§971 C–tpat Program Management

Summary

The Secretary, through the Commissioner, must set up strong quality checks and record keeping to run the C‑TPAT program. The program must include a 5‑year plan with outcome goals and ways to measure them, an annual plan that matches staff and money to the work for each fiscal year, and a standard work guide for doing certifications, validations, and revalidations. The agency must keep records and track the staff hours used for each review. Working with the Commercial Operations Advisory Committee, the Commissioner must protect confidential data collected or shared during applications and reviews. The Commissioner must also make a staffing and training plan (including formal training and cross‑training for post‑incident trade resumption). A progress report on certifications, validations, and revalidations must be sent to the appropriate congressional committees when the President’s budget is submitted.