By: Alexa Burr, Senior Vice President of Strategic Growth & Membership
As the nation invests in modernizing its infrastructure, clarity and consistency are key to keeping projects on track. To support that need, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has designated NEMA’s Make It American™ certification program as an official industry resource — helping manufacturers, contractors, and transportation agencies navigate domestic content requirements for Federal-Aid construction projects with confidence.
A Clear Path to Compliance
FHWA’s recognition affirms that NEMA’s Make It American program and the underlying standards align with the agency’s long-standing Buy America provisions, building upon the newer Build America, Buy America (BABA) framework established under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
“FHWA recognition is a significant milestone for the Make It American program,” said NEMA President and CEO Debra Phillips in a statement. “It validates both the rigor of our certification process and our industry’s commitment to strengthening domestic manufacturing. Make It American provides the independent verification framework agencies and contractors need to meet compliance goals while driving investment and job creation here at home.”
Make It American certification gives companies a head start—proving a flexible framework to help them organize their documentation and standardize attestations for Federal-Aid construction projects. By developing clean traceable, audit trails, manufacturers can prove their facilities and products meet FHWA requirements without disrupting operations or project timelines.
Driving U.S. Manufacturing Forward
Through FHWA’s validation, industry and government are working toward the same goal: ensuring the materials and technologies that power our infrastructure are made by U.S.-based workers and manufacturers.
That partnership is already taking shape across the electroindustry. NEMA Make It American certified companies, including ABB, Danfoss Drives, Eaton, Fulltrades, Master Control Systems, Prysmian/Encore Wire, Schneider Electric, Siemens Industry, Southwire Company, and TESCO Metering are helping chart the roadmap for compliance—one that keeps projects on schedule, strengthens U.S. manufacturing, and drives long-term economic growth.
Learn more about FHWA’s designation of Make It American for Federal-Aid Construction Projects: https://www.makeitelectric.org/nema-programs/make-it-american/federal-highway-administration/