PUBLIC LAW 104-289—OCT. 11, 1996 110 STAT. 3411 Public Law 104-289 104th Congress An Act To provide for appropriate implementation of the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 Oct. 11, 1996 in Federal construction projects, and for other purposes. [H.R. 2779] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. Savings in Construction Act SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. of 1996. This Act may be cited as the "Savings in Construction Act note of 1996". SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 15 USC 205a The Congress finds the following: (1) The Metric Conversion Act of 1975 was enacted in order to set forth the policy of the United States to convert to the metric system. Section 3 of that Act requires that each Federal agency use the metric system of measurements in its procurement, grants, and other business-related activities, unless that use is likely to cause significant cost or loss of markets to United States firms, such as when foreign competitors are producing competing products in non-metric units. (2) In accordance with that Act and Executive Order 12770, of July 25, 1991, Federal agencies increasingly construct new Federal buildings in round metric dimensions. As a result, companies that wish to bid on Federal construction projects increasingly are asked to supply materials or products in round metric dimensions. (3) While the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 currently provides an exemption to metric usage when impractical or when such usage will cause economic inefficiencies, amendments are warranted to ensure that the use of specific metric components in metric construction projects do not increase the cost of Federal buildings to the taxpayers. SEC. 3. DEFINrnONS. Section 4 of the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 (15 U.S.C. 205c) is sunended— (1) by striking "and" at the end of paragraph (3); (2) by striking "Commerce." in paragraph (4) and inserting "Commerce;"; and (3) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following: "(5) 'full and open competition' has the same meaning as defined in section 403(6) of title 41, United States Code; "(6) 'total installed price' means the price of purchasing a product or material, trimming or otherwise altering some or all of that product or material, if necessary to fit with
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