CBP progresses on streamlining broker licensing

CBP progresses on streamlining broker licensing    A new process to expedite the issuance of customs brokers licenses is scheduled for limited testing in May, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
   Shortly after taking office last spring, Commissioner Alan Bersin promised to reduce the time required to issue a broker license, tapping $1 million from his personal reserve account to fund work necessary to implement the changes.
   Under the existing paper-intensive process it can take up to one year or more from the time an applicant passes a broker exam until he or she receives a license. CBP plans to use its Global Enrollment Centers, which handle fingerprinting and interviews of participants in trusted traveler programs, to manage the application process and verify new brokers.
   CBP has completed the first phase of its licensing project, which involved making program modifications to the Global Enrollment System to streamline the licensing of bonded facilities and operators, according to an official update provided by the Office of International Trade.
   The new process for licensing brokerage companies was successfully tested in November.
   CBP is in the second phase of the licensing project, which is designed to speed up processing of broker applications.
   The agency is scheduled to begin alpha and beta system testing for the broker application functionality in April, along with training to field officers prior to implementation of the pilot in May.
   Customs will roll out the new licensing system to regions of the country in stages once the trial program has been successfully completed.
   Officials are also preparing a proposal to revise existing regulations to accommodate the changes associated with the restructured licensing process, the statement said.
   CBP's goal is to issue broker licenses within 90 days of receiving an application, but then-Assistant Commissioner of Trade Daniel Baldwin expressed interest last year in eventually shortening that time to 45 to 60 days.
   The re-engineered CBP licensing process will initially be available at the nation's 20 major international gateway airport cities, including Honolulu and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
   The improvement was made possible by an agreement between CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement to streamline how background investigations are conducted. Delays are common because the investigations have a low priority with ICE and are compounded by the use of paper fingerprint cards that are forwarded to the FBI for criminal history checks.
   The vetting function will now be the responsibility of CBP, and most checks will simply involve an interview of the subject rather than contacting neighbors, friends and colleagues for reference checks as is typically done for government security clearances.
   The money is being used to automate major portions of the vetting and fingerprinting process that will allow these functions to be performed by CBP staff and speed issuance of the license. ' Eric Kulisch