(a) Systems capability. The operator shall maintain either manual or automated inventory control and recordkeeping systems or combination manual and automated systems capable of:

(1) Accounting for all merchandise, including domestic status merchandise, temporarily deposited, admitted, granted a zone status and/or status change, stored, exhibited, manipulated, manufactured, destroyed, transferred, and/or removed from a zone;

(2) Producing accurate and timely reports and documents as required by this part;

(3) Identifying shortages and overages of merchandise in a zone in sufficient detail to determine the quantity, description, tariff classification, zone status, and value of the missing or excess merchandise;

(4) Providing all the information necessary to make entry for merchandise being transferred to the Customs territory;

(5) Providing an audit trail to Customs forms from admission through manipulation, manufacture, destruction or transfer of merchandise from a zone either by zone lot or Customs authorized inventory method.

(b) Procedures manual. (1) The operator shall provide the port director with an English language copy of its written inventory control and recordkeeping systems procedures manual in accordance with the requirements of this part.

(2) The operator shall keep current its procedures manual and shall submit to the port director any change at the time of its implementation.

(3) The operator may authorize a zone user to maintain its individual inventory control and recordkeeping system and procedures manual. The operator shall furnish a copy of the zone user's procedures manual, including any subsequent changes, to the port director. However, the operator will remain responsible to Customs and liable under its bond for supervision, defects in, or failures of a system.

(4) The operator's procedures manual and subsequent changes will be furnished to the port director for information purposes only. Customs receipt of a manual does not indicate approval or rejection of a system.

(c) Liability of operator. Upon zone activation approval the operator remains liable for complying with all inventory control and recordkeeping system requirements set forth in this part.

(a) Identification. All merchandise will be recorded in a receiving report or document using a zone lot number or unique identifier. All merchandise, except domestic status merchandise for which no permit for admission is required under § 146.43, will be traceable to a Customs Form 214 and accompanying documentation.

(b) Reconciliation. Quantities received will be reconciled to a receiving report or document such as an invoice with any discrepancy reported to the port director as provided in § 146.37.

(c) Incomplete documentation. Merchandise received without complete Customs documentation or which is unacceptable to the inventory control and recordkeeping system will be recorded in a suspense account or record until documentation is complete or the system is capable of accepting the information, at which time it will be formally admitted to the zone under § 146.32 or 146.40. The receiving report or document will provide sufficient information to identify the merchandise and distinguish it from other merchandise. The suspense account or record will be completely documented for Customs review to explain the differences noted and corrections made.

(d) Recordation. Merchandise received will be accurately recorded in the inventory system records from the receiving report or document using the zone lot number or unique identifier for traceability. The inventory record will state the quantity and date admitted, cost or value where applicable, zone status, and description of the merchandise, including any part or stock number.

(e) Harbor maintenance fee. When imported cargo is unloaded from a commercial vessel at a U.S. port and admitted into a foreign trade zone, the applicant for admission of that cargo into the zone may be subject to the harbor maintenance fee as set forth in § 24.24 of this chapter.

(a) Identification of merchandise—(1) General. A zone lot number or unique identifier will be used to identify and trace merchandise.

(2) Fungible merchandise. Fungible merchandise may be identified by an inventory method authorized by Customs, which is consistently applied, such as First-In-First-Out (FIFO) and using a unique identifier.

(b) Inventory records. The inventory records will specify by zone lot number or unique identifier:

(1) Location of merchandise;

(2) Zone status;

(3) Cost or value, unless operator's or user's financial records maintain cost or value and the records are made available for Customs review;

(4) Beginning balance, cumulative receipts and removals, adjustments, and current balance on hand by date and quantity;

(5) Destruction of merchandise; and

(6) Scrap, waste, and by-products.

(c) Physical inventory. The operator shall take at least an annual physical inventory of all merchandise in the zone (unless continuous cycle counts are taken as part of an ongoing inventory control program) with prior notification of the date(s) given to Customs for any supervision of the inventory deemed necessary. The operator shall notify the port director of any discrepancies in accordance with § 146.53.

(a) Accountability. (1) All zone status merchandise transferred from a zone will be accurately recorded within the inventory control and recordkeeping system.

(2) The inventory control and recordkeeping system for merchandise transfers must have the capability to trace all transfers back to a zone admission under a Customs authorized inventory method.

(b) Information. The inventory control and recordkeeping system must be capable of providing all information necessary to make entry for transfer of merchandise from the zone.

(a) Report. The operator shall prepare a reconciliation report within 90 days after the end of the zone/subzone year unless the port director authorizes an extension for reasonable cause. The operator shall retain that annual reconciliation report for a spot check or audit by Customs, and need not furnish it to Customs unless requested. There is no form specified for the preparation of the report.

(b) Information required. The report must contain a description of merchandise for each zone lot or unique identifer, zone status, quantity on hand at the beginning of the year, cumulative receipts and transfers (by unit), quantity on hand at the end of the year, and cumulative positive and negative adjustments (by unit) made during the year.

(c) Certification. The operator shall submit to the port director within 10 working days after the annual reconciliation report, a letter signed by the operator certifying that the annual reconciliation has been prepared, is available for Customs review, and is accurate. The certification letter must contain the name and street address of the operator, where the required records are available for Customs review; and the name, title, and telephone number of the person having custody of the records. Reporting of shortages and overages based on the annual reconciliation will be made in accordance with § 146.53. These reports must accompany the certification letter.

The operator shall perform an annual internal review of the inventory control and recordkeeping system and shall report to the port director any deficiency discovered and corrective action taken, to ensure that the system meets the requirements of this part.