Since 1933, the United States has created several laws that impact federal government procurement and support American manufacturing. In general, any company that wishes to sell to the government must conform to the Buy American Act (BAA) and/or the Trade Agreements Act (TAA).
- BAA: In order for manufactured items to qualify as a domestic end product, the cost of components mined, produced, or manufactured in the U.S. must be greater than 50% of the cost of the overall components found in the item.
- TAA: In order to be designated as a U.S.-made end product, items must be mined, produced, or manufactured in the U.S. or substantially transform offshore components in the U.S. into a new and different article of commerce with a name, character, or use distinct from the article or articles from which it was transformed.
There are a few other terms that are commonly associated with this ACT so to clarify:
- “Buy America” – separate from BAA – is the name given to provisions in the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2008 (ARRA) that generally restricted purchases of steel, iron, and associated manufactured products used in infrastructure projects to be produced or manufactured in the U.S.
- ARRA funding was required by the White House Office of Management & Budget (OMB) to be completed by Sept. 30, 2013 and is no longer applicable.
There are not a lot of manufacturers of BAA and TAA qualified LED tubes so it’s important to make the right decision. The brands we rep have years of proven performance at the following facility types: Air Force, Navy, Army, DOD, Federal Prisons, GSA buildings, VA Hospitals
If you would like more information or get a quote on our BAA and TAA LED Tube offering, head to our LED shop -> Buy American Act LED T8
As of now we are only offering LED tubes online that qualify, but if you have a need for any other lighting that meets either or both of these requirements, please contact us with specifics and we will put together a quote for you.