(a) Purpose; eligibility. General manufacturing drawback rulings are designed to simplify drawback for certain common manufacturing operations but do not preclude or limit the use of applications for specific manufacturing drawback rulings (see § 191.8). A manufacturer or producer engaged in an operation that falls within a published general manufacturing drawback ruling may submit a letter of notification of intent to operate under that general ruling. Where a separately-incorporated subsidiary of a parent corporation is engaged in manufacture or production for drawback, the subsidiary is the proper party to submit the letter of notification, and cannot operate under a letter of notification submitted by the parent corporation.

(b) Procedures—(1) Publication. General manufacturing drawback rulings are contained in appendix A to this part. As deemed necessary by Customs, new general manufacturing drawback rulings will be issued as Treasury Decisions and added to the appendix thereafter.

(2) Submission—(i) Where filed. Letters of notification of intent to operate under a general manufacturing drawback ruling shall be submitted to any drawback office where drawback entries will be filed and liquidated, provided that the general manufacturing drawback ruling will be followed without variation. If there is any variation in the general manufacturing drawback ruling, the manufacturer or producer shall apply for a specific manufacturing drawback ruling under § 191.8 of this subpart.

(ii) Copies. Letters of notification of intent shall be submitted in duplicate unless claims are to be filed at more than one drawback office, in which case one additional copy of the letter of notification shall be filed for each additional office. Upon issuance of a letter of acknowledgment (paragraph (c)(1) of this section), the drawback office with which the letter of notification is submitted shall forward the additional copy to such additional office(s), with a copy of the letter of acknowledgment.

(3) Information required. Each manufacturer or producer submitting a letter of notification of intent to operate under a general manufacturing drawback ruling under this section must provide the following specific detailed information:

(i) Name and address of manufacturer or producer (if the manufacturer or producer is a separately-incorporated subsidiary of a corporation, the subsidiary corporation must submit a letter of notification in its own name);

(ii) In the case of a business entity, the names of the persons listed in § 191.6(a)(1) through (6) who will sign drawback documents;

(iii) Locations of the factories which will operate under the letter of notification;

(iv) Identity (by T.D. number and title) of the general manufacturing drawback ruling under which the manufacturer or producer will operate;

(v) Description of the merchandise and articles, unless specifically described in the general manufacturing drawback ruling;

(vi) Description of the manufacturing or production process, unless specifically described in the general manufacturing drawback ruling;

(vii) Basis of claim used for calculating drawback; and

(viii) IRS (Internal Revenue Service) number (with suffix) of the manufacturer or producer.

(c) Review and action by CBP. The drawback office to which the letter of notification of intent to operate under a general manufacturing drawback ruling was submitted shall review the letter of notification of intent.

(1) Acknowledgment. The drawback office shall promptly issue a letter of acknowledgment, acknowledging receipt of the letter of intent and authorizing the person to operate under the identified general manufacturing drawback ruling, subject to the requirements and conditions of that general manufacturing drawback ruling and the law and regulations, to the person who submitted the letter of notification if:

(i) The letter of notification is complete (i.e., containing the information required in paragraph (b)(3) of this section);

(ii) The general manufacturing drawback ruling identified by the manufacturer or producer is applicable to the manufacturing or production process;

(iii) The general manufacturing drawback ruling identified by the manufacturer or producer is followed without variation; and

(iv) The described manufacturing or production process is a manufacture or production under § 191.2(q) of this subpart.

(2) Computer-generated number. With the letter of acknowledgment the drawback office shall include the unique computer-generated number assigned to the acknowledgment of the letter of notification of intent to operate. This number must be stated when the person files manufacturing drawback claims with Customs under the general manufacturing drawback ruling.

(3) Non-conforming letters of notification of intent. If the letter of notification of intent to operate does not meet the requirements of paragraph (c)(1) of this section in any respect, the drawback office shall promptly and in writing specifically advise the person of this fact and why this is so. A letter of notification of intent to operate which is not acknowledged may be resubmitted to the drawback office with which it was initially submitted with modifications and/or explanations addressing the reasons given for non-acknowledgment, or the matter may be referred (by letter from the manufacturer or producer) to CBP Headquarters (Attention: Entry Process and Duty Refunds Branch, Regulations and Rulings, Office of International Trade).

(d) Duration. Acknowledged letters of notification under this section shall remain in effect under the same terms as provided for in § 191.8(h) for specific manufacturing drawback rulings.