---
kind: "section"
citation: "6 U.S.C. § 971"
title: "6"
title_heading: "Domestic Security"
number: "971"
heading: "C–TPAT program management"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/6/971"
units:
  - "Chapter 3 — Security and Accountability for Every Port"
  - "Subchapter II — Security of the International Supply Chain"
  - "Part B — Customs–Trade Partnership Against Terrorism"
---

# §971. C–TPAT program management

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/6/901.md?p=15), acting through the [Commissioner](/usc/6/901.md?p=4), shall establish sufficient internal quality controls and record management to support the management systems of C–TPAT. In managing the program, the [Secretary](/usc/6/901.md?p=15) shall ensure that the program includes:
  - (1) **Strategic plan—** A 5-year plan to identify outcome-based goals and performance measures of the program.
  - (2) **Annual plan—** An annual plan for each fiscal year designed to match available resources to the projected workload.
  - (3) **Standardized work program—** A standardized work program to be used by [agency](/usc/6/671.md?p=1) [personnel](/usc/6/101.md?p=15) to carry out the certifications, validations, and revalidations of participants. The [Secretary](/usc/6/901.md?p=15) shall keep records and monitor staff hours associated with the completion of each such review.
- (b) **Documentation of reviews—** The [Secretary](/usc/6/901.md?p=15), acting through the [Commissioner](/usc/6/901.md?p=4), shall maintain a record management system to document determinations on the reviews of each C–TPAT participant, including certifications, validations, and revalidations.
- (c) **Confidential information safeguards—** In consultation with the [Commercial Operations Advisory Committee](/usc/6/901.md?p=2), the [Secretary](/usc/6/901.md?p=15), acting through the [Commissioner](/usc/6/901.md?p=4), shall develop and implement procedures to ensure the protection of confidential data collected, stored, or shared with government [agencies](/usc/6/671.md?p=1) or as part of the application, certification, validation, and revalidation processes.
- (d) **Resource management staffing plan—** The [Secretary](/usc/6/901.md?p=15), acting through the [Commissioner](/usc/6/901.md?p=4), shall—
  - (1) develop a staffing plan to recruit and train staff (including a formalized training program) to meet the objectives identified in the strategic plan of the C–TPAT program; and
  - (2) provide cross-training in postincident trade resumption for [personnel](/usc/6/101.md?p=15) who administer the C–TPAT program.
- (e) **Report to Congress—** In connection with the President’s annual budget submission for the [Department](/usc/6/901.md?p=7), the [Secretary](/usc/6/901.md?p=15) shall report to the [appropriate congressional committees](/usc/6/901.md?p=1) on the progress made by the [Commissioner](/usc/6/901.md?p=4) to certify, validate, and revalidate C–TPAT participants. Such report shall be due on the same date that the President’s budget is submitted to the Congress.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 109–347, title II, § 221, Oct. 13, 2006, 120 Stat. 1914.)