Matt Mertz, senior compliance manager at S&T, shares the following information about the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, which prohibits certain telecommunications and video surveillance equipment.

The John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 prohibits executive agencies, such as the Department of Defense and NASA, from entering or renewing a contract with an entity that uses any equipment, system or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system after August 13, 2020, unless an exception applies or a waiver is granted.

The act covers:

A. Telecommunications equipment produced by Huawei Technologies Company or ZTE Corporation (or any subsidiary or affiliate of such entities).

B. For the purpose of public safety, security of government facilities, physical security surveillance of critical infrastructure, and other national security purposes, video
surveillance and telecommunications equipment produced by Hytera Communications Corporation, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company, or Dahua Technology Company (or any subsidiary or affiliate of such entities).

Primary investigators must ensure their research does not include equipment provided through the companies above or any of their subsidiaries. Researchers are required to review the list of excluded parties in the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://www.sam.gov for entities excluded from receiving federal awards for “covered telecommunications equipment or services.”

For more information, please contact Mertz at mampm2@mst.edu or 573-341-4124.