Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters Report on Buy American Exemption

The Buy American exemption for Canadian-based suppliers that was announced earlier this month was the conclusion of a long, and perhaps even at times difficult, negotiation process with U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk’s negotiation team.

Given the announcement on February 12th that the United States and Canada had reached an accord, we postponed Part 3 in our “Seven Steps to Success: Jump Start Government Contract Series” with Washington-based expert author Judy Bradt to air in its place the “Buy American Special: Open Skies For Canadian Firms.”

During the segment, we were able to delve into the specific details of the agreement including what it really meant to Canadian firms looking to either maintain existing or pursue new business opportunities within the public sector south of the border.

In our ongoing efforts to provide the most comprehensive coverage possible, Judy Bradt has provided us with the just released Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters “CME” Question and Answer paper relating to the Buy American exemption.

Given that the combined purchasing power at the Federal, State and Local Government levels account for approximately 20 percent of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product, or $1 Trillion each year, the CME-authored paper should prove to be a useful resource for intrepid Canadian companies wanting to gain meaningful access to this sizable market.

Once you have had the opportunity to review the CME paper and avail yourself of the resource links made available on the final page, Judy Bradt indicated that she would be more than happy to answer any of your questions regarding the Buy American exemption.

Use the following link to access the PDF version of the CME Buy American Paper.

(Note: This article can also be accessed through the Essential Connections Blog)