ABA PCLS Grant Law Committee Meeting (Online): Build America Buy America Act — Stringent New Domestic Sourcing Requirements

September 13, 2022, 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM (EDT) – ONLINE

Panel Slides

The ABA Public Contract Law Section’s Grant Law Committee is pleased to announce its September meeting, where we will have a panel discussion on the recent Build America Buy America (“BABA”) Act, a component of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (“IIJA”) enacted in 2021. As many of you will no doubt already be following, the new BABA rules (a) impose broadly applicable “Buy America” requirements on all “infrastructure” financial assistance awards moving forward, not just those funded by the IIJA, and (b) expand “Buy America” requirements beyond iron, steel, and manufactured products to a new category – “construction materials.” As federal agencies, state and local governments, and private entities grapple with implementation, this panel is intended to provide an overview of the requirements, key known or anticipated challenges, and discussion of possible solutions, from a wide array of perspectives. We are pleased to share that the following practitioners have graciously agreed to join us to share their views:

  • Wendel Askew, Office of General Counsel, Environmental Protection Agency
  • Joanne Hogan, Office of General Counsel, Environmental Protection Agency
  • Eike Klapper, European Union Diplomat
  • Christopher Yukins, George Washington University Law School

**As always, governmental practitioners are joining in their personal capacity and sharing only their personal views as knowledgeable observers in this important area. Also, we encourage dialogue with the panel from all perspectives, including, in particular, our State and Local Government colleagues who are grappling with this issue. Finally, we will provide legal updates and case summaries on matters of grant law at 11:30am (EDT), with the panel commencing at 12pm (EDT). In the interest of time for our presenters, our legal update materials will be provided only in writing at this meeting.

Please “RSVP” by registering at the link above. Also, please feel free to share this invitation with your grant-practitioner colleagues. We look forward to seeing everyone.

Posted on behalf of Scott Sheffler, ABA PCLS Grant Law Committee

Photo by Senior Airman Dennis Sloan, Joint Base Charleston Public Affairs