ABSTRACT
This entry addresses issues that the import and purchasing managers face when they source materials and products from foreign manufacturers. The entry provides background on the history and infrastructure of the United States Customs Service. This organizations was formerly under the Department of the Treasury, but was transferred to the Department of Homeland Security in 2003. This was a message to the international trade community that Customs' focus would be more on enforcement rather than protecting the U.S. revenue collection. The entry describes Customs‐Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C‐TPAT) and the related Importer Self Assessment (ISA).
