Pub. L. 95-111, tit. VIII, sec. 823

Sec. 823. No part of any appropriation contained in this Act, except for small purchases in amounts not exceeding $10,000. shall be available for the procurement of any article of food, clothing, cotton, woven silk or woven silk blends, spun silk yarn for cartridge cloth, synthetic fabric or coated synthetic fabric, or wool (whether in the form of fiber or yarn or contained in fabrics, materials, or manufactured articles), or specialty metals including stainless steel flatware, not grown, reprocessed, reused, or produced in the United States or its possessions, except to the extent that the Secretary of the Department concerned shall determine that a satisfactory quality and sufficient quantity of any articles of food or clothing or any form of cotton, woven silk and woven silk blends, spun silk yarn for cartridge cloth, synthetic fabric 91 STAT. 904or coated synthetic fabric, wool, or specialty metals including stainless steel flatware, grown, reprocessed, reused, or produced in the United States or its possessions cannot be procured as and when needed at United States market prices and except procurements outside the United States in support of combat operations, procurements by vessels in foreign waters, and emergency procurements or procurements of perishable foods by establishments located outside the United States for the personnel attached thereto: Provided, That nothing herein shall preclude the procurement of specialty metals produced outside the United States or its possessions when such procurement is necessary to comply with agreements with foreign governments requiring the United States to purchase supplies from foreign sources for the purposes of offsetting sales made by the United States Government or United States firms under approved programs serving defense requirements or where such procurement is necessary in furtherance of the standardization and interoperability of equipment requirements within NATO so long as such agreements with foreign governments comply, where applicable, with the requirements of section 36 of the Arms Export Control Act and with section 814 of the Department of Defense Appropriation Authorization Act, 1976: Provided further,That nothing herein shall preclude the procurement of foods manufactured or processed in the United States or its possessions: Provided further, That no funds herein appropriated shall be used for the payment of a price differential on contracts hereafter made for the purpose of relieving economic dislocations : Provided further, That none of the funds appropriated in this Act shall be used except that, so far as practicable, all contracts shall be awarded on a formally advertised competitive bid basis to the lowest responsible bidder.