The Modernized Partners-in-Protection (PIP) program, launched in June 2008, moves away from the initial goals of the PIP program of promoting business awareness and compliance with customs regulations, to a program that strengthens supply chain security. Part of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the new PIP Certification program includes minimum security requirements, mandatory site validations, an appeals process and an automated application process. The goal of the restructuring of CBSA's PIP program was to foster mutual recognition between PIP and US Customs & Border Protection (CBP) C-TPAT program.

Obtaining a PIP Certification requires an organization to complete a security profile for their main operations as well as security profiles for all subsidiary and/or affiliates with different business numbers. The completed security profile must clearly demonstrate that all security requirements have been met. CBSA will then work with the organization to conduct site visits, review the security profiles, and offer suggestions to correct areas that received high risk assessments.

Many organizations find that organizing the security profiles needed for suppliers to show compliance, the collection of those responses, and the analysis an overwhelming task. Integration Point Partners-in-Protection (PIP) Certification provides an on-demand tool that assists organizations in collecting, organizing and analyzing all supplier data for PIP Certification.

Integration Point Partners-in-Protection (PIP) Certification allows the user to efficiently collect information required for PIP certification. The documentation solicitation feature simplifies validation with CBSA during PIP certification.

The tools provided in Integration Point PIP Certification allows users to capture and analyze supplier security profiles real time. As each question is answered, the impact to the overall risk rating is calculated instantly rather than waiting for all answers to be returned and compiled manually. As part of the mutual recognition agreement between US CBP and CBSA, suppliers that are C-TPAT certified can supply their C-TPAT certificate number and will not be subject to further questions.

Using Integration Point PIP Certification, users can tailor questions to specific supplier profiles for groups of entities to be verified in PIP. The automatic notification feature sends invitations to participate, reminders to complete information, deadline notices to suppliers via email and helps automate what was once a frustrating and time-consuming paper collection process. Now that a mutual recognition agreement has been reached between CBSA and US CBP, questionnaires can be shared between the Partners-in-Protection and CTPAT certification programs, lessening the burden on importers and their suppliers to gather the same information multiple times.

Other benefits of using Integration Point PIP Certification include:

• Eliminate manual tracking of supplier risk factors
• Analyze supplier risk ratings automatically as questionnaires are being completed
• Attach documentation (photos, procedural guidelines,etc.) to individual supplier records
• Participate in the Free and Secure Trade (FAST) program
• Improve security levels within the organization's supply chain
• Leverage mutual recognition with other governments around the world

If you are interested in learning more about Integration Point PIP Certification or would like to see a demonstration of the PIP Certification software, please fill out our online information request form, or send us an email.

Recently the CBSA and US CBP reached a mutual recognition agreement between the PIP and C-TPAT programs. This mutual recognition shows that both Customs agencies have accepted common security parameters and agree to honor each certification equally. Integration Point Supply Chain Compliance allows users to combine questions for the various programs(C-TPAT, PIP, or AEO) into one questionnaire, thus allowing suppliers to answer only one time instead of completing multiple surveys for multiple classifications.

For more information on the mutual recognition agreement between PIP and C-TPAT, visit CBP's website.

For more information on submitting an application for PIP certification, visit the CBSA website.

For more information on supply chain security programs in other countries, visit the World Customs Organization (WCO) website.