CBP Outlines Application Schedule, Criteria Donation Program
CBP will accept proposals for the Section 559 Donation Acceptance Program until a strict deadline on Dec. 23 at 5:00 p.m., two CBP officials and a General Services Administration official said during a briefing on Nov. 5. CBP began accepting applications last month (see 1410210015). The program is designed to help the two agencies in boosting infrastructure development at land ports across the country, particularly at a time when CBP hiring has flat-lined and the agency is struggling with insufficient funding, the officials said.
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The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014 provides CBP and GSA authority to solicit donations under Section 559 of that law, which was signed into law in January (see 14012110). The omnibus funding law allows the two agencies to “enter into partnerships with private sector and government entities at ports of entry for certain services and to accept certain donations.”
Those two agencies are encouraging donations of private property, monetary contributions and services from both the government and private sector. The officials on the briefing urged donations primarily for the construction and maintenance of ports of entry owned by CBP and GSA. GSA-leased ports, those owned by local governments, are not eligible for donations, however, the officials said in the briefing. CBP does not plan to match the donations, but may choose to supplement them, said the officials.
Decisions on acceptance of the donations will be handed out likely by summer next year, said the officials. “Non-selectees will have the opportunity to review these risks and deficiencies and potentially resubmit their updated proposal at a later date,” one CBP official added. Donations to CBP ports will become CBP property, and the same goes for GSA. Pre-clearance facilities abroad are not eligible to receive donations.