- The Department of War is seeking feedback on DFARS changes restricting certain printed circuit boards from foreign adversaries
- The proposal would prohibit covered PCBs sourced from or controlled by China, Russia, Iran and North Korea
- Contractors requesting waivers would need to meet a new Independent Hardware Assurance Framework
The Department of War is seeking industry and public input on proposed revisions to the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement, or DFARS, that would implement statutory restrictions on acquiring certain printed circuit boards from designated foreign adversaries.
What Would the Proposed Rule Require?
According to the advance notice published in the Federal Register, the proposed rule would implement provisions of the fiscal 2021 and 2022 National Defense Authorization Acts banning the purchase of covered printed circuit boards from entities located in or controlled by China, Russia, Iran and North Korea when requesting waivers.
What Is the Proposed Compliance Framework?
To enforce these geographic restrictions while managing commercial impacts, the DOW is proposing an Independent Hardware Assurance Framework based on internationally recognized standards. Under the proposed approach, contractors seeking waivers would need to demonstrate compliance with four requirements covering enterprise supply chain integrity, manufacturing traceability, trusted facility verification and cybersecurity protections for controlled unclassified information. Companies would also be required to provide traceability data, verification reports, transition plans and market availability justifications.
What Feedback Is DOW Seeking?
DOW is requesting comments on issues including certification costs and timelines, applicability to commercial off-the-shelf products, protection of proprietary manufacturing data, waiver requirements and the potential impact on commercial and defense supply chains. Comments on the proposed framework are due by Aug. 31.
