BOC to tap services of SGS, US survey firm
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) will tap the services of two global goods inspections companies — the Switzerland-based SGS (Societe Generale de Surveillance SA) and
BOC Commissioner Napoleon Morales said the two firms would help the agency with the pre-shipment inspection of goods going in and out of the country.
Morales said the expenses would be shouldered by industry groups which have been complaining against technical smuggling.
“This will be at no cost to the government,” Morales said, adding that the agency does not need to bid out the inspection contracts as it would not be shouldering the expenses.
He said it was necessary for the BOC to outsource the inspection services given the volume of shipments entering the country.
“I think this is the best way because even big corporations are using SGS and Dun & Bradstreet,” Morales told reporters.
SGS, which the BOC previously tapped, specializes in pre-shipment inspection. Without SGS, the Customs bureau is responsible for the valuation, classification and clearance functions for imports.
Dun & Bradstreet, the leading provider of global business information and technology, is being used by the United States Customs, Morales said.
Morales said the agency is now drafting the terms of reference (TOR) for the inspection contracts.
The project may be implemented in three months, he added.
The Customs chief is optimistic that SGS would not be discouraged by an incident in the past when the
“I don’t think it will be an issue because this would still mean business for them,” Morales said.
Earlier, the
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