Waivers Issued by DOE under the Buy American Provisions

This list includes all waivers that have been issued for the Buy American Recovery Act provisions under projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and administered by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE).

All waivers are "blanket" waivers, and are both retrospective and prospective. They cover all procurement past, present, and future.

Grantees who need a product already covered in a waiver must document compliance, consistent with the guidance, but do not need to apply for a new waiver.

When a grantee utilizes an item covered by a waiver in their project, they must inform their Project Officer, who will work with the Contracting Officer to amend the Terms and Conditions of the grant to reflect the waiver. When a sub-recipient utilizes an item covered by a waiver in their project, they must inform the prime grant recipient, such that the prime grant recipient can inform the Project Officer and complete the process above.

Information is available on:

Non-Availability Waivers
Public Interest Waivers
Unreasonable Cost Waivers
List of EERE Waivers in the Federal Register

Non-Availability Waivers

Date	Item	Description
Non-Availability Waiver November 20, 2012	Piping systems made of "polypropylene random" material	That meets the ASTM standard F2389.
	4.5 Ton air-to water outdoor split-type heat pumps
	100 ton absorption chillers (using oil)
	Engine block replacement for an existing Mitsubishi 52/55B or 40/54A diesel generator engine	Project specific.
Non-Availability Waiver July 18, 2012	Energy-efficient impellers (N-impeller)	To retrofit existing Flygt pumps.
	Expansion module assemblies to repair existing Johnson Controls lab and hood fume interface with Phoenix Controls hood	Where utilization of an American made module assembly would require replacement of the existing system.
	Magnetic ballasts for HID retrofits	Excludes electronic ballasts.
	LED architectural lighting	Direct line voltage, color-changing architectural LED flood lighting fixtures, color-changing architectural LED cove lighting products, white LED line voltage architectural cove lighting fixtures, exterior, LED color-changing direct view lighting fixtures, and multicolor DMX-512 LED wash and array lights for architectural lighting.
March 27, 2012 Non-Availability Waiver (12) Withdrawn: Expires on October 31, 2012	Pre-insulated district heating pipe system	Consisting of thin wall thickness steel pipe meeting the EN13941 standard, bonded to polyurethane foam insulation, bonded to an HDPE jacket, such that all the components operate as a single pipe (including two 1.5 mm squared area copper wires embedded in the insulation for leak detection and location); pre-insulated steel fittings with the same characteristics as the pre-insulated pipe; and pre-insulated maintenance free ball valves with an all welded valve body and a stainless steel valve ball in a spring loaded teflon seat, having the same insulation and jacket characteristics as the pipe.
Jan. 23, 2012 Non-Availability Waiver (11)	400amp Dual Element Time-Delay Fuses for electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) charging station	These are used in the installation of EV charging stations
	Video imaging card rack mounted boards for vehicle presence and data detection	These card racks are installed into existing traffic systems and are not manufactured domestically
	20-ton split system heat pump that meets a minimum static pressure requirement of 3.0 inches of water column. (only where the 3.0 water column is a requirement of the system)	This waiver is limited to systems that require compatibility with this extremely high water column
	Network manager for conversion of proprietary protocol- Staefa brand system to a non-proprietary open source protocol	For use where a Staefa system was installed previously, and where utilizing a domestic control module would mean that the existing energy management controls would have to be removed and a new energy management controls system would have to replace the existing Staefa system
Jan. 10, 2012 Non-Availability Waiver (10) Expired May 1, 2012	5-25 Watt LED Candelabra Bulbs (includes Flame tip, bent tip, A19, S11, G16.5 or G25 clear bulb enclosure)	LED Candelabra or medium base, outdoor use, dimmable, mercury free, 2700 and/or 3000 Kelvin Correlated Color Temperature (CCT), 80+ Color Rendering Index (CRI), 5-25watt Flame tip, bent tip, A19, S11, G16.5 or G25 clear bulb enclosure. This waiver expired on May 1, 2012.
	140 Watt LED fixtures with 10-degree beams capable of illuminating from 100feet, UL certified; and 27 Watt round LED fixtures, producing 1 foot-candle at 242 feet distance, UL certified	This waiver expired on May 1, 2012.
October 24, 2011 Non-Availability Waiver (9)	Absorption chillers	Rated at 205 and 250 tons
