The Department of Defense (DoD) is proposing a new rule to amend the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), aimed at enhancing energy security for U.S. military bases in Europe. This rule, driven by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, prohibits contracts for energy supplied to these bases if the energy comes from inside the Russian Federation. The rule allows exceptions only if a waiver is granted by the approving authority, and it aims to strengthen energy resilience by reducing reliance on Russian-sourced energy. The proposed rule applies to contracts below a certain financial threshold and includes commercial items to ensure comprehensive coverage.
Simple Explanation
The U.S. Department of Defense wants to make sure that American military bases in Europe use energy that doesn't come from Russia, so they're creating new rules to stop buying energy from there, unless special permission is given.