What does ++ mean on a Cisco part number?

The ++ at the end of a Cisco part number marks the TAA compliant version of that product. Cisco replaced a limited set of part numbers (PIDs) with ++ versions so agencies could keep buying them under the Trade Agreements Act. A C9200-24P-A++ is the same switch as a C9200-24P-A. What changes is the route Cisco uses to build and ship it, and the country-of-origin paperwork that comes with it.

The rest of this guide covers what trips people up: TAA compliant Cisco products with no ++ at all, what -1A means (not TAA), the 8 to 10 week lead time, the spares problem, and how to place a ++ order with us.

What Cisco means by ++

Cisco's explanation to its partners is short. A limited number of PIDs were replaced with ++ versions to keep those products available as TAA compliant. The ++ product is identical to the base product except for the fulfillment route. In plain terms: Cisco builds and ships the ++ unit through a supply path whose country of origin qualifies under the TAA, and certifies that origin on paper. The base PID is not fulfilled through that route.

The TAA test is about where the product was made or substantially transformed, not where the company is headquartered. FAR 25.003 defines each category of designated country end product as an article manufactured in that country, or substantially transformed there into:

“a new and different article of commerce with a name, character, or use distinct from that of the article or articles from which it was transformed.”

Source: FAR 25.003

So a Cisco switch can carry a main board built in China and still qualify if final assembly, software load, configuration, and test happen in a designated country such as Mexico. U.S. Customs and Border Protection reached that conclusion in a January 2018 final determination Cisco requested for one of its Ethernet switch products. Boards from China, transformed in Mexico, product of Mexico for procurement. For the full rule, start with what TAA compliant means and the designated countries list.

Is C9200-24P-A++ different hardware from C9200-24P-A?

No. Here is the comparison we give a contracting officer who asks why the part number changed.

The -A and -E in these PIDs are license tiers (Network Advantage and Network Essentials, explained in Essentials vs Advantage). They sit in front of the ++ unchanged.

Not every TAA compliant Cisco product has a ++

Searches for a "Cisco TAA compliant list" go wrong here: people expect every entry to end in ++. Cisco is explicit with partners that not all TAA-eligible products carry a ++ PID. Some are TAA-eligible at their own part number. In our line, the UCS-SPL-5108-AC2-T compute bundle is one example: TAA compliant at its own PID, no ++ needed.

Cisco's system of record is Cisco Commerce Workspace (CCW). When a partner enters a line item, a blue TAA indicator appears under the PID if the product is TAA-eligible. The order's Federal section must also have TAA Requested set to Yes. The complete list is Cisco's Country of Origin download, restricted to partners authorized for U.S. federal business and marked confidential. That is why there is no public page to bookmark. Our CCW guide shows the ordering side.

The practical rule for buyers: ask for the country-of-origin statement per line item whether or not the PID ends in ++. What that document should contain is covered in how to verify TAA compliance.

What does -1A mean on a Cisco part number?

Not TAA. In our experience mapping Cisco's distributor catalog, a leading 1 or a -1A on a PID marks a one-year offering bundle. The reliable TAA signal in distributor data is the word TAA in the product description, not a suffix pattern. Treat -1A as a term marker and ++ as the TAA marker. If a quote shows neither and the description does not say TAA, ask before you sign.

When do you actually need the ++ version?

• Your order is at or above the WTO GPA supply threshold. That is $174,000 under FAR 25.402, Table 1, effective March 13, 2026. At that level the FAR 52.225-5 clause applies and the contractor must deliver only U.S.-made or designated country end products. USTR revises the thresholds roughly every two years, so check the current table on acquisition.gov.
• Your order is placed under a GSA Multiple Award Schedule contract, at any dollar value. GSA's Vendor Support Center states that the TAA applies to all GSA Schedule contracts unless the solicitation or contract says otherwise. A $4,000 switch order off a Schedule is still TAA-covered because the clause lives in the contract. (Uniqcli does not hold a GSA Schedule; our MAS application is in progress.)
• Your agency or solicitation requires it. Below $174,000 on an open-market buy, FAR 25.403(c)(1) says the TAA purchase restriction does not apply. But an agency or solicitation can impose TAA by its own terms, and many do for network hardware. Ask your contracting officer before you assume.

When the answer is yes, the ++ PID is the cleanest way to meet the requirement because Cisco's certification of origin travels with the part number. When it is no, the base PID is fine and usually ships sooner.

Cisco families where ++ exists in our line

Cisco does not publish a public ++ list, so here is what we carry and quote as TAA compliant today. Pricing is on the TAA compliant Cisco hub.

Anything else in the switch catalog can be checked per PID. Send us the base part numbers and we will tell you whether a ++ version exists, whether the product is TAA-eligible at its own PID, or whether neither applies. In that last case Cisco's process is a TAA Certificate request, reviewed with your contracting officer.

Three things that go wrong on ++ orders

How long do ++ part numbers take to ship?

Cisco tells partners that ++ PIDs take longer to fulfill, that lead times vary by product, and that they may run up to 8 to 10 weeks. If your need-by date is four weeks out and the requirement is TAA compliance, tell us on day one. We will check current availability instead of quoting from a list.

Are Cisco spares TAA compliant?

Often not, and this is the one buyers miss. Cisco's guidance is to order spares as configured options inside a TAA-eligible top-level system whenever possible. Many spares ordered separately have a different country of origin that may not be TAA compliant. Optics are the classic case: a ++ switch with a standard SFP-10G-LR on the same order is a mixed-origin delivery. Use SFP-10G-LR++= and the other ++ optics, or configure the optics into the switch line.

Can I mix ++ and standard PIDs on one order?

Yes, with a caveat. Cisco allows mixed orders, but only the TAA-eligible lines are fulfilled as TAA compliant. A TAA order must also contain at least one TAA-eligible item or Cisco rejects it. The paperwork reflects that split line by line, so do not accept a blanket letter covering non-TAA lines.

How to order ++ part numbers from Uniqcli

You do not need to know the ++ PIDs in advance. Send the base part numbers you have (C9200-24P-A, CP-8851-K9, SFP-10G-LR) and flag the order as TAA required. We map each line to the ++ version where one exists, mark anything that qualifies at its own PID, and say plainly if a line has no TAA compliant path. For a Catalyst 9200 build, the 9200 cost guide explains how a base configuration is priced.

Purchase paths we support: the Government Purchase Card for micro-purchases (threshold $15,000 under FAR 2.101, raised effective October 1, 2025), Simplified Acquisition Procedures under FAR Part 13 up to the $350,000 simplified acquisition threshold, and FAR-based purchase orders. For DoD we invoice through WAWF in PIEE. The card process is covered in how to buy Cisco with a GPC. We are an independent authorized Cisco partner and hold no contract vehicles today.

What you receive with a ++ order: the Cisco country-of-origin statement for each TAA compliant line, and an invoice showing the ++ PIDs so the paperwork matches the boxes. If your contracting officer wants the source, Cisco's Global Trade Legal and Compliance page lists the country-of-origin contact. GSA's Vendor Support Center TAA page states the substantial-transformation test that Schedule holders are held to.