How do FAR trade-agreement rules affect Buy American compliance?

When do trade agreements change Buy American treatment?

According to FAR 25.402, the Trade Agreements Act gives the President authority to waive the Buy American statute and other discriminatory provisions for eligible products from countries that have signed an international trade agreement with the United States or meet other listed criteria, including least developed country status. The President delegated that waiver authority to the U.S. Trade Representative. Where an acquisition is covered by the WTO GPA, a Free Trade Agreement, or the Israeli Trade Act, eligible products receive equal consideration with domestic offers. FAR 25.402 also makes acquisition value a trigger for coverage, and the U.S. Trade Representative revises most thresholds about every two years. For service acquisitions covered by trade agreements, the contracting officer determines origin by the country where the firm providing the services is established. The Trade Agreements clause at 52.225-5 then supplies the operative definitions, including designated country and designated country end product, for supply contracts covered by the rule.