Jan. 17, 2023 - One of the most common questions we are asked is, "Are your displays TAA-compliant?" This is a simple, yet crucial question in the often-complex world of government contracting. We at GPO Display are happy to answer, "Yes!"
What does "TAA-compliant" mean?
The TAA is the Trade Agreement Act, signed into law in 1979 by President Jimmy Carter. While the law is comprehensive in scope, addressing trade issues ranging from "cheese agreements" to the export of distilled spirits, its main purpose is to make international trade more open and fairer. One way that the TAA accomplishes this is by encouraging trade with certain designated countries. Readers may be familiar with this part of the law in the context of procuring AV equipment for federal government applications. To be TAA-compliant. the equipment must be manufactured, "significantly altered", or "substantially transformed" in a designated county.
As a manufacturer of TAA-compliant displays, we are required to provide certifications that our displays have, in fact, been significantly altered or produced in the USA or a TAA-designated country. We can provide these declarations of TAA compliance for all of our display models upon request.
Current TAA-compliant designated countries:
The list of designated countries includes countries with a free trade agreement, those that participate in the World Trade Organization Government Procurement Agreement, countries that are considered to be the "least developed countries" by the United Nations, and Caribbean basin countries.
For a list that was last updated October 2022, check out this page from Fed Sched.
Notable non-TAA-compliant designated countries include:
What does "significantly altered" or "substantially transformed" mean?
To be considered as altered, the product must be distinct or fundamentally changed from the original product. The product can be made from a combination of materials, but 50% of the production must be done in either the United States or a designated country.
Which GPO Display products are TAA- compliant?
All of our displays. Almost all of our displays (except for the largest sizes and certain custom-made displays) are assembled in the United States using components from South Korea. This makes us fairly unique in the commercial display world.
Is TAA the same as "Buy American"?
The TAA should not be confused with the Buy American Act, which focuses on the procurement of domestic materials and products. In fact, the TAA allows eligible goods to be produced entirely in designated countries. This would still leave a majority of GPO Display's lineup as "Buy American" eligible.
It also should not be confused with NDAA Section 889, which restricts the purchase and use of telecom equipment and services from certain vendors. While Section 889 focuses on the national security risks posed by entities based in China, the TAA prohibits the procurement of equipment made in China on the grounds of international trade regulations. On this count too, GPO Display complies – we do not use components, products, or services from NDAA Section 889 covered entities.
Can GPO Display provide documentation on the TAA compliance of its displays?
Yes – Declarations of TAA Compliance are available upon request for any display model in our lineup! Just Contact Us and request a declaration for the model you need.
By Sareesha Nile
