A detailed description of the RSP and guidance for submitting a letter of application can be found at www.cbp.gov/rsp. Applicants are strongly encouraged to coordinate with the affected local CBP Field Office and Port of Entry in developing their letters of application.
Yes, the 2017 RSP Open Period Webinar presentation is now available under the “Related Content” section.
In an expansion from previous years, the submission period will remain open indefinitely, with three evaluation windows annually. Please refer to the table on the Application Guidance page for more information on when the evaluation process begins.
Section 481 of the Homeland Security Act, 2002, as amended by the Cross-Border Trade Enhancement Act, 2016, authorizes CBP to enter into RSAs.
Section 481(d) of the Homeland Security Act, 2002, as amended by the Cross-Border Trade Enhancement Act, 2016, explicitly states:
“The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection may enter into fee agreements under this section only for services that (1) will increase or enhance the operational capacity of U.S. Customs and Border Protection based on available staffing and workload; and (2) will not shift the cost of services funded in any appropriations Act, or provided from any account in the Treasury of the United States derived by the collection of fees, to entities under this Act; and (3) may not enter into a fee agreement under this section if such agreement would unduly and permanently impact services funded in any appropriations Act, or provided from any account in the Treasury of the United States, derived by the collection of fees.”
The purpose of the RSP is to provide the option to interested parties to pursue services that are above and beyond what they can receive at the impacted port of entry, or any other facility in which CBP will provide services.
Each application is subject to a rigorous, multi-layered evaluation process using the criteria listed in the application guidance section. As a result, the evaluation process may take up to four months.
CBP may enter into an agreement for services at a port of entry or any other facility at which CBP provides or will provide services.
Yes, User Fee Facilities are eligible to apply to the RSP. For example, a User Fee Facility may want to apply to the RSP to add agriculture processing services, which are not covered under a User Fee Agreement.