ITI: Biden Administration’s Updated Buy America Guidance Will Ultimately Hurt Americans
WASHINGTON – Today, global tech trade association ITI expressed disappointment following the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) failure to provide clarity or consider industry feedback in its final guidance on applying Build America, Buy America (BABA) requirements for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law:
“We’re deeply disappointed that the Biden Administration’s Build America, Buy America requirements in the infrastructure law fail to address some of the most pressing challenges raised by the technology industry and the broader business community,” said ITI’s President and CEO Jason Oxman. “This omission is not trivial, especially given the pivotal role technology plays in delivering effective, safe, and modern infrastructure projects to Americans like broadband access, clean drinking water, safe and reliable transportation, and more. Today’s most innovative technologies are largely developed and produced using established and secure global supply chains. The U.S. government’s restrictive domestic sourcing policies have not changed this reality; rather, BABA has contributed to infrastructure project delays and potentially significant increased project costs up to 25 percent. Industry has repeatedly cautioned the administration that failure to provide clear and consistent governmentwide guidance for applying BABA to commercial IT is unworkable and will ultimately hurt the American people who stand to benefit from these much-needed projects. We continue to urge the administration to truly engage with industry and seize the opportunity to deliver for Americans across the country.”
Over the past two years, ITI has offered multiple recommendations for how the Made in America Office can implement BABA in a manner that supports the procurement of the innovative technologies needed for infrastructure projects. Read more on ITI’s recommendations below:
- ITI President and CEO Jason Oxman’s Blog: Modernizing U.S. Infrastructure Means Leveraging the Global Supply Chain
- ITI-led Multi-Association Letter on OMB April 2022 Initial BABA Guidance
- ITI-led Multi-Association Letter to New MIAO Director
- ITI Comments on OMB Proposed Rule for BABA: Guidance for Grants and Agreements
- Coalition Letter to Biden Administration on BABA Implementation