HB0356 Summary

• Amends the Procurement of Domestic Products Act to add definitions for "commercially available off-the-shelf item" (from federal Title 41, Section 104), "component" and "cost of components" (from the federal Buy American Act of 1933)

• Expands the definition of "manufactured in the United States" to include: products mined or produced in the U.S., assembled articles where domestic components exceed 50% of total component costs and value-adding processes occur in the U.S., or commercially available off-the-shelf items

• Requires state purchasing agencies to specify and purchase U.S.-manufactured products unless an exemption applies, including when U.S. products exceed foreign-comparable products in price by 12% or more (requires written waiver from chief procurement officer)

• Maintains six exemptions from domestic product preference: unavailable quantities, price exceeds 12%, substantially lower quality, public interest concerns, telecommunications/security/internet service contracts, and FDA-regulated pharmaceutical and medical products

• Requires consideration of life-cycle costs including maintenance and repair when comparing prices of procured products