	Thermostatic Regulator Valves	Regulate the flow of hot water or low pressure steam through free-standing radiators, baseboards, or convectors in hot water and two-pipe steam systems. Includes the valves and actuators. These valves provide fast acting modulating control of the space temperature through a vapor charge, ensuring the highest level of comfort control.
	28 and 30 W 180 degree LED replacement bulbs for HID street lights	Only for these unique wattages where no other bulbs will fit.
	100% Oil free rotary screw variable speed drive water cooled air compressor with a factory installed dryer capable of supplying air at <-20 degree dew point temperature.	For applications where compressed air needs to be oil free and supplied with no humidity because it will damage the process equipment connected to the system
	Parts for Mitsubishi 52/55B or 40/54A diesel generator engine	High speed electronic governors with actuators to replace existing mechanical UG8 and UG40 engine governors; upgraded fuel injectors and regulators; and replacement engine pistons and cylinder liners; for energy efficiency upgrades in an existing Mitsubishi 52/55B or 40/54A diesel generator engine
	Universal control modules for use with Novar proprietary communication protocols	For use where a Novar system was installed previously, and where utilizing a domestic control module would mean that the existing energy management controls would have to be removed and a new energy management controls system would have to replace the existing Novar system.
September 12, 2011 Non-Availability Waiver (8)	LED decorative mini-bulb light strands	Multi-colored full waver rectified strands of 5mm, conical-shaped LED mini bulbs in molded sockets with 4" spacing between bulbs
	Ancillary items for a T-12 to T-8 retrofit	Includes ballast disconnects, ancillary wiring and welding materials where needed and the spacing clip to accommodate T-8 Bulbs into a T-12 fixture
	Roof-integrated flat plate collectors producing 1250 btu/sq ft. or greater	Only where the installation requires a roof integrated solar collector—for instance to meet historic preservation or local building standards
August 2, 2011 Non-Availability Waiver (7)	Ball valves	Class 125 Iron (6", 8" and 12") Ball Valves (Standard: Mss SP-72, CWP Rating: 200 psig, Ends: Flanged, Seats: PTFE or TFE)
	Low-Temperature Thermostats	Range of 15 – 55 Fahrenheit, automatic reset (a prior waiver includes manual reset, see below)
	Two-stage, steam heated absorption chillers	Rated at 450 tons (a prior waiver includes other sizes, see below)
	4 Watt 325 lumen dock lamp LED replacement bulbs
July 8, 2011 Non-Availability Waiver (6)	5 kW and 50kW wind turbines	May only be applied as consistent with the Guidance to Accompany Non-Availability Waiver of the Recovery Act Buy American Provisions for 5kW and 50kW Wind Turbines
July 8, 2011 Non-availability Waiver (5)	2-10 horsepower, self contained, sensorless, variable speed pumps	This pump does not require costly pressure and flow transmitters to maintain a constant pressure in a city water system at flow rates from almost zero to about 60 gpm. The pump to be used in the requesting project is a low horsepower (5 hp), sensorless, constant pressure pump with an integrated variable speed motor controller.
	Bidirectional bicycle counters	The basic needs for a bicycle counter are: weatherproofing, battery operation, capability to detect and store time in a 24 hour period, store one year of data and store data on the counter after retrieval, provision of directional data, modem connectivity and download, no speed restrictions on capturing data.
	28W, 30W, and 60W 360 degree LED bulbs for retrofits of HPS streetlights	These bulbs provide 360 degrees of illumination, and are used in the retrofit of 360 illuminating street, walkway, carriage and parking lot fixtures. This waiver does not include the retrofit of cobrahead streetlights, for which there are domestic manufacturers
	Bathroom ventilation fans with built in occupancy sensors	These fans provide continual low discharge exhaust ventilation, and upon occupancy or motion in the bathroom area, the discharge exhaust ventilation increases automatically, returning to continuous low exhaust when motion is no longer present
	Solar thermosiphon water heating systems certified by FSEC	This waiver for solar thermosiphon water heaters applies only to projects in the State of Florida
	40 ton absorption chillers	Factory-assembled, indirect-fired
	Premium efficiency electric drive submersible pump motors (15-30hp)	These pumps must be heavy duty wet wound of NEMA design, capable of continuous operation under water at the conditions specified in the project design and suitable for use on a three phase, 60 cycle electrical service.
	Flush-to-handrail electric LED lighting systems
March 31, 2011 Memorandum of Decision	400 to 750 watt micro hydro-turbines	Meeting the following specifications: Available head: 15 feet; available flow: 230 gpm-450 gpm; allows a stand-alone application not tied into the grid.
	Oil-fired direct vent space heaters	For use in buildings that do not have ducts or piping for boiler heating systems.
