AAPA, MARAD to present live webinar on federal grant requirements

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) – the unified and recognized voice of America’s seaports – and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) will co-present on Thursday, Dec. 3, a Federal Assistance Domestic Preference Interactive Listening Session. This free, live webinar, which will run from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Eastern), is intended to raise awareness of domestic preference rules (Buy America and Buy American) and highlight best practices that can minimize project management disruptions arising from federal grant requirements.

“In theory, everyone's in favor of using federal grant dollars for stuff ‘Made in America’,” said Cary Davis, AAPA’s senior government relations director and general counsel. “The rubber hits road, however, when (U.S.) ports try to source construction materials and cargo equipment that may have been American-made 40 years ago but have since been off-shored.”  He went on to stress, “That’s why the port industry’s work with MARAD is so important – the government is looking out for our industry by: a) fulfilling its responsibility for maritime infrastructure; and, b) working with us to identify U.S. manufacturers that can build infrastructure back.  AAPA is the place for port industry, government and freight transportation industry manufacturers to come together on this challenge.”

Mr. Davis further noted that participation in the MARAD/AAPA Interactive Listening Session will be useful to many U.S. manufacturers who might have the capabilities to domestically produce equipment needed by grant awardees, but may not realize the extent of the needs nor the market size of those needs. 

Featuring executives from MARAD, AAPA and prior grant award recipients as speakers, this Interactive Listening Session's purpose is to solicit comments and feedback from port industry stakeholders regarding U.S. domestic preference laws and regulations that pertain to all port infrastructure projects that utilize federal funds. It is also to help ensure that U.S. manufacturers are aware of the growing market for domestically-produced infrastructure needed in federal grant awards at ports.

To register for the free Federal Assistance Domestic Preference Interactive Listening Session on Thursday, Dec. 3, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST, go to this link: https://bit.ly/3kLct8i