In December 2024, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a new initiative to enhance their collaboration through technology and data sharing. This partnership aims to improve public safety by ensuring imported goods comply with U.S. laws and regulations while streamlining processes for legitimate trade.
The collaboration was spearheaded by CBP Chief Information Officer (CIO) Sonny Bhagowalia and FDA CIO Vid Desai. Both leaders emphasized that this joint effort would advance their respective agencies’ IT strategies while supporting shared goals of intercepting harmful imports, expediting legitimate trade, and strengthening the global supply chain.
Key Areas of Exploration
The partnership focuses on several strategic areas to enhance efficiency and security:
- Burden Reduction: By automating critical data exchanges and aligning processes, the initiative aims to reduce manual input and operational burdens for both agencies. Importers and exporters are expected to benefit from faster processing and reduced paperwork.
- Alignment of IT Systems: CBP and FDA are working to align their IT systems with those of the United States Postal Service (USPS) to improve cargo screening capabilities and streamline access to critical data. This alignment will help minimize redundancies and delays.
- Interoperability: Enhancing compatibility between IT systems across CBP, FDA, and other federal agencies will foster better coordination and joint operational success.
- Risk Assessment: Increased data sharing between the agencies will improve risk analysis, allowing for quicker identification of threats and illegal trade activities. This is particularly crucial in addressing malicious activities that endanger public safety and economic security.
- Adopting Innovative Technologies: Leveraging advanced analytics and technology will enable the agencies to detect trends and anomalies, including illicit trade practices, ensuring stronger economic security for the U.S.
Collaborative Efforts Across Agencies
The partnership draws upon expertise from multiple offices within CBP, including the Office of Information and Technology (OIT), Office of Field Operations (OFO), and Office of Trade (OT). On the FDA side, key contributors include the Office of the Commissioner, Office of Digital Transformation (ODT), and the Office of Inspections and Investigations (OII).