The Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA) mandates that CBP educate small and medium businesses on their compliance regarding importing and exporting into the U.S. This requirement is met by CBP’s Office of Trade Relations (OTR), who through various outreach efforts, raises awareness of resources available.
OTR has a national and regional partnership with the Small Business Administration (SBA). We are responsible for managing CBP's outreach and communications with the international trade community, including the small and medium sized business community. OTR ensures that the trade community and the public understand that trade is an integral part of CBP's mission; making America safer, stronger, more prosperous, and economically competitive. As we continue to focus on economic growth, OTR has partnered with SBA’s Office of the National Ombudsman and other small business entities to educate small and medium business owners on trade facilitation and compliance as it relates to importing, exporting and the global supply chain.
OTR’s outreach efforts to the small business community come in various forums; webinars, in-person roundtables and Small Business Trade Days.
Topics covered include a variety of information, such as:
- CBP’s role in Trade imports and exports - Automation and Partnership
- What small business owners need to know and what they should avoid when importing into the U.S.
- The role of the Broker in imports and exports, and how they can help
- Resources available to the small and medium businesses (SBREFA, SBA Programs and DHS/CBP Contract Opportunities)
Upcoming Events:
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November 29, 2022: The Office of Information and Technology is excited to announce the second Enterprise Small Business (ESB) Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) Procurement Virtual Industry Day happening Tuesday, November 29, 2022, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. EST. The objective of this event is to emphasize the ESB BPA solicitation, address industry questions and introduce the Enterprise Application Development (Emerging Technology Data Transformation Development & Maintenance) requirements. View the flyer for the ESB procurement.
For small business registration and questions please contact esbss@cbp.dhs.gov
Past Events:
- August 3-5, 2021: Detroit Virtual Trade Week - Webinar (REGISTRATION FULL)
- April 26, 2021: Your IP Matters! How to Protect Your Ingenuity and Creativity from Infringing Imports - Webinar
- May 7, 2020: South Florida District Export Council (DEC) - Webinar
- January 23, 2020: Take Your Business Global with Help from SBA - Webinar
- January 22, 2020: NCBFAA Exports - Webinar
- November 5, 2019: SBDC AES/ACE Exports Compliance Seminar - Linthicum Heights, MD
- September 17, 2019: SBDC AES/ACE Export Compliance Seminar - Glen Ellyn, IL
- September 4-6, 2019: SBDC Annual Conference - Long Beach, CA
- August 19, 2019: Tableware and Kitchenware of Plastic and Wood - Webinar
- August 13, 2019: CBP Field Trade Day - Detroit, MI
- August 8, 2019: Classification of Tea - Webinar
- August 7, 2019: Headings 6205 and 6206 Recent Issues - Webinar
- August 3, 2019: TransAtlantic Expo - Irving, TX
- August 1, 2019: Heading 4202: A Tale of Two Sections - Webinar
- July 31, 2019: Aluminum: Trade Remedies and AD/CVD - Webinar
- July 30, 2019: Classification of Coins of Heading 7118 - Webinar
- July 29, 2019: Other Cast Articles of Iron or Steel - Webinar
- July 25, 2019: Precious and Semi-Precious Stones of Headings 7103 and 7104 - Webinar
- July 24, 2019: Textile/Plastic Combinations - Webinar
- July 24, 2019: Small Business Roundtable - Chicago, IL
- July 23, 2019: Steel Wire - Webinar
- July 22, 2019: Chapter 61 Statistical Notes 6. Knit to Shape Garments - Webinar
- July 18, 2019: Fibers and Fabrics Back to Basics - Webinar
- July 17, 2019: Heading 9022 - Webinar
- July 16, 2019: Wood Flooring Classification Refresher - Webinar
- July 15, 2019: Classification of Refrigerant Mixtures - Webinar
- July 11, 2019: Completely Obscured Garments - Webinar
- July 10, 2019: Unraveling Yarns - Webinar
- July 8, 2019: Miscellaneous Edible Preparations of Heading 2106 - Webinar
- June 27, 2019: Toilet and Kitchen Linen and Other Towels - Webinar
- June 26, 2019: History and Classification of Drones (UAVs) - Webinar
- June 25, 2019: Current Issues in Festive Articles - Webinar
- June 24, 2019: Lamps of Heading 8539 - Webinar
- June 20, 2019: Fertilizers of Chapter 31 - Webinar
- June 18, 2019: Woven Anoraks and Common Classification Mistakes - Webinar
- June 17, 2019: Structures/Classification of Chapter 29 Subchapter X - Webinar
- June 13, 2019: Memory Devices of Headings 8541, 8523 and 8471 - Webinar
- June 12, 2019: Parts of General Use - Webinar
- June 10, 2019: Classification of Upper Body Undergarments - Webinar
- June 6, 2019: Heading 3916 Monofilament, Rods, Sticks and Profile Shapes - Webinars
- June 5, 2019: Women's Knit Skirts and Trousers - Webinar
- June 3, 2019: Textile Outer Soles - Webinar
- May 30, 2019: Chapter 67 Odds and Ends - Webinar
- May 29, 2019: Water Sport Equipment and Water Craft - Webinar
- May 23, 2019: Seafood Products of Chapter 3 and 16 - Webinar
- May 22, 2019: A Walk Through Chapter 59 - Webinar
- May 16, 2019: CBP/SCORE Entrepreneur Workshop - Daytona Beach, FL
- April 17, 2019: CBP/SBDC Small Business Trade Day - Stillwater, OK
- April 9, 2019: National Small Business Exporters Summit - Savannah, GA
- December 11, 2018: CPSC Webinar with NCBFAA
- September 26, 2018: Trade Day with CONECT - Natick, MA
- April 26, 2018: Industry Trade Day - Laredo, TX
- March 5, 2018: Webinar with NCBFAA
- March 9, 2017: Industry Trade Day - San Diego, CA
If you have any questions, or would like to discuss an opportunity to collaborate with CBP in our outreach efforts, please contact OTR at (202) 344-1440 or cbpsbrelations@cbp.dhs.gov.
