Will ITAR restrictions affect your business?
Without a comprehensive automated internal compliance program in place, companies that are subject to International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR) face considerable fines and penalties when violations arise. Maintaining comprehensive visitor records is central to meeting compliance requirements, a task best handled through a visitor management system (VMS).
ITAR Compliance
ITAR governs the import and export of defense-related articles and services listed in the United States Munitions List (USML). Accordingly, all manufacturers, exporters, and brokers of defense articles, defense services, or related technical data must be ITAR compliant. That means more companies require their supply chain members to be ITAR compliant as well.
If your company is subject to ITAR compliance requirements, you may already understand the substantial amount of responsibilities involved. For starters, organizations must register with the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, adhere to specific import and export procedures, and screen suppliers, vendors, and subcontractors. They must also collect and store records of every person who enters their facility since they could come in contact with sensitive information.
Visitor Management Automates ITAR Compliance
A VMS automates ITAR compliance, eliminating the need for trained export compliance staff in-house as well as mistakes caused by human error. Organizations that attempt to manage compliance documentation and record keeping responsibilities manually, without spending substantially on expert in-house compliance staff, risk oversights and errors that can render their compliance program largely ineffective. VMS saves money by eliminating the need for in-house compliance personnel.
For organizations involved in any of the activities covered under ITAR, compliance is an absolute must. That includes verifying and documenting each visitor’s citizenship. A documented VM solution streamlines these tasks and administers ITAR non-disclosure agreements and technology control plan (TCP) briefings to visitors who are not U.S. citizens where required.
Companies that lack an automated compliance program run the highest risk of being flagged for violations caused by common mistakes, including:
Meeting Due Diligence Requirements
Many countries are banned from ITAR-controlled transactions, including Afghanistan, China, Venezuela, and Vietnam. You can check current country policies and embargoes on the State Department website. As an exporter, you’re responsible for verifying that not only your customer but your customer’s customers all the way down the supply chain are eligible to receive the items you export. Bottom line, if a business exports ITAR-controlled goods or information that somehow end up in the wrong hands, the business could be held responsible.
Documentation and Record Keeping
ITAR requires documentation that includes licenses, purchase orders, and shipping documents for goods, in addition to citizenship verification, technology control plans, and nondisclosure agreements for all visitors to your facility.
Meet Compliance Regulations with Ease
A visitor management system automates all compliance procedures in any industry subject to C-TPAT, FSMA, and other compliance regulations, and makes accessing documentation quick and easy. To learn more about how Veristream can work better for your business, contact us today at 1-888-718-0807 or schedule a demo to see how our software works.
