The Bureau of Industry and Security is working with the Department of Health and Human Services on a “comprehensive assessment” of the U.S. influenza vaccine industrial base, the agency announced this week. The agencies plan to launch a survey to gather data on the industry’s “supply chain network” to better understand and respond to “supply chain deficiencies and disruptions related to production capabilities, transportation and logistics, research and development, foreign sourcing and dependencies, cyber security incidents, critical materials, and other challenges.” The survey also will help the agencies produce recommendations to “help improve the resiliency of the influenza vaccine supply chain in the face of future public health emergencies.”

The State Department on June 30 approved a potential $105 million military sale to Romania of “equipment and services to modernize thirty-two (32) F-16 Mid-Life Update Block 10/15 aircraft,” which will be procured through a third-party transfer from Norway, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said June 30. The principal contractor will be Lockheed Martin.

The State Department approved two potential military sales to Taiwan and one to the Czech Republic, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said June 29. A $332.2 million sale to Taiwan includes various types of 30 mm ammunition and related equipment. Alliant Techsystems Operations and General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems are the principal contractors. A $108 million sale to Taiwan includes a “Blanket Order Cooperative Logistics Supply Support Arrangement (CLSSA) Foreign Military Sales Order II (FMSO II)” and related equipment. The Defense Logistics Agency has not yet chosen principal contractors. A $5.62 billion sale to the Czech Republic includes F-35 aircraft, munitions and related equipment, and the principal contractors will be Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, Raytheon Missiles and Defense, and Boeing.

The State Department approved two potential military sales, to Poland and Norway, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said June 28. The $15 billion sale to Poland includes an “Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Battle Command System (IBCS)” and related equipment, and the principal contractors will be Raytheon, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, and “another original equipment manufacturer to be selected to develop and produce generator sets.” The $293 million sale to Norway includes “Small Diameter Bomb II” and related equipment, with Raytheon Missile Systems as the principal contractor.

The State Department approved a potential $5.9 billion sale of “P-8A Aircraft” and related equipment to Canada, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said June 27. The prime contractor will be Boeing, but a “significant number of other companies” under contract with the Navy will provide “components, systems, and engineering services during the execution of this effort.”

Netherlands-based Viterra and U.S.-based Bunge Limited, both agribusiness companies, plan to file a notice with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. on their proposed combination, Squire Patton said in a June 27 client alert. The acquisition of Bunge by Viterra and its affiliates in Sweden and Canada is valued at $8.2 billion.

The State Department June 27 authorized another drawdown of $500 million worth of U.S. arms and defense equipment to Ukraine. The package includes Bradley and Stryker vehicles, munitions for air defense systems, artillery, launch rocket systems, anti-tank weapons, anti-radiation missiles, precision aerial munitions and other "essential resources" to "support Ukraine’s ongoing counteroffensive operations."

Three automakers are changing their blanket coverage period for USMCA documentation, the Automotive Industry Action Group said in an emailed alert. Ford, GM and Honda had been issuing blanket documentation that covered the period July 1 to June 30 each year, as a result of the USMCA’s July 1, 2020, effective date. The three automakers will now switch to blanket periods that run for the calendar year, from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, the AIAG said. The change will “better align with other trade agreements” and “make it easier for suppliers to manage their trade documentation processes,” the AIAG said. The change will take effect for GM and Honda Jan. 1, 2024, and for Ford Jan. 1, 2025, the AIAG said.

The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls added a new “Renewal Fee Details” function to its online application system, the agency recently announced. The new function will allow certain users of the Defense Export Control and Compliance System to view their registration expiration date, license period start and end dates, their number of licenses and more information “consolidated into the new Renewal Fee Details window.” Users will also be able to download a .csv file “of all licenses considered when calculating the renewal fee charged by DDTC,” along with other new functionalities. Questions should be directed to PM_DDTCProjectteam@state.gov.

The Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration will host a virtual roundtable June 29 to discuss “challenges and opportunities” for strengthening the supply chain and export competitiveness of the American hydrogen industry. The roundtable will feature U.S. industry representatives and government officials, and the agency will consider applications for the discussion on a rolling basis until 25 participants have been selected.