Rogoff noted the requirements are especially important for transit grants funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 since the goal of the recovery act is to preserve and create jobs and promote economic recovery.

"The federal government asks recipients of recovery act funds to be held accountable to the American public by using these resources to maximize opportunities to put Americans back to work and to support our domestic manufacturing industry," the administrator wrote in the letter, which was posted on FTA's website. "In order to support this goal, the Federal Transit Administration will not consider any requests for a public interest waiver of FTA's Buy America regulation for recovery act projects."

Rogoff wrote that he will not waive Buy America requirements for recovery act projects because such action "would undermine the very purpose and intent of the recovery act -- to preserve and create jobs in America."

He also told transit executives that FTA will continue to carefully scrutinize requests for waivers based on non-availability to determine whether suitable American-made alternatives exist, and that FTA will examine requests for cost-differential waivers to determine whether the cost savings justifies the loss of American jobs, especially in critical manufacturing sectors.

"I encourage recipients to use their best efforts to carry out the intent of Congress and the Obama administration by carefully stewarding their recovery act funds in a manner that supports a healthy and robust domestic manufacturing base," Rogoff wrote. "Please note that this heightened standard is not exclusive to the recovery act. FTA has raised the bar for all Buy America waiver requests. All requests will be scrutinized. ... Please be cautious about leading your projects down a path where a Buy America waiver will be needed, as it is unlikely to be granted."

Rogoff's "Dear Colleague" letter is available at bit.ly/Rogoff021711. More information about Buy America requirements is available at www.dot.gov/buyamerica.