General
The Defense MOU Attachés Group (DMAG) is a Washington, D.C. based group of defense cooperation attachés and defense officials from nations that have Reciprocal Defense Procurement (RDP) Memoranda of Understanding or equivalent agreements with the U.S.
In the U.S., the requirement to buy domestically takes the form of the Buy American Act, passed in 1933, which precludes the U.S. Government from purchasing supplies or finished goods from outside the U.S. without a waiver. A reciprocal defense procurement agreement waives requirements for government entities to buy products domestically, and allows both countries to trade defense equipment with one another. The U.S. Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 225.872-1 states that “As a result of memoranda of understanding and other international agreements, DoD [Department of Defense] has determined it inconsistent with the public interest to apply restrictions of the Buy American statute or the Balance of Payments Program to the acquisition of qualifying country end products from … qualifying countries.” DMAG nations consist of the majority of the qualifying countries
Membership
Currently the following 25 countries are members of the DMAG:
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Canada
Czech Republic
Denmark
Egypt
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Israel
Italy
Japan
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
United Kingdom
Observer status may be granted to countries that have not concluded Reciprocal Defense Procurement (RDP) Memoranda of Understanding or equivalent agreements with DoD. Any country requesting observer status must be undergoing negotiations with DoD on a Reciprocal Defense Procurement (RDP) Memorandum of Understanding or an equivalent agreement. Countries wishing to have DMAG observer status may submit a request in writing on official letterhead to the DMAG Chair
Only countries that have concluded Reciprocal Defense Procurement (RDP) Memoranda of Understanding or equivalent agreements with the U.S. are eligible for DMAG membership.
Any country seeking a DMAG membership may submit a request in writing on official letterhead to the DMAG Chair.
Mission
The DMAG’s mission is to promote reciprocal defense equipment cooperation and defense trade between the U.S. and the DMAG nations.
Motto
The DMAG’s motto is “Strength through Cooperation.”
Strategic Objectives
The DMAG’s strategic objectives are as follows:
- Reduce obstacles to reciprocal defense trade and cooperation with the U.S.;
- Expand international business development (IBD) opportunities;
- Foster integrated global defense supply chains;
- Promote the use of research and development as well as production capabilities available in the
DMAG community; and
- Improve standardization and enhance interoperability.
Priorities
The DMAG’s priorities are as follows:
- Contribute to efforts to improve the current U.S. export control system as it pertains to the
International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the Export Administration Regulations (EAR);
- Contribute to efforts to co-develop and implement information security and cyber security standards;
- Advise the U.S. Congress and Government on laws and policies that impact reciprocal market access
and defense supply chains; and
- Contribute to efforts to promote competitive international solutions to meet DoD’s capability
requirements.
