---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 18444"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "18444"
heading: "Counterfeit parts"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/18444"
units:
  - "Chapter 159 — Space Exploration, Technology, and Science"
  - "Subchapter XI — Other Matters"
---

# §18444. Counterfeit parts

- (a) **In general—** The [Administrator](/usc/42/18302.md?p=1) shall plan, develop, and implement a program, in coordination with other Federal [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), to detect, track, catalog, and reduce the number of counterfeit electronic parts in the [NASA](/usc/42/18302.md?p=6) supply chain.
- (b) **Requirements—** In carrying out the program, the [Administrator](/usc/42/18302.md?p=1) shall establish—
  - (1) counterfeit part identification training for all employees that procure, process, distribute, and install electronic parts that will—
    - (A) teach employees how to identify counterfeit parts;
    - (B) educate employees on procedures to follow if they suspect a part is counterfeit;
    - (C) regularly update employees on new threats, identification techniques, and reporting requirements; and
    - (D) integrate industry associations, manufacturers, suppliers, and other Federal [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), as appropriate;
  - (2) an internal database to track all suspected and confirmed counterfeit electronic parts that will maintain, at a minimum—
    - (A) companies and individuals known and suspected of selling counterfeit parts;
    - (B) parts known and suspected of being counterfeit, including lot and date codes, part numbers, and part images;
    - (C) countries of origin;
    - (D) sources of reporting;
    - (E) United States Customs seizures; and
    - (F) Government-Industry Data Exchange Program reports and other public or private sector database notifications; and
  - (3) a mechanism to report all information on suspected and confirmed counterfeit electronic parts to law enforcement [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), industry associations, and other databases, and to issue bulletins to industry on counterfeit electronic parts and related counterfeit activity.
- (c) **Review of procurement and acquisition policy—**
  - (1) **In general—** In establishing the program, the [Administrator](/usc/42/18302.md?p=1) shall amend existing acquisition and procurement policy to purchase electronic parts from trusted or approved manufacturers. To determine trusted or approved manufacturers, the [Administrator](/usc/42/18302.md?p=1) shall establish a list, assessed and adjusted at least annually, and create criteria for manufacturers to meet in order to be placed onto the list.
  - (2) **Criteria—** The criteria may include—
    - (A) authentication or encryption codes;
    - (B) embedded security markings in parts;
    - (C) unique, harder to copy labels and markings;
    - (D) identifying distinct lot and serial codes on external packaging;
    - (E) radio frequency identification embedded into high-value parts;
    - (F) physical destruction of all defective, damaged, and sub-standard parts that are by-products of the manufacturing process;
    - (G) testing certifications;
    - (H) maintenance of procedures for handling any counterfeit parts that slip through;
    - (I) maintenance of secure facilities to prevent unauthorized access to proprietary information; and
    - (J) maintenance of product return, buy back, and inventory control [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) that limit counterfeiting.
- (d) **Report to Congress—** Within one year after October 11, 2010, the [Administrator](/usc/42/18302.md?p=1) shall report on the progress of implementing this section to the [appropriate committees of Congress](/usc/42/18302.md?p=2).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 111–267, title XII, § 1206, Oct. 11, 2010, 124 Stat. 2843.)