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Initial Loading of Critical Software May Not Always Define Country of Origin

Client Alert | 1 min read | 04.10.13

On April 3, 2013, the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued two final determinations on the country of origin for complex electronic equipment which demonstrate the role that loading of U.S.-origin system software or firmware can play in identifying the country of origin under the substantial transformation test applicable to the Trade Agreements Act. In Country of Origin of Ultrasound Systems (a matter handled by Crowell & Moring), CBP concluded that the country of origin was the U.S. despite an initial system software load to the electronics module in China, when complex components from multiple countries subsequently were combined in the U.S. along with the download of the final system software, whereas in Country of Origin of HP LaserJet Enterprise 500 Color M551 Printer and Fax Machine, CBP concluded that loading U.S.-origin firmware along with a simple (7-minute) final assembly operation in Mexico did not substantially transform the complex LaserJet printer components and subassemblies manufactured in China, resulting in China being the country of origin.


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Client Alert | 4 min read | 06.25.26

Twin Executive Orders Seek to Spur Quantum Leap in Technology and Cybersecurity

On June 22, 2026, President Trump signed two executive orders, “Securing the Nation Against Advanced Cryptographic Attacks” (Quantum Security EO) and “Ushering in the Next Frontier of Quantum Innovation” (Quantum Innovation EO), marking the most significant federal action on quantum technology since the Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Preparedness Act of 2022, which directed agencies to harden their information systems against quantum-enabled hacking. The orders seek to speed the development of quantum computers, which are advanced processors that can calculate multiple possibilities simultaneously and thus solve problems exponentially faster than traditional computers. At the same time, the orders look to protect against the danger that quantum technology can “break” traditional encryption by easily decoding it. Of particular note for government contractors, the Quantum Security EO directs agencies to update federal acquisition regulations to require contractors by 2031 to adopt information processing standards that resist quantum-enabled codebreaking....

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