SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced today the 2017 open period for applications under the Reimbursable Services Program (RSP).
Pursuant to Section 559 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, CBP is authorized to enter into partnerships with private sector and government entities to provide new or expanded services on a reimbursable basis. Reimbursable services include customs and agricultural processing, border security, support, and immigration inspection-related matters at ports of entry.
agricultural processing, border security
and support at any facility where CBP
provides or will provide services
“The Reimbursable Services Program enables partnerships between CBP and private sector or government entities, allowing CBP to provide additional inspection services upon the request of stakeholders,” stated Keith McFarquhar, Acting Director of Field Operations for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. “The RSP has proved to be a win-win venture; companies receive the benefit of CBP services and the agency is reimbursed for the costs of these services.”
These services can include customs, immigration, agricultural processing, border security and support at any facility where CBP provides or will provide services, and may cover costs such as salaries, benefits, overtime expenses, administration, and transportation costs.
In an expansion from previous years, the submission period will remain open indefinitely, with three evaluation windows annually. All applications received between February 1, 2017 and February 28, 2017 will be included in the evaluation process beginning March 2017, with subsequent evaluations beginning in July and November, as described below.
Application Received Between the following Dates
- February 1, 2017
- March 1, 2017
- July 1, 2017
- November 1, 2017
- February 28, 2017
- June 30, 2017
- October 31, 2017
- February 28, 2018
Evaluation Begins
- March 2017
- July 2017
- November 2017
- November 2017
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.
In 2016, Copeca Jet Center, LLC a locally owned and operated Fixed Base Operator (FBO) that provides services to corporate and general aviation at the Rafael Hernández International Airport, became the first entity to join the Reimbursable Service Program in Puerto Rico.
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. In the first 18 months of the program, CBP was able to provide more than 93,000 additional processing hours at primary lanes and booths, which contributed to both increased border security and decreased border wait times.
For frequently asked questions, check the CBP website.
Interested entities, located in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, please contact the CBP San Juan Field Office at 787-729-6950 for additional information on this program.