Announcement of the Client Representative Technical Assistance Portal (CRTAP) Test

Issuing agencies

Abstract

This document announces that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will conduct a test regarding the Client Representative Technical Assistance Portal (CRTAP), a new case management system that is designed to provide a secure centralized location and standardized method for information capture, that may replace the submission of technical assistance requests by telephone or by email. This voluntary test will permit CBP to examine whether the CRTAP meets its intended use and function. This notice describes the test, invites trade members to participate, and sets forth participation criteria.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 212 (Wednesday, November 4, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 212 (Wednesday, November 4, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69566-69568]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-22501]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

U.S. Customs and Border Protection


Announcement of the Client Representative Technical Assistance 
Portal (CRTAP) Test

AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland 
Security.

ACTION: General notice.

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SUMMARY: This document announces that U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection (CBP) will conduct a test regarding the Client 
Representative Technical Assistance Portal (CRTAP), a new case 
management system that is designed to provide a secure centralized 
location and standardized method for information capture, that may 
replace the submission of technical assistance requests by telephone or 
by email. This voluntary test will permit CBP to examine whether the 
CRTAP meets its intended use and function. This notice

[[Page 69567]]

describes the test, invites trade members to participate, and sets 
forth participation criteria.

DATES: The CRTAP test will commence on December 4, 2026 and will 
continue for a period of 45 days, subject to any extension, 
modification, or termination as announced in the Federal Register. CBP 
will begin to accept requests to participate in the test on November 4, 
2026, and CBP will continue to accept such requests until the CRTAP 
test concludes. Public comments on the test are invited and may be 
submitted to the address set forth below until the test commences.

ADDRESSES: Comments and questions concerning this notice or any aspect 
of the test, including requests to participate in the CRTAP test, may 
be submitted via email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f5929897db96999c909b818790859a8081879094969db5968597db919d86db929a83"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="91f6fcf3bff2fdf8f4ffe5e3f4e1fee4e5e3f4f0f2f9d1f2e1f3bff5f9e2bff6fee7">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>, with the 
subject line reading ``Comments/Questions on CRTAP Test.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Ann Morris, Client Services 
Division, Trade Transformation Office, Office of Trade, U.S. Customs 
and Border Protection, by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1e737f6c67307f70703073716c6c776d5e7d7c6e307a766d30797168"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9cf1fdeee5b2fdf2f2b2f1f3eeeef5efdcfffeecb2f8f4efb2fbf3ea">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

Current Trade/Client Representative Case Management System

    CBP's Client Services Representatives are located in the Office of 
Trade (OT), Trade Transformation Office (TTO), Client Services Division 
(CSD). CSD seeks to improve the stakeholder (trade user) experience 
through supporting the trade community's use of the Automated 
Commercial Environment (ACE) for processing cargo transactions, while 
also protecting the privacy of trade data. CSD operates and supports 
trade interaction within CBP electronic cargo processing systems by 
providing expertise for complex CBP trade processing problems. CSD 
oversees direct trade access into CBP's automated system and ensures 
the privacy of trade data. CSD is comprised of the following branches: 
(1) the Post Summary Processing Branch, (2) the Cargo Release and 
Partner Government Agency (PGA) Branch, (3) the Air and Truck Manifest 
Branch, (4) the Entry Summary and Post Summary Corrections (PSC) 
Branch, (5) the Automated Export System (AES) and Free Trade Zone (FTZ) 
Branch, and (6) the Ocean and Rail Manifest Branch.
    Under the existing process, trade members contact their assigned 
CBP Client Representative by telephone or by email, requesting 
assistance in resolving technical issues the trade member may encounter 
and that the member is unable to resolve in-house. The Client 
Representative responds to trade inquiries and assists with resolving 
the issues. There is no centralized repository for the intake of this 
type of trade outreach and no feasible means of tracking the resolution 
of such matters.

II. General Description of the CRTAP Test

    As part of its ongoing effort to modernize its client services 
trade interactions processes, CBP developed a case management system, 
entitled the Client Representative Technical Assistance Portal (CRTAP), 
to streamline operations by automating manual tasks and creating 
workflows, improve communication and collaboration throughout CSD and 
with the trade community, provide data analysis and measure the 
effectiveness of assistance provided to the trade community, and 
standardize the intake process for submission and resolution of 
technical issues.
    The CRTAP test is a voluntary test that is limited to brokers, 
self-filers, software providers, Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) Operators, 
Automated Export System (AES) users, and/or Automated Manifest Systems 
(AMS) users. CBP will select participants based on the eligibility 
criteria discussed in Section IV below. The selected participants will 
provide their requests for technical assistance to their CBP Client 
Representative through a designated web address linking them to the 
CRTAP. CBP Client Representatives will respond to the test participants 
through the CRTAP, requesting additional information, as needed, and 
ultimately resolving the technical issues. Once an issue is resolved, 
the CBP Client Representative will close out the transaction using the 
CRTAP. At the conclusion of the 45-day test period, CBP will examine 
any feedback received, assess the feasibility of the CRTAP, and 
determine whether expanded use of the portal is warranted.
    The CRTAP test will commence 30 days from the date of publication 
of this notice in the Federal Register. It will continue for 45-days, 
unless the test is extended, modified, or discontinued in a subsequent 
notice published in the Federal Register.
    CBP will continuously monitor the CRTAP, examining transactions 
from submission to resolution, to determine whether modifications need 
to be made to the test while it is ongoing. Upon conclusion of the 45-
day test period, CBP will determine whether the test needs to be 
expanded to additional users, whether the CRTAP meets the needs of CBP 
and the trade, and whether the CRTAP should become a permanent case 
management system.

