Federal Highway Administration December 30, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice provides information regarding the FHWA's finding that a partial Buy America waiver is appropriate for the obligation of Federal-aid funds for 112 State requests regarding specific vehicle projects (including sedans, vans, pickups, SUVs, trucks, buses, and equipment, such as backhoes, street sweepers, tractors and low emission locomotives), including projects to retrofit vehicles with individual vehicle components, so long as they are assembled in the United States. The FHWA's Buy America requirements provide that 100 percent of all steel and iron comprising a predominantly steel and iron product that is permanently incorporated into a project must be domestically manufactured. With respect to vehicles, manufacturers typically assemble these products with many different components and subcomponents containing steel and iron. As a result, vehicles are typically referred to as being made where the final product rolls off the assembly line for delivery into the marketplace. The FHWA is unaware of any vehicle that is comprised of 100 percent domestically produced steel and iron, resulting in a need for a partial Buy America waiver for these projects to proceed.