March 27, 2009

Running Head: C-TPAT and The Asian Consumer Electronic Products

Incorporating Customs -Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) Requirements within Procurement Strategies for a USA-Asian Supply Chain of Consumer Electronic Products

Abstract
“The Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) was created by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in direct response to the terrorist attacks that were launched against the United States on September 11, 2001”(www.ctpat.com), to enforce this in shipping of goods from foreign entities. Asia a leader in consumer electronic had to find ways to ship the products also combating the requirements set by CBP. This paper explains what C-TPAT does and ways Asia and other foreign entities can comply with C-TPAT.

Introduction
CBP established C-TPAT in an attempt to secure and safeguard the integrity of U.S. borders against future attacks by terrorists who might seek to further their terrorist activities by hijacking containers entering the United States and using such containers to smuggle in conventional arms or chemical or biological weapons. In seeking to secure and safeguard U.S. borders against future terrorist attacks, C-TPAT focuses on enlisting the cooperation and participation of all parties involved in shipping products to or importing products into the United States. “The USA Patriot Act, signed into law October, 2001, inspections at ports, regulated airport screening, and heightened at land-based border crossings. This act resulted in a widespread implementation of voluntary initiatives between the U.S. customs and private industry known as C-TPAT” (Bowersox, Closs and Cooper, p.176). “CBP said in 2008, 11m truck containers would cross US borders, with an examination rate of 25.2%. An estimated 11.3m sea containers would see an examination rate of 3%. Of the 2.7m rail containers