Bill Overview
Title: BuyAmerican.gov Act of 2021
Description: This bill establishes requirements related to federal agencies granting waivers to Buy American laws (generally, laws that require or encourage the purchase of domestic goods in federal contracts and other activities) and addresses related issues. For example, before granting such a waiver, the agency must, with some exceptions, submit a request with certain information about the waiver to the General Services Administration, which shall make the request available for public comment for at least 15 days.
Sponsors: Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals involved in U.S. federal procurement and related industries
Estimated Size: 5000000
- The BuyAmerican.gov Act affects entities and individuals involved in federal procurement, including manufacturers, suppliers, and workers.
- Buy American laws typically focus on increasing domestic manufacturing and employment by prioritizing American-made products in federal contracts.
- The act will likely impact U.S. industries that could potentially benefit from increased domestic demand due to restrictions on waivers.
- Global suppliers and manufacturers who export to the U.S. could be affected as the federal procurement process becomes more restrictive to foreign goods.
Reasoning
- The BuyAmerican.gov Act is likely to affect individuals and companies in industries related to manufacturing, technology, defense, and construction, as it alters how federal contracts prioritize domestically-made goods.
- The policy will directly impact U.S. manufacturers and suppliers by increasing demand for their products if they are domestically sourced.
- Companies and workers that rely on components from abroad may be negatively impacted if the waiver process becomes stricter.
- This policy will have a significant impact on federal procurement processes and potentially increase manufacturing jobs in America, but it may also raise costs for federal projects due to less competition from imported goods.
Simulated Interviews
Manufacturing Worker (Michigan)
Age: 42 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This act might help increase job security as our factory uses mostly American parts.
- I'm worried about possible increased pressure to cut costs if waivers are restricted.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Supply Chain Manager (California)
Age: 35 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The act could increase costs and lead to inefficiencies if we can't get waivers for critical components.
- We might need to find domestic suppliers, potentially affecting our supply chain.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 8 |
Small Business Owner (Texas)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Hopeful that this could bring more business as we manufacture locally.
- I'm concerned about the complexity of federal procurement processes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Procurement Specialist (New York)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This could mean more work if domestic sourcing requirements boost construction bids.
- It might complicate the bidding process with new waiver rules.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Retired Manufacturing Plant Manager (Ohio)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I've seen how policies like this can boost local economies, though they're not without flaws.
- It may or may not affect me directly now, but it feels significant nationwide.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Academic Economist (Minnesota)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- From an economic standpoint, this could bolster American manufacturing.
- There might be short-term economic trade-offs during the adjustment.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Policy Analyst (Illinois)
Age: 33 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy supports domestic growth but needs to be balanced against international relations.
- Monitoring its implementation will be crucial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Federal Contractor (Florida)
Age: 27 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This could improve my job prospects in federal projects that are awarded more due to domestic stipulations.
- I'm concerned about increased competition if more firms enter the space.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Government Procurement Officer (New Mexico)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This changes how we must vet and prioritize suppliers, adding complexity.
- It might protect jobs domestically but require expanding logistics overhead.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Technology Supplier (Arizona)
Age: 48 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Restrictions on waivers might push us to source more locally, which could either harm or help our business model.
- It's a challenge to adapt if we rely on imported tech components.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $7000000)
Year 2: $6000000 (Low: $4000000, High: $8000000)
Year 3: $7000000 (Low: $5000000, High: $9000000)
Year 5: $9000000 (Low: $7000000, High: $11000000)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- Compliance with the act will require coordination across multiple federal agencies to ensure adherence to new procedures and waiver solicitations.
- Impact on small businesses and SMEs participating in federal procurement must be monitored to ensure benefits are realized equitably.
- Global trade partners may be affected negatively due to stricter domestic-oriented procurement policies.
- The act may lead to positive shifts in domestic manufacturing trends, necessitating additional infrastructure and workforce development.