§205l Implementation in acquisition of construction services and materials for Federal facilities

Summary

Federal construction work must follow the applicable federal procurement rules and use market research to pick how designs are done. Agencies can ask for metric measurements for concrete masonry and recessed lighting. But they cannot demand parts that exist only in hard-metric sizes for projects inside the United States and its territories unless the agency head writes a justification. A written justification is allowed if the work is repair or replacement of parts on projects already built or being built when the Savings in Construction Act of 1996 took effect, or if two things are true: the parts must fit into 100 millimeter building modules, and the total installed cost of hard-metric parts is no higher than non-hard-metric parts based on real price data. For recessed lighting, a hard-metric requirement is also allowed if most voluntary industry standards already use hard-metric. The rule about hard-metric parts does not apply to work outside the United States and its territories. Each agency must name a senior construction metrication ombudsman to handle complaints from bidders, subcontractors, and suppliers about metric rules. The ombudsman must check whether metric use is practical, follows guidance, and does not harm U.S. firms. They must reply in writing within 60 days with a recommendation, consider availability and price of hard-metric items, share the agency’s decision publicly, and monitor implementation. This does not replace normal bid protest rights.