Principals Can Use ACE to Confirm Bonds After Mailing Copies Ends

CBP officials previously announced this change in policy at a recent webinar and said that it would post a notice announcing this change to its website “soon.” See ITT’s Online Archives 05/11/11 news, 11051114, for BP summary.

(Note that Continuous Transaction Bond program has been centralized at the Revenue Division. The bond centralization effort includes the filing, approval and maintenance of all Continuous Transaction and Airport Security bonds. Single Transaction Bonds (STBs) are processed by the Ports¹.)

Principals Can Confirm Approval of Submissions via ACE

While the Revenue Division will discontinue automatically mailing copies of approved bond submissions to the bond principal(s) effective June 1, principals have the ability to immediately confirm the approval of all continuous bond submissions including new bonds, riders, and terminations via ACE portal account access.

Moreover, various members of the trade community (customhouse brokers, surety agents, etc.) are able to validate continuous bond approvals via other ‘electronic’ avenues such as the Automated Broker Interface (ABI), Automated Surety Interface, etc.

Or Principals Can Receive Email Copies if Timely Requested

Principals who desire a copy of a recently approved continuous bond submission will be able to obtain that copy at no charge. The Revenue Division will provide copies of recently approved continuous bond submissions at no charge if a valid request is received from a principal associated with the bond as follows:

• Requests must be made by the principal via email to cbp.bondquestions@dhs.gov.
• The request must be received within 30 calendar days of the bond transaction approval. The Revenue Division will only provide copies of those transactions approved within the past 30 calendar days.
• The request must identify the specific documentation being requested. For example, the request must specify if requesting a copy of a new bond, rider, or termination paperwork.
• The request must reference the applicable 9-digit CBP bond number and the principal’s importer number.
• These email requests must use an email subject line that begins with the words “BOND COPY REQUEST”.

The Revenue Division will only provide requested copies as an email ‘reply’ to received requests which fully satisfy all of the above conditions. In addition to the above, principals continue to have the option of obtaining copies of continuous bond paperwork via the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process at any time.

CBP to Use Savings from Mailing Copies to Invest in Bond Processes

CBP notes that it will realize significant resource and cost savings as a result of this change. These ‘savings’ will be fully reinvested in core continuous bond processes; such as the review and approval of continuous bond submissions.

In addition, based on seven years of experience, the Revenue Division has determined that copies of approved continuous bonds are expendable to a majority of bond principals. The Revenue Division estimates that CBP mailed out over 120,000 continuous bond notifications to bond principals in 2010.

(Note that in October 2009, Revenue Division stopped faxing copies of approved continuous bond submissions to the bond filer. At that time, they said they would continue to mail copies of approved submissions to both the surety and the bond principal(s). See ITT’s Online Archives or 10/29/09 news, 09102905, for BP summary.)

¹CBP has previously said that continuous Importer Security Filing (ISF) bonds are currently processed by the Revenue Division. CBP sources noted that both single and continuous ISF bonds should be submitted to the Revenue Division. The Revenue Division receives both types of bonds, but only processes and assigns a number to continuous ISF bonds.