IV. Eligibility Requirements and Application Process

    CBP is opening the CRTAP test to a maximum of nine (9) trade 
members who are brokers, self-filers, software providers, FTZ 
Operators, AES users, and AMS users. CBP will select a variety of 
participants to best evaluate the functionality of the CRTAP case 
management system. Interested parties should apply by submitting an 
email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#50373d327e333c39353e242235203f25242235313338103332207e3438237e373f26"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="62050f004c010e0b070c161007120d1716100703010a220100124c060a114c050d14">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>, within 30 days from the 
date of publication of this notice, stating their interest in 
participating, discussing their role within the trade community, 
identifying their Client Representative, if one has already been 
assigned to them, stating how their participation will benefit them in 
the development of the CRTAP case management system, and acknowledging 
their agreement not to share any information, including CRTAP access 
information. Participants will be selected based on their ability to 
provide feedback to CBP and their role within the trade community, to 
ensure broad representation of the trade community. Test participants 
will receive technical and operational guidance throughout the test.

V. Test Evaluation Criteria

    All interested parties are invited to comment on any aspect of this 
test. To ensure adequate feedback, test participants are required to 
take part in an evaluation of the test. CBP seeks comments and feedback 
on the design, conduct, and implementation of the test to determine 
whether to modify, alter, expand, limit, continue, end, or implement 
this program. Comments should be submitted to CBP by email to 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#89eee4eba7eae5e0ece7fdfbecf9e6fcfdfbece8eae1c9eaebf9a7ede1faa7eee6ff"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="56313b3478353a3f333822243326392322243337353e1635342678323e2578313920">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>, with the subject line reading 
``Comments/Questions on CRTAP Test.''

VI. Benefits of Participating in the CRTAP Test

    Participation in the test will provide test participants with the 
opportunity to test and give feedback to CBP on the CRTAP test design 
and scope. Participation may also enable test participants to determine 
whether submitting questions, information, and documentation through 
the CRTAP allows them to better track and reference communications with 
their CBP Client Representative, to communicate more effectively with 
their company clients, and to know when a given customs issue has been 
resolved. Ultimately, participation may

[[Page 69568]]

allow brokers, self-filers, FTZ Operators, AES users, and AMS users to 
determine whether the CRTAP serves as an improvement over the current 
process of contacting their CBP Client Representatives by telephone or 
email to resolve their technical assistance questions.

VII. Confidentiality

    Data submitted and entered into the Client Representative Technical 
Assistance Portal (CRTAP) may include confidential commercial or 
financial information which may be protected under the Trade Secrets 
Act (18 U.S.C. 1905), the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552), or 
the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a). CBP will ensure that all Privacy Act 
requirements and applicable policies are adhered to during the 
implementation of this pilot. However, as stated in previous test 
notices, participation in this test or any of the previous NCAP tests 
is not confidential and, therefore, upon receipt of a written Freedom 
of Information Act request, the name(s) of an approved participant(s) 
will be disclosed by CBP in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552.

XIII. Authorization for the Test

    Section 101.9(a) of title 19 of the U.S. Code of Federal 
Regulations (19 CFR 101.9(a)), provides for the general testing of 
programs or procedures, to evaluate the effectiveness of new technology 
or operational procedures. As provided in 19 CFR 101.9(a), for purposes 
of conducting a general test, the Commissioner of CBP may impose 
requirements different from those specified in the CBP regulations. 
Testing of the Client Representative Technical Assistance Portal 
(CRTAP) meets the requirements of 19 CFR 101.9(a) as it involves 
determining whether the portal improves efficiency and reduces the 
burden of information collection to resolve cargo system processing 
issues.

IX. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3507(d)) 
requires that CBP consider the impact of paperwork and other 
information collection burdens imposed on the public. An agency may not 
conduct or sponsor, and an individual is not required to respond to, a 
collection of information unless the collection of information displays 
a valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number assigned 
by OMB. This CRTAP test, which is limited to nine (9) or fewer 
participants, is exempt from the requirements under the PRA. If CBP 
decides to expand the CRTAP test to additional participants, it will do 
so in accordance with the PRA regulations and upon publication in a 
future Federal Register Notice.

Susan S. Thomas,
Executive Assistant Commissioner, Office of Trade.
[FR Doc. 2026-22501 Filed 11-3-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-14-P


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