Federal Aviation 

Administration 

Memorandum 

Date: APR 2320lZ 

To: ~r~anagers 

From: Fr~Ma In, Manager, Airports Financial Assistance Division, APP-SOO 

Subject: ACTION: Waiver to Buy American Preference Requirements for Certain LED 

Airfield Lighting and Navigational Aid Equipment. 

The purpose ofthis memorandum is to notify you that the Federal Aviation Administration, 

Office of Airports Financial Assistance Division has waived Buy American Preference 

requirements found in 49 U.S.C. § 50101 for certain Light Emitting Diode (LED) airfield 

lighting and navigational aid equipment. 

Under 49 U.S.C. § 50101 (b)(2), the FAA may waive the Buy American Preferences if steel or 

manufactured goods are not produced in a sufficient or reasonable quantity in the United States. 

On December 13, 2011 the FAA issued a Federal Register Notice (76 FRN 67018) requesting 

manufacturers producing LED airfield lighting and navigational aid equipment to advise the 

FAA ofthe equipment they manufacture. Following a review of the responses, the FAA has 

determined that there is an insufficient quantity of LED airfield lighting and navigational aid 

equipment manufactured in the United States. In the past the FAA has concluded that when 

there are two or more manufacturers in a particular market sufficient quantity may exist and fair 

competition within the market can occur. Based on the information received following the 

publication ofthe Federal Register Notice, the FAA was not able to identify any manufacturers 

who can meet the Buy American requirements. As a result, the FAA is waiving the Buy 

American Preferences under 49 U.S.C. § 50101(b)(2) for the below manufacturers of airfield 

lighting and navigational aid equipment. This waiver is good until the FAA determines that a 

revaluation ofthe waiver status is necessary because of new entrants into the market. 

T e Manu acturer s 

L-850-A(L) Cooper Crouse-Hinds & Safegate Group (Pending FAA Certification) 

L-850-B(L) Cooper Crouse-Hinds & Safegate Group (Pending FAA Certification) 

L-852-A(L) Cooper Crouse-Hinds 

L-852-B(L) Cooper Crouse-Hinds 

L-852-CCL) Cooper Crouse-Hinds 

L-852-D(L) Cooper Crouse-Hinds 

L-852-J(L) Cooper Crouse-Hinds 

L-852-K(L) Cooper Crouse-Hinds & Safegate Group 

L-880(L),88J(L) Metalite Aviation Lighting (Pending FAA Certification) 
2 

While the above manufacturers are being issued a waiver under an insufficient quantity or 

quality, the FAA was able to identify one manufacturer producing certain LED airfield lighting 

equipment that contains at least 60 percent U.S. content and thus can meet a different waiver 

requirement under 49 U.S.C. § 50101(b)(3). Under this statutory provision the FAA is permitted 

to waive the Buy American requirements if a manufactured good is produced with at least 60 

percent United States content and final assembly is conducted in the United States. The FAA 

has detennined that certain equipment manufactured by ADS Airfield Solutions meets the 

waiverrequirements of49 U.S.c. § 50101(b)(3). As a result the FAA is waving the Buy 

American requirements for their following ADB Airfield Solutions' equipment: L-850-A(L), L850-B(L), L-852-K(L), L-852-S(L), and L-849-A(L). This waiver is only applicable to the 

equipment manufactured at ADB Airfield Solutions' manufacturing facility in Columbus, Ohio. 

This information will be reflected on the FAA Buy American Conformance List that is posted on 

the FAA Airports webpage. If you have any questions please contact Nancy Williams at (202)­

267-8822 or Dan Favarulo at (202)-267-8826.