	ENERGY STAR^™ rated electric heat pump water heaters ENERGY STAR rated through the wall air conditioners	See the ENERGY STAR website.
	Grid tied solar inverters of 800W or less	Where the following specifications are required: the panels must generate 139VDC or less, there are physical space constraints (this waiver does not include micro-inverters).
	50 hp TEFC inverter duty motors for use in an existing Marley cooling tower	This motor is unique to the design of the cooling tower manufacturer and not a commercially available off the shelf item.
	Geothermal heat pumps for a demonstration scale waste heat geothermal system	Allows the direct use of untreated wastewater to heat and cool commercial buildings.
	Point to point/point to multi-point electronic broadband microwave radio systems.	With an alignment tone and IE browser interface.
	LED luminaires for roadway illumination with customized filter application to meet specific lighting requirements of Mauna Kea observatory	Please note, this is a waiver designed for the Mauna Kea observatory's needs and will only apply at the discretion of the Assistant Secretary to other projects.
	Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) compressors and shut down controls for small fleets	Must be able to provide 3600 psi (248 bar) temperature compensated CNG supply to fast fill storage and fueling dispensers, efficient and adaptable to a small fleet (approximately 5 vehicles), as well as the wireless remote shut down control (transmitters and receivers) for those CNG systems. EERE specifically notes that there are domestic manufacturers of larger scale CNG fueling systems, and the use of a foreign manufactured system will not be permitted where a domestic manufacturer is willing and able to build the system.
	8000W solar inverters for use with US manufactured 315W panels	This is application specific, and only for projects utilizing US made 315W panels.
	ECM inline pumps	Electronically Commutated Motor (ECM) type inline pumps.
	Inverters that permit optimal output of four (4) or more types of modules per array connected to inverter	For applications that require the use of at least 4 different types of solar panels with a variety of outputs.
January 12, 2011 Non-availability Waiver (4)	Two-stage, steam heated absorption chillers	Rated at 500-1500 tons.
	Single wall evacuated tube collectors for solar thermal systems	Only when used in an educational context for the purposes of comparing relative efficiency of solar thermal technologies
	2-ton adsorption chillers	This is an extremely small unit, for educational purposes, or where alternative technologies are not serviceable.
	LED lamp and controller for studio lights in a television broadcast studio	Where the following specifications are required: A CRI (Color Rendition Index) sufficient to render accurate flesh tones and natural colors. A precise color tuning control to dial in exact color temperature for accurate colors under multiple lighting setups.
	Global Positioning System (GPS) time source modules	For direct communication link between a city or county's Traffic Management System (TMS) and the Caltrans Traffic Signal Management and Surveillance System (CTNET).
	Elongated wall-hung rear spud toilets.	Includes bowl and hardware.
November 4, 2010 Non-availability Waiver (3)	Surface mounting time switch	24-hour program dial and a single-pole-double-throw switch
	HVAC units with 8.375' W x 9.5' H x 2.72' D	Only when the application require an HVAC unit with a height of 10' or less due to documented space constraints
	Low temperature thermostat	Temperature range of 15-55 Fahrenheit, manual reset.
	Programmable DDC controllers for LON protocol	Where an existing LON system exists that will not interface with other protocols without the input of extensive time and expense equal to or greater than the cost of the controllers themselves.
	Hardware necessary for implementation of Honeywell Enterprise Buildings Integrator (EBI) software for integration of water management and HVAC systems	Including:Customized Dell PowerEdge T610 Computer Server; Honeywell XL50UMMIPC-CBLON; Echelon LPR-10 #42100R; Sloan – MCR231-D; Sloan – MCR140A.
September 30, 2010 Nationwide Nonavailability Waiver for 5 Additional Items	Motorized automatic two (2) wing revolving doors	Must: 1) open via the motor upon a fire alarm to accommodate smoke evacuation; retract to full open position under Fire Alarm status and remain in the open position until the alarm is cleared 2) be Americans with Disabilities Act compliant 3) Possess both sliding and swinging door that allows entry/exit through the sliding doors while the revolving section is being serviced
	Self‐contained photovoltaic LED area lighting system	Must have: Non‐corrosive, stainless steel, powder‐coated anti‐weathering shell; Free from sail effect; Flat plate lens optics with directional lamp lens; Dark sky capability; Full cutoff conformity
