Skip to main content

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

  • Archived Content
    In an effort to keep CBP.gov current, the archive contains content from a previous administration or is otherwise outdated.
  1. Home
  2. Newsroom
  3. National Media Release
  4. CBP Announces Indefinite Open Period for Reimbursable Services Program Applications

CBP Announces Indefinite Open Period for Reimbursable Services Program Applications

Release Date
Wed, 02/01/2017

WASHINGTON— U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced today the open period for accepting letters of application through the Reimbursable Services Program (RSP) will remain open indefinitely. Applications may be submitted via email to RSP@cbp.dhs.gov and will be evaluated during three evaluation windows. Applications received today through February 28, 2017 will be evaluated beginning March 2017. Subsequent evaluations will begin in July for applications received between March 1 and June 30; November for applications received between July 1 and October 31; and March 2018 for applications received between November 1 and February 28, 2018.

CBP officer processing travelers at a land port of entry.
CBP officer processing travelers at a land
port of entry. 

Pursuant to Section 481 of the Homeland Security Act, 2002, as amended by the Cross-Border Trade Enhancement Act, 2016, CBP is authorized to enter into partnerships with private sector and government entities to provide new or expanded services on a fee basis. Services include customs, agricultural processing, border security, support, and immigration inspection-related matters at ports of entry. Associated costs may include the salaries of additional staff, overtime hours, administration, and transportation expenses.

The Cross-Border Trade Enhancement Act, 2016, signed into law on December 16, 2016, expands CBP’s public-private partnership authority by:

  • Making CBP’s ability to enter into Service Fee Agreements permanent;
  • Removing the annual limit on the number of agreements at air ports of entry;
  • Permitting for agreements at any facility in which CBP provides, or will provide services; and
  • Allowing small air ports of entry with fewer than 100,000 international passenger arrivals annually to offset CBP for the salaries and expenses of up to five full-time officers.

Letters of application will be evaluated based on their individual merit and ability to satisfy the evaluation criteria posted on CBP.gov/RSP. Applicants and interested parties may submit questions regarding the Reimbursable Services Program via email at RSP@cbp.dhs.gov.

The Reimbursable Services Program is a key component of CBP’s Resource Optimization Strategy. The program enables CBP to support additional requests for services while also managing rising volumes of travel and trade that are critical to our economy. CBP has been able to provide more than 228,000 additional processing hours at primary lanes and booths since the program began in December 2013, contributing to both increased border throughput and decreased border wait times.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021