(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.