All outgoing/incoming shipping requests are assessed by the shipping team for the following:
- Dangerous Goods/ Shipping requirements for materials—Based on the information provided (including but not limited to the MSDS) along with the assessment form, we can identify whether the shipment’s contents are dangerous goods per the IATA regulations or hazardous materials per 49CFR regulations.
Dangerous Goods (DG), also known as Hazardous Material (HM) or hazmat, is any substance or material capable of posing an unreasonable risk to health, safety, and property when transported in commerce. Identifying dangerous goods is the firststep to reducing the dangers posed by the product with proper packaging, communication, handling, and stowage.
- License/permit requirements—Some items are subject to export licenses for shipping. For products controlled by BIS, a review against the Commerce Control List (CCL) and further review, such as the Commerce country chart, is required. Other permits that may apply include the FDA, USFWS, DEA, etc. If you are unsure whether your shipments require a license, please contact us and allow ample time for review before your required ship dates.
- Visual Compliance screening of all parties—We must screen the parties for every shipment/transaction as statuses may change. This will ensure we do not ship to or deal with restricted or denied parties. Visual compliance checks against various lists are updated every business day to ensure we remain export, trade, and OFAC compliant.
- Ensure MTAs are in place before exports/imports – MTAs are contracts governing the transfer of tangible research materials between two organizations. The CTL team reviews all outgoing MTAs, and OSRA reviews incoming MTAs. To avoid delays, ensure that MTAs are in place for your shipment before the required ship dates. If you are unsure, please complete the appropriate questionnaires, which we can facilitate with the proper teams to obtain confirmation.
- Ensure export compliance of shipping documentation—We review all your shipping documents (e.g., Commercial/customs invoices, dangerous goods declarations, shipper’s letter of instructions, AES filing requirements, etc.) to ensure they are compliant for exportation. Other documents may include CDC importer declarations, TSCA forms, etc.
- Packaging, labeling, and preparation of shipments—We can assist with proper packaging to identify items deemed “dangerous” by the shipping community. We utilize appropriate labels, markings, packaging, and documentation to communicate these hazards to the handlers. Biological shipments containing Category A must be reviewed before shipping. For biological shipments containing Category B or other infectious agents, please reach out to us if assistance is needed for documentation/packaging reviews.
- Technology—In addition to restrictions on shipments of chemicals and biologicals, shipping technology requires further review by the shipping team. The ITS team may need to wipe out or encode laptops and hard drives with data before shipping or carrying them abroad. Some software you have loaded on your personal laptops may also be export-controlled. If you are unsure whether your technology shipments have restrictions, please contact us and allow ample time for review before your required ship dates. WCM ITS recommends loaner laptops for WCM-related travel.
Shipments are to proceed once approval is obtained from the Shipping Team.