CSMS Message: 99-000222

TO : ALL ABI BROKERS.

FROM : ROBERT WATT

SUBJECT : New Customs Compliance Program

DATE : 03/25/1999

LLPVMQ PROGRAM
(LOWER LEVEL PHYSICAL VERIFICATION OF THE MANIFESTED QUANTITIES)

BACKGROUND

THE U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE PHYSICAL VERIFICATION OF THE MANIFESTED
QUANTITIES (PVMQ) PROGRAM WAS CREATED TO MEASURE THE ACCURACY OF
MANIFESTED INFORMATION. THIS WAS PERFORMED BY COMPARING THE ACTUAL
NUMBER OF CONTAINERS DISCHARGED TO THE NUMBER OF CONTAINERS MANIFEST
BY THE CARRIER. TO FURTHER DEVELOP THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PVMQ
PROGRAM, THE CUSTOMS SERVICE HAS DECIDED TO EXPAND THE PARAMETERS OF
THE PROGRAM TO INCLUDE THE PHYSICAL VERIFICATION OF A CONTAINERS
ACTUAL CONTENTS. THIS WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED BY THE RANDOM SELECTION
262 VESSELS (ON A NATIONWIDE BASIS) AND THE SUBSEQUENT RANDOM
SELECTION OF APPROXIMATELY 1000 CONTAINERS FROM THOSE 262 VESSELS.
THESE 1000 CONTAINERS WILL THEN BE SUBJECTED TO COMPLETE EXAMINATION
AT AUTHORIZED CUSTOMS CES'S.

PURPOSE

AN ACCURATE MANIFEST IS A CRITICAL TOOL THE U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE
EMPLOYS TO TARGET VESSEL CONTAINERS IN ITS EFFORT TO INTERDICT
NARCOTICS AND OTHER PROHIBITED MERCHANDISE. THE LOWER LEVEL PHYSIC
VERIFICATIONS OF THE MANIFESTED QUANTITIES (LLPVMQ) ON CONTAINER
VESSELS PROVIDES THE CUSTOMS SERVICE WITH THE ABILITY TO MEASURE THE
ACCURACY OF ITS CARGO CONTROL PROCEDURES DOWN TO THE LOWER LEVEL BIL
OF LADING (BOL) LAYER, THEREBY PROVIDING THE U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE WI
CONFIDENCE IN THE MANIFESTED INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY VESSEL CARRIERS
THE RESULTS OF THIS PROGRAM ARE INTENDED TO BE UTILIZED FOR FUTURE
INFORMED COMPLIANCE INITIATIVES (ON BOTH A LOCAL AND NATIONAL LEVEL)

THE LLPVMQ MANIFEST IS DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

NON-AMS CARRIERS:

THE VESSEL MANIFEST DECLARATION WILL CONSIST OF THE HARD COPY OR
ADVANCED HARD COPY OF THE ENTRY MANIFEST PRESENTED TO THE U. S.
CUSTOMS SERVICE AT THE TIME OF ARRIVAL. IF AN ADVANCED MANIFEST IS
UTILIZED, CARRIERS MAY PROVIDE AMENDMENTS UNTIL TIME OF VESSEL
ARRIVAL. AMENDMENTS RECEIVED AFTER VESSEL ARRIVAL WILL BE REPORTED
DISCREPANCIES.

AMS CARRIERS:

THE VESSEL MANIFEST DECLARATION WILL CONSIST OF INFORMATION
TRANSMITTED TO CUSTOMS VIA AUTOMATED VESSEL MANIFEST SYSTEM (AMS) NO
LATER THAN 2 HOURS PRIOR TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF VESSEL DISCHARGE.
AMENDMENTS RECEIVED AFTER VESSEL ARRIVAL WILL BE REPORTED AS
DISCREPANCIES.

PAPERLESS AMS CARRIERS:

THE VESSEL MANIFEST DECLARATION WILL CONSIST OF INFORMATION
TRANSMITTED TO CUSTOMS VIA AUTOMATED VESSEL MANIFEST SYSTEM (AMS) NO
LATER THAN 48 HOURS PRIOR TO THE VESSEL'S ARRIVAL, EXCEPT SHORT HAUL
VESSELS WHOSE LAST FOREIGN PORT WAS LESS THAN 48 HOURS FROM THE U.S.
FOR SHORT HAUL VESSELS, THE DECLARATION WILL CONSIST OF INFORMATION
TRANSMITTED TO CUSTOMS VIA THE AUTOMATED MANIFEST SYSTEM AT THE TIME
OF ARRIVAL. AMENDMENTS RECEIVED AFTER VESSEL ARRIVAL WILL BE REPORT
AS DISCREPANCIES. NATIONAL CARRIER COMPLIANCE RATES WILL BE
DETERMINED WITH REGARD TO THE COMPLETENESS AND ACCURACY OF MANIFEST
INFORMATION.

ANY QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE LLPVMQ PROGRAM CAN BE SENT VIA MAIL TO
THE ADDRESS BELOW OR CALL THE LLPVMQ PROGRAM MANAGER, ROBERT WATT,
BETWEEN 7AM-4PM EST AT 202-927-3654.

U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE
1300 PENNSYLVANIA AVE. N.W.
WASHINGTON, DC 20229 ROOM 5.2C
ATTENTION: ROBERT WATT PROGRAM MANAGER