Designation of Biobased Items for Federal Procurement

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is amending 7 CFR part 2902, Guidelines for Designating Biobased Products for Federal Procurement, to establish the effective date by which procuring agencies must give a procurement preference for qualifying biobased water tank coatings and bedding, bed linens, and towels. These two items were designated for procurement preference in a final rule published by USDA on March 16, 2006 (71 FR 13686). At that time, however, the effective date by which procuring agencies were required to give these two designated items procurement preference was deferred until such time that additional manufacturers of products within these designated items were identified. This final rule announces that additional manufacturers have been identified for each item and establishes the effective date by which procuring agencies must give these two designated items procurement preference.