Managing supplier compliance profiles

Why supplier compliance profiles matter

U.S. Customs and Border Protection holds importers responsible for knowing their supply chain. Under the concept of reasonable care, importers must exercise due diligence in verifying the identity and legitimacy of their suppliers. KYB supplier compliance profiles centralize all supplier information, documents, and risk assessments in one place, making it easy to demonstrate compliance during audits.

Step 1: Create a new supplier profile

Navigate to the KYB module in Camtom and select 'Suppliers' from the sidebar. Click 'Add Supplier' to start building a new compliance profile.

1. Enter the supplier's legal business name exactly as it appears on their invoices
2. Select the country where the supplier is incorporated
3. Enter the supplier's tax identification number or business registration number
4. Add the full business address including city, state/province, and postal code
5. Enter primary contact information: name, email, and phone number
6. Add secondary contact information as a backup

Step 2: Upload compliance documents

KYB maintains a document checklist for each supplier. Upload the required documents and the system will track their status and expiration dates automatically.

• Business registration certificate or articles of incorporation
• Certificate of good standing (if applicable in the supplier's country)
• Valid export license for the products they supply
• Product quality certifications (ISO, GMP, HACCP as applicable)
• Insurance certificates covering product liability
• Bank details and payment information for verification

Step 3: Conduct restricted party screening

KYB integrates with restricted party screening databases to verify that your suppliers are not listed on any denied party, sanctions, or export control lists. This screening is required under U.S. trade regulations and should be performed when onboarding a new supplier and periodically thereafter.

1. Click 'Run screening' on the supplier profile
2. KYB checks against OFAC SDN list, BIS Entity List, and other government lists
3. Review any potential matches flagged by the system
4. Document the resolution for any false positive matches
5. Set up automatic re-screening on a monthly or quarterly basis

Step 4: Assign a risk rating

Based on the information gathered, assign a risk rating to each supplier. KYB uses a three-tier system: low risk for established suppliers with complete documentation, medium risk for newer suppliers or those in higher-risk countries, and high risk for suppliers with incomplete documentation or flagged screening results.

Step 5: Set review schedules

Each risk tier has a recommended review frequency. Configure KYB to send reminders when a supplier profile is due for review.

• Low risk: annual review
• Medium risk: semi-annual review
• High risk: quarterly review

Step 6: Link suppliers to import entries

Once the profile is complete, link the supplier to your import entries in TIM. This creates a traceable connection between your compliance documentation and your actual import transactions, which is exactly what CBP auditors look for when evaluating your reasonable care practices.

Maintaining your supplier database

A supplier compliance program is only as good as its maintenance. Use KYB's dashboard to monitor the overall health of your supplier database: how many profiles are complete, how many documents are expiring soon, and how many suppliers are due for review. Address any gaps proactively rather than waiting for an audit to reveal them.