GAO Highlights: Promoting Transparency in US Agencies' Use of Waivers to Domestic Preference Laws

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Buy American and other domestic preference laws require federal agencies to buy goods made in the U.S. These laws can be waived when a needed item isn't made here.

To improve transparency, a law required the General Services Administration to make a website for agencies to post such waivers. The Office of Management and Budget helped determine website elements and reviews the waivers.

GAO made 9 recommendations, including that GSA and OMB reach agreement on future updates.

GAO provides Congress and federal agencies with fact-based, non-partisan information that can improve government operations and save taxpayers billions of dollars.

Join us on July 25, 2025, as our guest speakers discuss their findings and recommendations in the Federal Contracting: Opportunities Exist to Improve the Reporting of Waivers to Domestic Preference Laws (GAO-24-106166) report.

Event Date: 25 July 2025
Event Time: 12:00 p.m. -1:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time
CLPs: 1

SPEAKERS:

Cheryl Andrew

Assistant Director, U.S. Government Accountability Office, Contracting & National Security Acquisitions mission team

Cheryl Andrew has been employed by the U.S. Government Accountability Office for 36 years. She is currently an Assistant Director in GAO’s Contracting & National Security Acquisitions mission team. Over the past 25 years, she has led GAO’s work on a variety of topics, including best practices for product development; the acquisition workforce; the KC-46, VC-25, MQ-4, and MQ-25 weapons acquisition programs; and the defense industrial base.

Sameena Ismailjee
Analyst in Charge, Senior Analyst, U.S. Government Accountability Office, Contracting & National Security Acquisitions mission team

Sameena Ismailjee has been with the U.S. Government Accountability Office for 15 years. She is currently a Senior Analyst in GAO’s Contracting & National Security Acquisitions mission team. During her career, she has worked in several key portfolios including defense industrial base issues and evaluations of DOD acquisition programs.

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GAO Highlights: Promoting Transparency in US Agencies' Use of Waivers to Domestic Preference Laws

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