§ 4852.
(a)
Preference for United States contractors
Notwithstanding
section 302 of this title, and where adequate competition exists, only United States persons and qualified United States joint venture persons may—
(1)
bid on a diplomatic construction or design project which has an estimated total project value exceeding $10,000,000; and
(2)
bid on a diplomatic construction or design project which involves technical security, unless the project involves low-level technology, as determined by the Secretary of State.
(c)
Definitions
For the purposes of this section—
(1)
the term “adequate competition” means with respect to a construction or design project, the presence of two or more qualified bidders submitting responsive bids for that project;
(2)
the term “United States person” means a person which—
(A)
is incorporated or legally organized under the laws of the United States, including State, the District of Columbia, and local laws;
(B)
has its principal place of business in the United States;
(C)
has been incorporated or legally organized in the United States—
(i)
for more than 5 years before the issuance date of the invitation for bids or request for proposals with respect to a construction project under subsection (a)(1); and
(ii)
for more than 2 years before the issuance date of the invitation for bids or request for proposals with respect to a construction or design project which involves physical or technical security under subsection (a)(2);
(D)
has performed within the United States or at a United States diplomatic or consular establishment abroad administrative and technical, professional, or construction services similar in complexity, type of construction, and value to the project being bid;
(E)
with respect to a construction project under subsection (a)(1), has achieved total business volume equal to or greater than the value of the project being bid cumulatively over 3 years of the 5-year period before the date specified in subparagraph (C)(i);
(F)
(i)
employs United States citizens in at least 80 percent of its principal management positions in the United States,
(ii)
employs United States citizens in more than half of its permanent, full-time positions in the United States, and
(iii)
will employ United States citizens in at least 80 percent of the supervisory positions on the foreign buildings office project site; and
(G)
has the existing technical and financial resources in the United States to perform the contract; and
(3)
the term “qualified United States joint venture person” means a joint venture in which a United States person or persons owns at least 51 percent of the assets of the joint venture.
([Pub. L. 99–399, title IV, § 402], Aug. 27, 1986, [100 Stat. 864]; [Pub. L. 101–246, title I, § 132], Feb. 16, 1990, [104 Stat. 32]; [Pub. L. 102–138, title I, § 131], Oct. 28, 1991, [105 Stat. 662]; [Pub. L. 103–236, title I, § 162(g)(10)], Apr. 30, 1994, [108 Stat. 407]; [Pub. L. 107–228, div. A, title II, § 206(b)], Sept. 30, 2002, [116 Stat. 1364]; [Pub. L. 117–81, div. E, title LII, § 5208], Dec. 27, 2021, [135 Stat. 2357].)