[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 40 (Thursday, March 1, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 9406]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-3591]



[[Page 9406]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


Notice of Granted Buy America Waivers

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of granted Buy America waiver.

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SUMMARY: The following waiver will permit ticket vending machine 
manufacturers to install and count as domestic for purposes of the Buy 
America Act, 49 U.S.C. 5323(j), as implemented by the Federal Transit 
Administration at 49 CFR part 661, the CashCode BB-10XX, MBB-01XX, MBB-
03XX, MBB-04XX Bill Validators (collectively, the ``CashCode Bill 
Validators''). This waiver is valid for a period of two years, or until 
such time as a domestic source for the product becomes available, 
whichever occurs first. This notice shall ensure that the public is 
aware of the waiver. FTA requests that the public notify it if a 
domestic source for any of the above-listed products becomes available.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jayme L. Blakesley, Attorney-Advisor, 
Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 
Seventh Street, SW., Room 9316, Washington, DC 20590-0001. E-mail: 
[email protected]. Telephone: (202) 366-0304.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: See waiver below.

Waiver: CashCode BB-10XX, MBB-01XX, MBB-03XX, MBB-04XX Bill Validators

    Simcha Bielak, V.P. Sales & Marketing, Crane-CashCode, 553 
Basaltic Road, Ontario, Canada L4K 4W8.

Re: Buy America Non-Availability Waiver for the CashCode BB-10XX, 
MBB-01XX, MBB-03XX, MBB-04XX Bill Validators

Dear Mr. Bielak:

    This letter responds to your October 31, 2006, request for a Buy 
America non-availability waiver for your CashCode BB-10XX, MBB-01XX, 
MBB-03XX, MBB-04XX Bill Validators (collectively, the ``CashCode 
Bill Validators''), which are manufactured in Canada for use in 
ticket vending machines.\1\ For the reasons below, I have determined 
that a non-availability waiver is appropriate here.
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    \1\ The coin dispenser at issue here is a low-profile, bulk coin 
dispensing hopper module, a device able to hold a quantity of coins 
in a hopper and dispense them for ``change,'' one-by-one, in a 
secure and accurate manner upon electronic command.
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    The Buy America Act requires, with few exceptions, that all 
steel, iron and manufactured goods used in FTA-funded projects be 
produced in the United States.\2\ One such exception is that of non-
availability--that in some instances steel, iron, and goods produced 
in the United States are not produced in the United States in 
sufficient and reasonably available quantities or are not of a 
satisfactory quality. Therefore, Congress authorized FTA to waive 
the above requirement and allow, based on non-availability, the use 
in an FTA-funded project of steel, iron or manufactured goods 
produced outside the United States.\3\
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    \2\ 49 U.S.C. 5323(j).
    \3\ 49 U.S.C. 5323(j)(2)(B).
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    FTA verified non-availability of the CashCode Bill Validators by 
publishing the following notice on its Web site--http://www.fta.dot.gov--and the Docket Management System Web site--http://www.dms.dot.gov, Docket No. FTA-2006-26277--and allowing thirty days 
for public comment:
    Crane-CashCode (``CashCode'') has requested a component non-
availability waiver for its BB-10XX, MBB-01XX, MBB-03XX, and MBB-
04XX Bill Validators (collectively, the ``CashCode Bill 
Validators''), manufactured in Canada for use in ticket vending 
machines. The CashCode Bill Validators (U.S. Patent Nos. 6,371,473 
and 6,296,242) are able to accept, validate, and mechanically escrow 
up to twenty banknotes of various denominations at a time, can store 
bills in up to three recycling canisters to be recycled and 
dispensed or to be routed to a lockable, removable cassette. More 
information about the CashCode Bill Validators can be accessed on 
CashCode's Web site at http://www.cashcode.com. CashCode asserts 
that the CashCode Bill Validators, or their functional equivalent, 
are not available from a U.S. source. If granted, this waiver would 
permit ticket vending machine manufacturers to install the CashCode 
Bill Validators and count them as domestic for purposes of Buy 
America compliance.
    Please note ``CashCode Bill Validators'' in the subject line and 
submit comments by close of business December 8, 2006, to 
[email protected]. For more information on Buy America, please 
see 49 CFR 661.7(d) and 661.9(d).
    Thirty days have passed since publication of the above notice, 
and no party has indicated that a U.S. manufacturer produces coin 
dispensing hoppers in sufficient and reasonably available quantities 
and of a satisfactory quality. Therefore, FTA hereby grants a non-
availability waiver for the CashCode Bill Validators for a period of 
two years, or until such time as a domestic source for this type of 
unit becomes available, whichever occurs first. This waiver will 
permit ticket vending machine manufacturers to install the CashCode 
Bill Validators and count them as domestic for purposes of Buy 
America compliance.
    If you have any questions, please contact Jayme L. Blakesley at 
(202) 366-0304 or [email protected].

Sincerely,

David B. Horner,
Chief Counsel,
Federal Transit Administration.

    Issued: February 22, 2007.
David B. Horner,
Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. E7-3591 Filed 2-28-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P