Reframing Resilience Webinar

The “Buy American” statute says products bought with taxpayer dollars must be “substantially made” in the U.S.  Today, products could qualify if just 55% of the value of their component parts was manufactured here.  The U.S. administration is proposing an immediate increase of the threshold to 60% and a phased increase to 75%.  It claims that this change will create more opportunities for small- and medium-sized manufacturers and their employees from all parts of the country.  Some think tanks counter that significant changes to the domestic content requirements and price preferences for domestic products may require U.S. companies to alter their supply chains in order to meet the higher thresholds, and that this ultimately could undermine U.S. companies’ global competitiveness.  For economic developers this may also mean that recruiting international companies in manufacturing, distribution, and services that sell to the public sector can become harder.

HBS international business attorney John Parkerson will join a panel of economic development and industry experts in a by-invitation Reframing Resilience virtual discussion on September 29 to take a look at the opportunities and threats that organizations and economic developers may be facing with the passing of this act.  Sitting at the virtual table will be companies, economic developers, local government, international consulates, trade offices, bi-national chambers, ecosystem enablers, and business professionals.  Discussion co-sponsors are Pendleton Consulting Group, Global Atlanta and Hall Booth Smith, P.C.  Please let John Parkerson jparkerson@hallboothsmith.com know if you are interested in being an active participant in that topic’s discussion.