The US government-wide ban on working with contractors who use technology from five Chinese companies, including Huawei, was first introduced as a provision in the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, citing national security concerns, setting a deadline of 13 August 2020 to comply.
The Pentagon is being granted a temporary waiver from the US government's ban on contractors using Huawei and other Chinese-made telecommunications equipment, according to a memo cited by Defense News.
The decision provides a deadline of 30 September for companies with business ties to the Department of Defense (DoD), who have requested a grace period to comply with the new regulations amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its fallout for the global economy.
In a memo to Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord, the Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe granted the Pentagon a temporary waiver for US national security interests, and to ultimately assess a broader waiver request from the DoD.
Ellen Lord had earlier urged the need for a temporary waiver from the ban to allow the DoD to continue its procurement actions, such as equipping and feeding troops.
With respect to the broader waiver, Ratcliffe urged Ellen Lord to provide more detailed information about potential contracting plans involving alternatives to the banned Chinese companies.
In line with a 2019 National Defense…
