Biobased markets program

In this subsection, the term “procuring agency” means— Except as provided in clause (ii) and subparagraph (B), after the date specified in applicable guidelines prepared pursuant to paragraph (3), each procuring agency shall— with respect to items described in the guidelines, give a procurement preference to those items that— The requirements of clause (i)(I) to establish a procurement program and develop procurement specifications shall not apply to a person described in paragraph (1)(B). Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), a procuring agency may decide not to procure items described in that subparagraph if the procuring agency determines that the items— fail to meet— Each procurement program required under this subsection shall, at a minimum— Subject to subparagraph (B) and except as provided in clause (ii), a procuring agency adopting the case-by-case policy shall award a contract to the vendor offering an item composed of the highest percentage of biobased products practicable. Subject to subparagraph (B), an agency adopting the policy described in clause (i) may make an award to a vendor offering items with less than the maximum biobased products content. Subject to subparagraph (B), a procuring agency adopting the minimum content standards policy shall establish minimum biobased products content specifications for awarding contracts in a manner that ensures that the biobased products content required is consistent with this subsection. After the date specified in any applicable guidelines prepared pursuant to paragraph (3), contracting offices shall require that vendors certify that the biobased products to be used in the performance of the contract will comply with the applicable specifications or other contractual requirements. The Secretary, after consultation with the Administrator, the Administrator of General Services, and the Secretary of Commerce (acting through the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology), shall prepare, and from time to time revise, guidelines for the use of procuring agencies in complying with the requirements of this subsection. The guidelines under this paragraph shall— Information provided pursuant to subparagraph (B)(v) 11 See References in Text note below. with respect to a material or item shall be considered to be provided for another item made with the same material or item. Guidelines issued under this paragraph may not require a manufacturer or vendor of biobased products, as a condition of the purchase of biobased products from the manufacturer or vendor, to provide to procuring agencies more data than would be required to be provided by other manufacturers or vendors offering products for sale to a procuring agency, other than data confirming the biobased content of a product. The guidelines shall apply with respect to any purchase or acquisition of a procurement item for which— Not later than 1 year after February 7, 2014, the Secretary shall begin to designate intermediate ingredients or feedstocks and assembled and finished biobased products in the guidelines issued under this paragraph. The Office of Federal Procurement Policy, in cooperation with the Secretary, shall— not less than once every 2 years, submit to Congress a report that— To assist the Office of Federal Procurement Policy in carrying out subparagraph (A)— each procuring agency shall submit each year to the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, to the maximum extent practicable, information concerning— Any procurement by any Federal agency that is subject to regulations of the Administrator under section 6962 of title 42 shall not be subject to the requirements of this section to the extent that the requirements are inconsistent with the regulations. The Secretary, in consultation with the Administrator, shall establish a voluntary program under which the Secretary authorizes producers of biobased products to use the label “USDA Certified Biobased Product”. Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 and except as provided in clause (ii), the Secretary, in consultation with the Administrator and representatives from small and large businesses, academia, other Federal agencies, and such other persons as the Secretary considers appropriate, shall issue criteria (as of the date of enactment of that Act) for determining which products may qualify to receive the label under paragraph (1). Clause (i) shall not apply to final criteria that have been issued (as of the date of enactment of that Act) by the Secretary. Not later than 180 days after December 20, 2018, the Secretary shall update the criteria issued under clause (i) to provide criteria for determining which renewable chemicals may qualify to receive the label under paragraph (1). Criteria issued under subparagraph (A) shall— The Secretary shall ensure that the label referred to in paragraph (1) is used only on products that meet the criteria issued pursuant to paragraph (2). The Secretary may carry out such auditing and compliance activities as the Secretary determines to be necessary to ensure compliance with subparagraph (A). Not later than 1 year after February 7, 2014, the Secretary shall begin issuing criteria for determining which assembled and finished products may qualify to receive the label under paragraph (1). The Secretary shall— Nothing in this section shall apply to the procurement of motor vehicle fuels, heating oil, or electricity. Effective beginning on the date that is 90 days after the date of enactment of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, the Architect of the Capitol, the Sergeant at Arms of the Senate, and the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives shall consider the biobased product designations made under this section in making procurement decisions for the Capitol Complex. The Secretary and the Secretary of Commerce shall jointly develop North American Industry Classification System codes for— The Secretary shall establish a national registry of testing centers for biobased products that will serve biobased product manufacturers. In determining whether products are eligible for the “USDA Certified Biobased Product” label, the Secretary (acting through the Forest Products Laboratory) shall provide appropriate technical and other assistance to the program and applicants for forest products. Not later than 1 year after December 20, 2018, the Secretary shall establish guidelines for an integrated process under which biobased products may be, in 1 expedited approval process— The Secretary shall ensure that a review of a biobased product under the integrated qualification process established pursuant to paragraph (1) may be initiated on receipt of a recommendation or petition from a manufacturer, vendor, or other interested party. The Secretary may issue a product designation pursuant to subsection (a)(3)(B), or approve the use of the “USDA Certified Biobased Product” label under subsection (b), through streamlined procedures, which shall not be subject to chapter 7 of title 5. A procuring agency (as defined in subsection (a)(1)) shall not establish regulations, guidance, or criteria regarding the procurement of biobased products, pursuant to this section or any other law, that impose limitations on that procurement that are more restrictive than the limitations established by the Secretary under the regulations to implement this section. Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 and each year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the implementation of this section. Each report under paragraph (1) shall include— information on the status of implementation of— The Secretary shall conduct a study to assess the economic impact of the biobased products industry, including— Not later than 1 year after February 7, 2014, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing the results of the study conducted under subparagraph (A). Of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall use to carry out this section $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2024. There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023. In this section, the term “biobased product” (as defined in section 8101 of this title) includes, with respect to forestry materials, forest products that meet biobased content requirements, notwithstanding the market share the product holds, the age of the product, or whether the market for the product is new or emerging. In carrying out this section, except as provided in subsection (g), the Secretary shall act through the rural development mission area.