CBP approves 20 public-private agreements to provide expanded services

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) approved 20 new reimbursable service agreements with non-federal entities on Friday that will allow CBP to be reimbursed for providing enhanced services for cross-border trade and travel.

CBP approved reimbursable service agreements with private businesses and state and local agencies in California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Texas, and Virginia. Under the agreements, CBP will provide expanded services for the inspection of incoming commercial cargo and international travelers.

“As trade and travel continue to grow, these partnerships allow us to keep pace while ensuring the safety and security of the travelers and cargo arriving in the United States,” CBP Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said. “By working with our public-private partners, we are able to maximize our resources to facilitate legitimate trade and travel, which directly supports our local and national economies.”

CBP is allowed to enter into public-private partnerships to provide services that include customs, agricultural processing, border security, support and immigration inspection-related matters under the Homeland Security Act of 2002. Reimbursable costs include salaries for additional staff, overtime hours and administrative expenses. Since the program was established in 2013, CBP has provided 483,000 additional processing hours to 149 stakeholders.