Observations on Customs' Automated Merchandise Processing System

The Automated Merchandise Processing System is the Customs Service's approach to the problem of limited manpower to cope with an increasing imported merchandise workload. Under the system, import specialists are to determine which type of entries are low risk and can be machine processed and which require individual examination by a specialist.

For the first 6 months of 1978, only 30 percent of the entries were designated for machine processing, and 70 percent of all entries were examined by import specialists. Because they are accountable for errors, specialists tend to play it safe and designate only a small percentage of entries for automated processing. The substitution of statistical sampling techniques for specialist judgments would probably increase the number of entries processed by machine. Import specialists would be better utilized if routine duties associated with review of entries were delegated to lower grade personnel since import specialists spend between 150 and 200 staff years performing routine clerical duties. Subjective risk assessments have resulted in inconsistent entry processing, and selection criteria vary according to location and the nature of the commodity.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

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