What is BABA compliance, and how does it affect my flooring project?
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In 2021, the building products industry heralded the arrival of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (“IIJA”) and the Inflation Reduction Act (“IRA”) as a huge and forward-looking investment in green building materials and infrastructure. Today, procurement specialists are also increasingly recognizing that a major requirement of the funds they are competing for or have been awarded must be spent in accordance with the Build America, Buy America Act (“BABA”; Legislative Text).
At Steller Floors, our hardwood flooring materials are BABA-compliant because they are sourced and manufactured 100% in the United States, and the cost of our domestically-sourced sub-components exceeds 55% the total cost of the materials that comprise our final product.
We are proud to provide low-carbon, American-made flooring products that can be used and re-used sustainably in both residential and commercial settings. As a small company, our reputation is our highest priority, and we manufacture the highest possible quality materials for our clients at competitive prices.
If you are considering BABA-compliant hardwood floors for your Infrastructure or Inflation Reduction Act project, please contact us immediately as demand is dramatically increasing.
How does BABA or BABA-A affect flooring?
Most, if not all, flooring material combines some aggregation of lumber, polymers (e.g. polyurethane, epoxies, or PVC), and occasionally limestone dust to create a manufactured flooring products, and so all flooring materials are likely to be affected by BABA rulemaking.
Indeed, the Build America, Buy America Act (BABA or BABA-A) specifies that construction materials include: non-ferrous metals, plastic and polymer-based products, glass, lumber or drywall. These materials, which combined constitute “manufactured products,” must all be produced in the United States under BABA rules. In addition, sub-components of manufactured products must be domestically sourced, exceeding 55% of the total cost of all the components of the manufactured product.
These requirements are likely to strongly reduce the number of flooring options (including LVP, engineered, and solid hardwood) flooring options that are considered “compliant.” Today, the majority of flooring materials are manufactured abroad using raw components (e.g. baltic birch plywood backers) that are similarly sourced abroad.
Are Steller Floors BABA-compliant?
Absolutely. Our materials are manufactured 100% in the United States in Tyrone, Pennsylvania. Our innovative, solid hardwood materials are sourced exclusively from our region in the USA, and our rigid PVC clips are manufactured in Pennsylvania. We provide BABA-compliant letters to support these assertions and detail each step of our material supply chain upon request.
