Know Before You Buy: New Restricted Manufacturer Lookup
A handful of federal lists restrict purchases of equipment from specific manufacturers — even when you’re buying through a familiar reseller like Amazon Business, B&H, or Grainger. Drones, network gear, video surveillance cameras, and certain lab equipment are the most common cases.
To make these easier to catch before checkout, we’ve put together a quick lookup tool. Type a manufacturer or brand name in the search box and see whether it appears on:
- DoD Section 1260h — Chinese military companies list
- FCC Covered List — restricted telecom, surveillance, and drone equipment
- NDAA Section 889 — covered telecommunications and video surveillance
The tool refreshes automatically each week from the federal sources, so it stays current as entities are added or removed.
🔍 Restricted Manufacturer Lookup → — bookmark it.
A few things worth knowing:
- A match doesn’t automatically mean “don’t buy.” The actual restriction depends on the list, the funding source, and the intended use. Some items may still be purchased with state funds even when federal funds are off the table.
- Aliases work. Searching “DJI” pulls up the full corporate name; searching “Jonhon” surfaces the AVIC affiliate. Use whatever’s on the box.
- This tool sits alongside the standard vendor screen we already run at registration — it’s the manufacturer-layer companion, not a replacement.
- Final purchasing decisions remain the responsibility of the requesting department — this tool is a check, not a clearance.
Questions, or got a match you’re not sure about?
The Office of Research Security and Export Compliance owns this space and can help you figure out next steps for your specific situation, funding source, and intended use.
✉️ VCU EXPORTCTRL <[email protected]>
✉️ Jason Burkhart, Director of Research Security and Export Compliance ✉️ Peter Landsman, Assistant Director, Export Compliance Program
Categories Office of Research and Innovation, Procurement Services