DOD gets temporary Huawei ban waiver for 'low risk, high volume items'

摘要

The Pentagon has waived a requirement until the end of the fiscal year for "low risk, high volume items" contracts to comply with a government-wide ban on contractors using equipment made by Chinese vendors like Huawei and ZTE. The waiver applies to a new law, etched out in Section 889 of the Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, that prohibits the government from contracting with companies that use telecommunications and surveillance equipment made by Huawei, ZTE and other Chinese companies due to security concerns. The ban went into effect Aug. 13. The temporary exemption for "low risk, high volume items" paves the way for a typical fourth quarter surge in government spending on things like uniforms and food services to continue unabated. The waiver, first reported by Defense News, was approved by the office of the director of national intelligence and lasts until Sept. 30. "We fully support the intent of the prohibition and we are working to ensure the prohibitions result in the removal of these products from our supply chain," Defense Department spokeswoman Jessica Maxwell told Inside Defense. "We appreciate the waiver for low risk, high volume items as it will allow us to ensure the significant end of year activity can proceed without major interruption."