Understanding the Buy American and Build America, Buy America Acts — Featuring Insights from ASCI's Supply Chain Manager

By Dinorah Gaskill

If you’ve worked in federal procurement recently, you’ve likely felt the increased pressure to source domestically. The Buy American Act (BAA) and Build America, Buy America Act (BABA) aren’t just buzzwords—they’re shaping the way we operate.

At ASCI, these regulations play a central role in how we source, stock, and deliver materials to federal and defense customers through our General Services Administration (GSA) contract. But what do these acts really mean in practice? And what challenges do they create for supply chain professionals today?

We recently sat down with Steve Miller, ASCI’s Supply Chain Manager, to get a practical look at how BAA compliance works on the ground.

“The contract for GSA is for federal entities and the Department of Defense,” Steve explained. “Because of that, the contract states that we have to first try to buy or procure all of these materials from an American manufacturer. That’s what Buy American means.”

The intent is simple: use taxpayer money to support American industry. But in execution, things can get complicated.

When "Made in America" Isn’t an Option

Despite best efforts, not every product is readily available from U.S. sources. When that's the case, BAA regulations allow for procurement from countries with U.S. trade agreements—those deemed “Trade Agreements Act (TAA) compliant.”

“If we can’t buy American, we then need to source it from one of these countries,” Steve said, referencing the TAA list. “There were items that we could not find BAA or TAA compliant, and we routed that through GSA. In the end, we ended up removing those items from the contract.”

In some cases, certain products—like specialized electrical components or niche office supplies—are difficult to find in the U.S. or among TAA-compliant countries. While that list

includes many of the U.S.'s trading partners, not all manufacturing hubs make the cut.

COVID’s Lingering Impact on Sourcing

COVID-19 continues to cast a long shadow over global supply chains. Even now, in 2025, sourcing has not returned to pre-pandemic stability.

“COVID disrupted the whole supply chain,” Steve noted. “That was a challenge to find most items. And that still has some impact today—everything is not back to normal pre-COVID.”

That disruption magnified an already difficult reality: domestic sourcing doesn’t always align with market availability. Lead times are longer. Inventory buffers are tighter. And vendors that were reliable before 2020 may no longer be in business—or at least not producing the same volume.

How ASCI Is Responding

To stay ahead of shifting regulations and market constraints, ASCI has made compliance part of our procurement process.

• We prequalify vendors before onboarding, ensuring their goods meet BAA or TAA requirements.

• We maintain documentation that tracks the country of origin for every stocked item.

• We collaborate directly with GSA when product gaps or exceptions arise.

• And when compliance simply isn’t feasible, we remove non-compliant items rather than risk misalignment with federal procurement rules.

These systems have helped us build trust with both our federal clients and the agencies who audit these contracts.

Looking Ahead: BABA and Infrastructure Projects

While the BAA primarily governs direct federal procurement, the newer BABA expands these requirements to infrastructure projects that receive federal funding—even if they're managed by local or state entities.

That means agencies working on broadband, housing, or transportation projects must also ensure their materials—especially iron, steel, and construction goods—are U.S.-made.

As ASCI grows into more local and infrastructure-focused markets, understanding how BABA plays out in real-world projects will be just as important as our existing GSA knowledge.

Final Thoughts

The push to "Buy American" reflects a broader trend: making supply chains more resilient, more transparent, and more aligned with national priorities. But as Steve Miller’s experience shows that push comes with operational hurdles that require real-time problem solving, clear communication with agencies, and a willingness to adapt when the supply chain doesn’t cooperate.

“Everything is not back to normal,” Steve reminded us. But through preparation, process, and proactive strategy, ASCI continues to deliver—compliantly and reliably.

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ASCI specializes in helping businesses like yours to address supply chain management challenges. Visit our website to learn more and to arrange for a free consultation.