Briefings
Articles
Educational notes on waivers, BABA, and the desk that watches official listings. Pair them with the Flagcup tools or a paid subscription.
September 14, 2026
BABA manufactured products: the 55% component-cost test
How BABA’s manufactured-product rule works under 2 CFR Part 184 — U.S. manufacture plus greater-than-55% domestic component cost, vs iron/steel and construction materials.
Read articleSeptember 10, 2026
BABA construction materials: what counts (and what doesn’t)
What 2 CFR Part 184 treats as a BABA construction material — the listed items, the all-U.S. manufacturing test, how that differs from iron/steel and the 55% component rule, and the 70917(c) cement carve-out.
Read articleSeptember 9, 2026
BABA basics for infrastructure projects
A plain-language briefing on Build America, Buy America — iron and steel, manufactured products, construction materials, the 55 percent component test, and how it differs from older Buy America rules.
Read articleSeptember 9, 2026
FHWA Buy America nonavailability waivers: what mills and primes should watch
How 23 U.S.C. 313 nonavailability waivers differ from BABA and Made in America Office listings, why the comment window matters, and what a domestic mill, fabricator, or prime should check in an FHWA notice.
Read articleSeptember 9, 2026
How Buy America and Made in America waivers work
A practical briefing on proposed, approved, and denied Buy America and BABA waivers — who posts them, what a comment window is, and why domestic suppliers watch the listing.
Read articleSeptember 9, 2026
How a waiver desk helps domestic suppliers
Why mills, fabricators, and distributors watch Made in America and FHWA waiver postings — and how a short desk note turns a comment window into a chance to keep the order domestic.
Read article