Feds Waive 'Buy America' for Train Parts Not Made Here
Published Date: 10/5/2026
Notice
Summary
The Federal Transit Administration is giving North County Transit District a special pass to buy some replacement parts for their 12 Siemens DMU trains without sticking to the usual 'Buy America' rules. This waiver starts October 5, 2026, because the needed parts aren’t made enough or good enough in the U.S. This helps NCTD keep their Sprinter trains running smoothly without delays or extra costs.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Buy America Waiver for Sprinter Parts
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is allowing North County Transit District (NCTD) to purchase certain replacement parts for its twelve Siemens Desiro diesel multiple unit (DMU) vehicles without meeting Buy America domestic preference rules. The waiver is effective October 5, 2026 and applies to the specific replacement parts identified in FTA's June 30, 2026 notice.
No U.S. Suppliers Found for 15 Parts
NCTD solicited 27 kinds of replacement parts on April 10, 2025. A single bidder said it could comply with Buy America for 12 parts but not for 15 parts, and the NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST‑MEP) identified no U.S. manufacturer matches, leading FTA to find those 15 parts are not produced in the United States in a sufficient and reasonably available amount or of satisfactory quality.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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