(a) Foreign availability assessment. A foreign availability assessment is an evidentiary analysis that BIS conducts to assess the foreign availability of a given item according to the assessment criteria, based on data submitted by a claimant, the data gathered by BIS, and the data and recommendations submitted by the Departments of Defense and State and other relevant departments and agencies, TAC committees, and industry. BIS uses the results of the analysis in formulating its recommendation to the Secretary on whether foreign availability exists for a given item. If the Secretary determines that foreign availability exists, the Secretary will decontrol the item for national security reasons or approve the license in question if there is no foreign policy reason to deny the license, unless the President exercises a National Security Override (see § 768.7 of this part). The effect of any such determination on the effectiveness of foreign policy controls may be considered independent of this part.

(b) Types of assessments. There are two types of foreign availability assessments:

(1) Denied license assessment; and

(2) Decontrol assessment.

(c) Expedited licensing procedures. See § 768.8 of this part for the evaluation of eligibility of an item for the expedited licensing procedures.