Working Group efforts will include, but not be limited to:
- Identify and list common RESTORE Act, Direct Component construction project types and coordinate with OMB to clarify what Direct Component eligible project types qualify as “infrastructure” as defined under the Act;
- Identify and list common iron and steel products, construction materials, and manufactured products used for RESTORE Act, Direct Component construction projects to better understand the ongoing demand for domestically produced products in the Gulf Coast Region and the categories of iron and steel products, manufactured products, and/or construction materials that may not be available in the U.S.;
- Assess the need for other public interest waivers, including small grant and de minimis waivers;
- Scope product needs and develop draft processes and new information collections to request project-specific nonavailability or unreasonable cost waivers to ensure that waivers are balanced, practical, and efficient tools to ensure projects stay on time, on task and on budget;
- Develop new information collections to demonstrate compliance with the BAP requirements, so that the OGCR may initiate any Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) clearance required for a new information collection; and
- Evaluate the recipients’ capacity for implementing the new BAP requirements, and their needs for additional guidance for recipients, their subrecipients, and contractors regarding how to implement the BAP requirements and ensure their compliance with the law.
Definitions from the Act
Construction materials - includes an article, material, or supply—other than an item of primarily iron or steel; a manufactured product; cement and cementitious materials; aggregates such as stone, sand, or gravel; or aggregate binding agents or additives—that is or consists primarily of:
- non-ferrous metals;
- plastic and polymer-based products (including polyvinylchloride, composite building materials, and polymers used in fiber optic cables);
- glass (including optic glass);
- lumber; or
- drywall.
Infrastructure – The Act’s definition encompasses public infrastructure projects and includes, at a minimum, the structures, facilities, and equipment for, in the United States, roads, highways, and bridges; public transportation; dams, ports, harbors, and other maritime facilities; intercity passenger and freight railroads; freight and intermodal facilities; airports; water systems, including drinking water and wastewater systems; electrical transmission facilities and systems; utilities; broadband infrastructure; and buildings and real property.
Project - is the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of infrastructure in the United States.
Domestic content procurement preference - means all iron and steel used in the project are produced in the United States; the manufactured products used in the project are produced in the United States; or the construction materials used in the project are produced in the United States.
Treasury is working with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Made in America Office (MIAO) to identify, develop, and publish additional definitions to terms that further describe how Buy America Preference requirements apply to the RESTORE Act, Direct Component program.