	Parking Guidance System Controllers	Ultrasonic directional sensors and DC300 facility controllers for a parking guidance system which integrates with American designed intelligent parking guidance system software allowing real‐time updates to a central location and via the internet
	Load Management Ripple Control Receiver for an existing load management system	Only when upgrading an existing system manufactured by Landis + Gyr (formerly Enermet AG)
	LED tube lights to replace T8/ other 4 foot fluorescents Withdrawn: Expires November 30, 2012
August 11, 2010 Non-availability Waiver (2)	24-leaf, motorized DMX iris units	These items are used in conjunction with a Source 4 lighting instrument in the theatrical lighting business.
	Induction lamps and ballasts	The lamps (bulbs) and ballasts for induction lighting systems. This waiver does not include fixtures for induction lighting, which are readily available from domestic manufacturers.
	Enphase Micro-inverters for solar photovoltaic systems Withdrawn: Expires on October 31, 2012	Micro-inverters shift DC to AC power conversion from a large, centralized inverter to a series of compact units attached directly to each solar module. Micro-inverters allow for higher efficiency energy conversion and increased reliability as compared to traditional inverter systems.
	Commercial-scale high efficiency condensing boilers with indirect water heaters	Gas or propane, high efficiency condensing wall hung boiler with indirect water heater, 94% or greater efficiency and a BTU output below 350,000, constructed with SA240-316 Ti stainless steel.
	Large-format solar thermal collectors for integrated district heating systems	Includes only high-performance flat plate solar collectors that possess three technical characteristics: 1) Limit the convective heat loss from the absorber plate to the cover glass, effectively minimizing heat losses to less than 2.6 W/m2K; 2) Capable of sustaining output temperatures of 195 degrees F; 3) Gross collector area of greater than 150 ft2
	Turbocharger for Mitsubishi/Man 52/55B diesel generator engine	To replace an existing MAN/NA48T turbocharger
May 24, 2010 Non-availability Waiver	Programmable Thermostats	Includes devices that permit adjustment of heating or air‐conditioning operations according to a pre‐set schedule. Applies only to nonresidential programmable thermostat units.
	Commercial Scale Fully‐Automatic Wood Pellet Boiler System	Includes wood pellet boilers featuring a pneumatic conveyance system to transport wood pellets to the boiler, an automatic ignition system, continuously monitored and optimized combustion, ash removal/management system and the ability to control and integrate with other existing heat systems.
	Facility and Small District Wood Pellet and Chip Boiler Furnaces	Includes high efficiency, ultra‐low emission biomass boilers for facility and small district heating, ranging from 35,000 Btu – 15,000,000 Btu.
	Variable Refrigerant Flow Zoning HVAC Systems and Inverter‐Driven Ductless Mini‐Split HVAC Systems	Includes variable refrigerant flow (VRF) multi‐split heat pump (with or without heat recovery) and air conditioning systems; and inverter‐driven ductless mini‐split heat pump and air conditioner systems. This Waive includes the main condensor and heat pump units, wall and fan coil units, zone controllers, remote controls, and any other component of the larger HVAC system.
	Electrical "Smart" Strips/Surge Protectors	Includes power strips that detect activity in the attached equipment and cut power during periods of inactivity.
	Gas or Propane Tankless Water Heaters up to 200,000 BTUs	Does not apply to electric tankless water heaters, which are widely manufactured in the United States.
	Fully‐Enclosed Continuous Composting Systems	Includes multi‐zone, continuous loading, odor and moisture controlled composter with leachate recirculation and in‐situ mixing capabilities.
February 11, 2010 Nationwide Categorical Waiver	Electronic Ballasts for Fluorescent Lamps Modified March 31, 2013. Memorandum of Decision: Withdrawal of Waiver for Fluorescent Electronic Ballasts Capable of Dimming.	Electronic ballasts for Fluorescent lamps March 31, 2013 — All ballasts capable of dimming are no longer covered by the waiver, and must be compliant with the Buy American Provisions
	Plug-in CFLs of 10 inches or less	With the exception of CFLs greater than 10 inches in length have a 4-pin base and are rated from 18 to 27 watts. They are available in a range of color temperatures and are used, for example, in facilities, offices, warehouses and display cases. Lengths range from 10.5 in (266.7 mm) to 22.5 in (571.5 mm), and rated life ranges from 10,000 to 20,000 hours.
	Traffic Light Fixtures (LED) Withdrawn as of December 1, 2010 Memorandum of Decision: Withdrawal of LED Lighting Waiver	Includes LED lights and any adjacent wires and electronic parts necessary for the functionality of LED traffic lights, arrows and crosswalk signals — but excludes the metal or plastic fixtures (also referred to as the "housing" or "shell")

