What the audit covers
Four areas, each with cited findings.
HS classification review
An analysis of your active SKU list at the 10-digit HTS level. For each classification, the report cites the CBP ruling, chapter note, or GRI application that supports the assignment. Where existing classifications are wrong, the report documents the correction with authority and estimates the retroactive duty exposure or refund opportunity.
Valuation methodology
Review of your commercial invoice treatment, transfer pricing methodology, and disclosure of statutorily required additions to value: assists, royalties, commissions, packaging, and proceeds of subsequent resale. Where valuation is understated, the report identifies the gap. Where valuation is defensible but at risk of challenge, the report recommends supporting documentation.
FTA qualification analysis
Country-of-origin substantiation for products claiming preferential treatment under KORUS, USMCA, USJTA, or other applicable agreements. The report reviews your bill-of-materials, the applicable rules of origin, and the substantiation you would need to withstand a CBP verification request. Where qualification is defensible, the report structures the documentation. Where qualification is at risk, the report explains why and recommends corrective action.
Tariff exposure mapping
Analysis of your import volume against pending and enacted duty regimes: Section 232, Section 301, IEEPA, Chapter 99. The report identifies where existing classifications sit in higher-duty scope, where reclassification might reduce exposure, and where scenario planning is needed for pending regulatory changes.
The deliverable
A written report, delivered as PDF, typically thirty to sixty pages. Each finding cites authority — a CBP ruling number, a chapter note, a regulatory reference. The report is structured so your broker can use it directly: classification decisions with reasoning, valuation methodology with substantiation, FTA qualification with substantiation checklists.
If we don’t have high-confidence guidance on a specific question, we say so explicitly and recommend a broker filing for a binding ruling.
Engagement flow
Week 1. Scoping call, data collection, initial SKU review.
Week 2. Analysis, ruling research, drafting.
Week 3. Draft report delivery, walkthrough call, revisions.
Week 4. Final report, implementation guidance, broker handoff if applicable.
Total elapsed time is three to four weeks depending on your team’s responsiveness and the complexity of the SKU list.
Pricing
Starting at $19,500 for engagements under 100 SKUs and under $25M in annual import value. Larger engagements custom-quoted; see Pricing → for the full tier structure.
Fixed-fee, not hourly. Written quote provided within three business days of scoping call.
Who this is for
Foreign manufacturers with $50M–$500M in annual revenue, importing 50–500 SKUs into the US. Companies in the middle of the following situations often benefit most:
- Recent expansion into US direct sales with existing brokers inherited from prior arrangements
- Uncertainty about FTA qualification for products crossing under KORUS or USMCA
- Recent Section 301 or IEEPA action affecting import scope
- Preparation for a CBP audit or Focused Assessment
- Change in ownership requiring compliance function review
Who this is not for
Companies with existing full-time compliance functions and Big 4 advisory relationships. Companies importing under 20 SKUs where the exposure math doesn’t justify the audit fee. Companies importing high-volume consumer ecommerce SKUs — that’s Zonos, Passport, or Avalara territory.
If Tarsis isn’t the right fit, we say so on the scoping call. Referrals to Big 4 or category specialists on request.
Response time: one business day.