For years CBP (Customs) has imposed upon the brokerage community and the importing public the importance of importer address accuracy in CBP’s operating system. For years CBP has gone the extra mile and provided written notifications to importers (and they’re broker agents) advising of errors and requesting corrections to identified “bad addresses”. Please know that in the eyes of CBP it is a given that when an importer changes their name or address they must work with their Customs broker to make corrections in CBP’s Automated Commercial Environment (ACE).
Though CBP’s efforts of bad address notifications have had a positive impact on many importers and foreign importers of record, we need to notify you that CBP has published a rather final ultimatum to the public advising that if importers do not police their own address imperfections their ability to import goods into the U.S.A. will be compromised. CBP plans on placing an insufficient bond flag on importers continuous bond when notices are returned to CBP as undeliverable (bad address). An insufficient bond will basically stop the importers shipment(s) at the port of entry.
We post this information and ask that if you have a change of name and or address, or if you know your address requires correction that you contact us immediately so that we can correct your name and address in Customs and Border Protection Services operating system.
Regards / Sanders Brokerage Services
* * * * * Customs Message Notice Follows * * * * * *
Since July, 2005, the Revenue Division, Office of Finance has worked diligently to obtain corrected, valid addresses whenever the U.S. Postal Service returns mail to CBP as ‘undeliverable’. Currently, the Revenue Division policy in this area is as follows: Upon receipt of mail returned as ‘undeliverable’ by the U.S. Postal Service, the Revenue Division renders the continuous bond insufficient immediately. The Trade Community may have the continuous bond returned to sufficient status by complying with the instructions posted at: http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/priority_trade/revenue/bonds/pilot_program/insufficient_bonds.xml.
The sudden, unexpected insufficiency of the continuous bond can create a significant disruption to import activity. In response to numerous requests from the Trade Community, the Revenue Division will test a program beginning in February, 2009 whereby sureties receive advance notice of pending bond insufficiencies.
Beginning on February 3rd, the Revenue Division will post information about continuous bonds scheduled to be rendered insufficient to the surety’s Business Activity Log (BAL) in ACE. Any surety with ACE portal account access will be able to access these postings. These postings will be made available no less than two full weeks prior to the listed bonds being rendered insufficient. This will afford the Trade Community the chance to proactively rectify whatever issues threaten the sufficiency of the continuous bond (whether the problem is related to returned mail, or some other issue).
Each posting to the BAL will provide specific information about the underlying problem(s) impacting the bond, as well as outline the process to correct these problems. The Trade Community is strongly encouraged to work closely with their surety to receive notification of any pending issues which may impact their continuous bond sufficiency. Failure to receive those notifications, or to promptly take the necessary corrective actions, will lead to the insufficiency of the continuous bond.
At this time, the Revenue Division has agreed to test this process for at least 45 days. The Revenue Division estimates that there will be 6 – 8 separate BAL postings during that period. Based in large part on the results of this test, the Revenue Division will determine the effectiveness of this process and decide whether to permanently adopt this procedure.
If you have any questions about this notice, please contact Supervisory Section Chief Casey Horn at (317) 614-4484 or via email at Casey.Horn@dhs.gov.
 | 
