10 USC 2532 - Offset Policy; Notification

(a) Establishment of Offset Policy.—The President shall establish, consistent with the requirements of this section, a comprehensive policy with respect to contractual offset arrangements in connection with the purchase of defense equipment or supplies which addresses the following:

(1) Transfer of technology in connection with offset arrangements.

(2) Application of offset arrangements, including cases in which United States funds are used to finance the purchase by a foreign government.

(3) Effects of offset arrangements on specific subsectors of the industrial base of the United States and for preventing or ameliorating any serious adverse effects on such subsectors.

(b) Technology Transfer.—(1) No official of the United States may enter into a memorandum of understanding or other agreement with a foreign government that would require the transfer of United States defense technology to a foreign country or a foreign firm in connection with a contract that is subject to an offset arrangement if the implementation of such memorandum or agreement would significantly and adversely affect the defense industrial base of the United States and would result in a substantial financial loss to a United States firm.

(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply in the case of a memorandum of understanding or agreement described in paragraph (1) if the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of State, determines that a transfer of United States defense technology pursuant to such understanding or agreement will result in strengthening the national security of the United States and so certifies to Congress.

(3) If a United States firm is required under the terms of a memorandum of understanding, or other agreement entered into by the United States with a foreign country, to transfer defense technology to a foreign country, the United States firm may protest the determination to the Secretary of Defense on the grounds that the transfer of such technology would adversely affect the defense industrial base of the United States and would result in substantial financial loss to the protesting firm. The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of State, shall make the final determination of the validity of the protesting firm's claim.

(c) Notification Regarding Offsets.—If at any time a United States firm enters into a contract for the sale of a weapon system or defense-related item to a foreign country or foreign firm and such contract is subject to an offset arrangement exceeding $50,000,000 in value, such firm shall notify the Secretary of Defense of the proposed sale. Notification shall be made under this subsection in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce.

(d) Definitions.—In this section:

(1) The term "United States firm" means a business entity that performs substantially all of its manufacturing, production, and research and development activities in the United States.

(2) The term "foreign firm" means a business entity other than a United States firm.

(Added Pub. L. 100–456, div. A, title VIII, §825(b), Sept. 29, 1988, 102 Stat. 2020, §2505; renumbered §2532, Pub. L. 102–484, div. D, title XLII, §4202(a), Oct. 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 2659.)

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Last modified: October 26, 2015