Have you ever thought about where your surveillance equipment and its components are manufactured? If the answer to that question is no, your equipment may not be NDAA Compliant.
What is NDAA Compliance?
The John S. McCain NDAA (the National Defense Authorization Act) is a set of federal laws passed every year by the US government to determine the budget, expenditures, and policies of the of the U.S. Department of Defense. The NDAA 2019 Section 889 prohibits government contractors from providing the federal government with video surveillance equipment or telecommunications, systems, or services (or an essential component of) produced or provided by five Chinese companies and their subsidiaries and affiliates. Separately, Section 889 prohibits government contractors from using these banned items or services, regardless of whether they are used in performance of work under a federal contract.
The five banned Chinese companies are:
- Huawei Technologies Company
- ZTE Corporation
- Hytera Communications Corporation
- Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company
- Dahua Technology Company
Who does the ban apply to?
The NDAA applies to all United States federal agencies. This includes (but not limited to) the FBI, national park services, and the military. According to the act, federal agencies must cease to work with contractors that use or provide the prohibited brands of surveillance equipment. This includes entering new contracts, as well as renewing or extending a current one. This policy is regardless of whether the contractors use the cameras for federal contact work.
The best way to know if your surveillance technology is following the NDAA is to get a comprehensive audit with a company that is experienced in identifying equipment with both approved and banned components.