(a) Certain programs to promote the national defense are eligible for priorities and allocations support. These include programs for military and energy production or construction, military or critical infrastructure assistance to any foreign nation, deployment and sustainment of military forces, homeland security, stockpiling, space, and any directly related activity. Other eligible programs include emergency preparedness activities conducted pursuant to Title VI of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5195 et seq.) and critical infrastructure protection and restoration. For a current and complete list reflecting the latest changes to approved programs, please visit FEMA's website at www.FEMA.gov.

(b) FEMA may delegate authority to place priority ratings on contracts or orders necessary to promote the national defense to appropriate officials in certain Federal Government agencies that issue such contracts or orders, to the extent consistent with the delegation of Presidential authority under which FEMA is operating. Such delegations may include authority to authorize recipients of rated orders to place ratings on contracts or orders to contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers.

(a) Rated orders are identified by a priority rating and a program identification symbol. Rated orders take precedence over all unrated orders as necessary to meet required delivery dates. Among rated orders, DX rated orders take precedence over DO rated orders.

(b) Persons receiving rated orders must give them preferential treatment as required by this part.

(c) All rated orders must be scheduled to the extent possible to ensure delivery by the required delivery date.

(d) Persons who receive rated orders must in turn place rated orders with their suppliers for the items they need to fill the orders. This provision ensures that suppliers will give priority treatment to rated orders from contractor to subcontractor to suppliers throughout the procurement chain.

(e) Persons may place a priority rating on orders only when they are in receipt of a rated order, have been explicitly authorized to do so by FEMA or a Delegate Agency, or are otherwise permitted to do so by this part.