U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agreed to 11 tentative, reimbursable services agreements this week to boost cross-border trade and travel.
The agreements are an expansion of the Reimbursable Services Program that has been in place since 2013. All are public-private partnerships that will allow reimbursement of the CBP for expanded services for incoming commercial and cargo traffic, along with international traveler arrivals. The additions apply to Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington.
“The Reimbursable Services Program creates public-private partnerships that help CBP keep pace with ever-increasing volumes of trade and travel,” said Todd Owen, CBP Executive Assistant Commissioner of the Office of Field Operations. “By working with our public-private partners, CBP is able to maximize its resources and produce innovative, joint solutions that enhance America’s economic competitiveness.”
Reimbursable services include customs, agricultural processing, border security services, immigration inspection, and support services at U.S. ports of entry. Reimbursable services do come with limitations, though, and they do not replace existing services. Airports that see more than 100,000 international passengers annually, for example, have to limit reimbursable services to overtime costs and support services. To date, the CBP credits the program with the processing of more than 13.5 million travelers and 1.7 million vehicles.
The new additions can be broken down into three environment types: air, air and sea, and sea.
Those selected for air services include:
26 North Aviation, Inc. dba Skystream Jet
Aerovias de Mexico S.A. de C.V. dba AeroMexico
Jet Aviation Flight Services, Inc.
JFK International Air Terminal LLC
Midland Financial Co.
NetJets Aviation, Inc.
Noble Energy Inc.
Qatar Airways
The sole air and sea beneficiary is Advance Customs Brokers and Consulting, LLC. For sea environments, agreements were formed with A.R. Savage and Son, along with the Manatee County Port Authority.