I.  Background

On September 15, 2011, Armenia became a party to the World Trade Organization Government Procurement Agreement (WTO GPA). The Trade Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 2501 et seq.) provides the authority for the President to waive the Buy American Act and other discriminatory provisions for eligible products from countries that have signed an international trade agreement with the United States (such as the WTO GPA). The President has delegated this waiver authority to the U.S. Trade Representative (see FAR 25.402).

On September 22, 2011, because Armenia became a party to the WTO GPA and because the U.S. Trade Representative has determined that Armenia will provide appropriate reciprocal competitive Government procurement opportunities to United States products and services and suppliers of such products and services, the U.S. Trade Representative published a notice in the Federal Register (76 FR 58856) waiving the Buy American Act and other discriminatory provisions for eligible products from Armenia.

In addition, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has provided an updated list of countries that are party to the Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft. The U.S. Trade Representative has waived the Buy American Act for civil aircraft and related articles from countries that are parties to the Agreement on Trade on Civil Aircraft.