As prescribed in 25.1102(d),
(1) Insert the provision at 52.225-12, Notice of Buy American Requirement—Construction Materials under Trade Agreements, in solicitations containing the clause at 52.225-11.
(2) If insufficient time is available to process a determination regarding the inapplicability of the Buy American statute before receipt of offers, use the provision with its Alternate I.
(3) For acquisitions valued at $6,932,000 or more, but less than $10,441,216, use the provision with its Alternate II.
Notice of Buy American Requirement—Construction Materials Under Trade Agreements (Nov 2023) Alternate II (Nov 2023).
(a) Definitions. “Commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS) item,” “construction material,” “designated country construction material,” “domestic construction material,” and “foreign construction material,” and “Bahrainian, Mexican, or Omani construction material” as used in this provision, are defined in the clause of this solicitation entitled “Buy American—Construction Materials Under Trade Agreements” (Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clause 52.225-11).
(b) Requests for determination of inapplicability. An offeror requesting a determination regarding the inapplicability of the Buy American statute should submit the request to the Contracting Officer in time to allow a determination before submission of offers. The offeror shall include the information and applicable supporting data required by paragraphs (c) and (d) of FAR clause 52.225-11 in the request. If an offeror has not requested a determination regarding the inapplicability of the Buy American statute before submitting its offer, or has not received a response to a previous request, the offeror shall include the information and supporting data in the offer.
(c) Evaluation of offers.
(1) The Government will evaluate an offer requesting exception to the requirements of the Buy American statute, based on claimed unreasonable cost of domestic construction materials, by adding to the offered price the appropriate percentage of the cost of such foreign construction material, as specified in paragraph (b)(4)(i) of FAR clause 52.225-11.
(2) If evaluation results in a tie between an offeror that requested the substitution of foreign construction material based on unreasonable cost and an offeror that did not request an exception, the Contracting Officer will award to the offeror that did not request an exception based on unreasonable cost.
(d) Alternate offers.
(1) When an offer includes foreign construction material, except foreign construction material from a designated country other than Bahrain, Mexico, or Oman that is not listed by the Government in this solicitation in paragraph (b)(3) of FAR clause 52.225-11, the offeror also may submit an alternate offer based on use of equivalent domestic or designated country construction material other than Bahraini, Mexican, or Omani construction material.
(2) If an alternate offer is submitted, the offeror shall submit a separate Standard Form 1442 for the alternate offer, and a separate price comparison table prepared in accordance with paragraphs (c) and (d) of FAR clause 52.225-11 for the offer that is based on the use of any foreign construction material for which the Government has not yet determined an exception applies.
(3) If the Government determines that a particular exception requested in accordance with paragraph (c) of FAR clause 52.225-11 does not apply, the Government will evaluate only those offers based on use of the equivalent domestic or designated country construction material other than Bahraini, Mexican, or Omani construction material. An offer based on use of the foreign construction material for which an exception was requested—
(i) Will be rejected as nonresponsive if this acquisition is conducted by sealed bidding; or
(ii) May be accepted if revised during negotiations.
(End of provision)
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