Public Interest Waivers

Date	Item	Description
December 6, 2011 Waiver for Donated items	Donated means manufactured goods provided to the project at zero cost. These goods must not hold a caveat, expectation, or quid-pro-quo of any sort, nor may their donation bind the grant recipient in any way. The recipient, for example, may not agree to pay more for one item, so as to have another item donated, nor may they promise more business in the future in exchange for a donated item. The Project Officer or the Contracting Officer will be consulted to determine whether the goods qualify as donated; this will serve to prevent abuse of this waiver. This waiver applies only to the donated manufactured goods themselves. All funds used in the project are still subject to the Buy American requirements and other contract requirements.	Use of this Waiver requires approval of Project and Contracting Officers. Guidance will be released January 2012
August 1, 2011 Project Specific Waiver for Heartland Community College	Project Specific Waiver	Project Specific Waiver for Heartland Community College in Normal, IL, funded in part under a sub-award (09-462013) from Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), sub-recipient of SEP Award DE-EE0000119 to the Illinois State Energy Office.
April 15, 2011 Project Specific Waiver from the Mississippi State Energy Office	Project Specific Waiver	Project Specific Waiver for sub-award (AR060-GT11-0111-0001) from the Mississippi State Energy Office, recipient of EECBG Award EE0000763.
Solar Public Interest Waiver	Public Interest Waiver for Solar Projects	Includes: 1) Domestically-manufactured modules containing foreign-manufactured cells, 2) Foreign-manufactured modules, when comprised completely of domestically-manufactured cells, and 3) Any ancillary items and equipment (including, but not limited to, charge controllers, combiners and disconnect boxes, breakers and fuses, racks, trackers, lugs, wires, cables and all otherwise incidental equipment with the exception of inverters and batteries) when utilized in a solar installation involving a U.S. manufactured PV module, or a module manufactured abroad but comprised exclusively of domestically-manufactured cells. The new waiver, issued August 1, 2011 This determination replaces and supersedes the Solar Public Interest Waiver issued August 6, 2010, amended September 30, 2010 and extended February 4, 2011. Although the waiver extension issued February 4, 2011 was slated to be a one-time extension coinciding with the ramp-down of EERE Recovery Act-funded projects, EERE has determined that enough projects remain active to justify a new Public Interest waiver determination. This determination does not have an expiration date, and is valid until such time as the Assistant Secretary chooses to modify or revoke the waiver. The Assistant Secretary reserves the right to revisit and amend this determination based on new information or new developments.
May 24, 2010 De Minimis Waiver	De Minimis	Incidental items that comprise in total a de minimis amount of the total cost of the iron, steel, and manufactured goods used in a project; that is, any such incidental items up to a limit of no more than 5 percent of the total cost of the iron, steel, and manufactured goods used in and incorporated into a project.
March 19, 2010 Nationwide Limited Public Interest Waiver for LED and HVAC Units Expired March 31, 2010	(No longer in effect) Limited Public Interest Waiver for LED lights and HVAC units	ONLY applicable from February 17,2009 until March 31, 2010.

Unreasonable Cost Waivers

Date	Item	Description
October 24, 2011 Project Specific Waiver for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands CUC	Engine radiators for two 13.0MW- 18V 52/55B and three 7.2MW- 18V 40/54A diesel engines- project specific waiver	Determination of inapplicability (unreasonable cost waiver) of section 1605 of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 (Recovery Act Buy American provisions) to the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation's (CUC) located in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands(CNMI), recipient of the EECBG grant DE-EE0000762, for 5 diesel engine radiators to be installed at the CUC's main power plant located at Saipan, CNMI
April 15, 2011 Project Specific Waiver for the Texas State Energy Office	Clay Tiles – Project Specific Waiver	Determination of inapplicability (unreasonable cost waiver) of section 1605 of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 (Recovery Act Buy American provisions) to the Texas State Energy Office, recipient of EECBG grant EE0000893, for 6300 Spanish Red Clay Tiles to be used on the Eagle Pass Library roof.

List of EERE Waivers in the Federal Register

All of the waivers explained above are listed in the Federal Register.