FHWA Validates Make It American as Key Compliance Resource Supporting U.S. Manufacturing

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) Make It American^TM certification program is now listed by the U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) as an official industry resource guiding manufacturers through federal domestic preference policies for infrastructure projects. The designation affirms Make It American as a validated resource for stakeholders across the supply chain – manufacturers, contractors, and state departments of transportation (DOTs) – working to meet domestic content requirements for federally funded highway and transportation infrastructure projects.

Through Make It American, the electrical manufacturing industry is advancing a stronger U.S. manufacturing base that delivers the technologies powering our transportation, energy, and digital infrastructure.

“FHWA recognition is a significant milestone for the Make It American program. It not only confirms the electroindustry’s commitment to reshoring critical supply chains; it also validates the rigor of our third-party certification process,” said NEMA President and CEO Debra Phillips. “As our industry works to strengthen domestic manufacturing and accelerate project delivery, Make It American provides the independent verification framework government agencies and contractors need to facilitate compliance while driving investment and job creation here at home.”

NEMA's Make It American program empowers the market to identify products and manufacturing facilities that meet best-in-class processes and standards to meet Build America, Buy America (BABA) domestic content requirements. Today, companies can certify their facilities to NEMA’s Make It American Process Standard and products in six specifications: High- and Medium-Voltage Distribution Equipment, Low Voltage Power Distribution Equipment, Connected Building Systems and Controls, Wire and Cable, Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs), and Grid Management and Automation Technologies.

The newly released specifications for VFDs and Grid Management and Automation underscore the critical role these technologies play in electrical load balancing, grid flexibility, and the overall reliability and resilience of the U.S. power system. NEMA continues to develop and publish new specifications to help leading manufacturers verify and demonstrate their BABA compliance, reinforcing their commitment to U.S.-based manufacturing and supply chain integrity.

FHWA’s designation comes at a critical time, as the agency prepares to phase-in additional domestic content requirements for manufactured products beginning on October 1, 2026. The Make It American program helps companies prepare for these evolving standards while meeting today’s compliance requirements. For more information about FHWA’s designation of Make It American for Federal-Aid Construction Projects, visit here.

About NEMA

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) represents over 300 electrical equipment manufacturers that make safe, reliable, and efficient products and technologies that power, connect, and light our world. Together, our members contribute a full 1% of U.S. GDP and directly provide over 580,000 American jobs, adding more than $330 billion to the U.S. economy. Learn more at makeitelectric.org.

About Make It American^TM

NEMA’s Make It American™ Certification Program identifies facilities and products that have undergone a rigorous, independent third-party supply chain evaluation to support domestic content requirements, providing certainty to customers and promoting investment in energy infrastructure made here at home.

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