General. A party may be certified as a participant in the drawback compliance program after meeting the core requirements established under the program, or after negotiating an alternative drawback compliance program suited to the needs of both the party and Customs. Certification requirements shall take into account the size and nature of the party's drawback program, the type of drawback claims filed, and the volume of claims filed. Whether the party is a drawback claimant, a broker, or one that provides data and documentation on which a drawback claim is based, will also be considered.

Core requirements of program. In order to be certified as a participant in the drawback compliance program or negotiated alternative drawback compliance program, the party must be able to demonstrate that it:

Understands the legal requirements for filing claims, including the nature of the records that are required to be maintained and produced and the time periods involved;

Has in place procedures that explain the Customs requirements to those employees involved in the preparation of claims, and the maintenance and production of required records;

Has in place procedures regarding the preparation of claims and maintenance of required records, and the production of such records to Customs;

Has designated a dependable individual or individuals who will be responsible for compliance under the program, and maintenance and production of required records;

Has in place a record maintenance program approved by Customs regarding original records, or if approved by Customs, alternative records or recordkeeping formats for other than the original records; and

Has procedures for notifying Customs of variances in, or violations of, the drawback compliance or other alternative negotiated drawback compliance program, and for taking corrective action when notified by Customs of violations and problems regarding such program.

Broker certification. A Customs broker may be certified as a participant in the drawback compliance program only on behalf of a given claimant (see § 191.194(b)). To do so, a Customs broker who is employed to assist a claimant in filing for drawback must be able to demonstrate, for and on behalf of such claimant, conformity with the core requirements of the drawback compliance program as set forth in paragraph (b) of this section. The broker shall ensure that the claimant has the necessary documentation and records to support the drawback compliance program established on its behalf, and that claims to be filed under the program are reviewed by the broker for accuracy and completeness.