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Consulting Practice
Trade Operations & Compliance
Classification, licensing, screening, and logistics advice from people who do this work every day.
The hard part of international trade comes after the handshake: classification, licensing, sanctions screening, Incoterms, logistics, and the compliance program that holds it all together. We work through each of these with you to keep cargo moving, get duties right, and reduce the risk of holds at the border.
Where an action is legally reserved for a licensed customs broker or attorney, we advise, coordinate, and bring in vetted licensed partners. We do not file or represent in your place.
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What we help with
Capabilities
Procurement & strategic sourcing
Source the right suppliers, structure the buy, and de-risk your supply chain with China+1 and second-source strategies.
Import / export licensing
Identify the licenses and permits your goods need and prepare the applications. Where a licensed filer is required, we coordinate with one.
HTS classification & duty optimization
Correct tariff classification and lawful duty reduction. Misclassification gets shipments held; the right classification saves real money.
Duty drawback recovery
Recover duties already paid on goods that were re-exported. This is cash most importers leave on the table.
FTA & rules-of-origin qualification
Help qualify goods under USMCA and other agreements for duty-free treatment, with the certificates to support the claim.
Sanctions & denied-party screening
OFAC and BIS Entity List screening on counterparties before you transact. Non-negotiable in commodities.
Incoterms & contract risk structuring
Many cross-border disputes trace back to the wrong Incoterm or a weak contract. We structure terms alongside your counsel so risk sits where it should.
Customs broker & forwarder oversight
Select and manage the right customs brokers and freight forwarders, and hold them to the standard you're paying for.
Trade-compliance program build-out & training
Screening procedures, SOPs, and staff training that keep a growing trade operation audit-ready. Often run as a monthly retainer.
Supplier & factory verification
Run registry and trade-history checks on a supplier and coordinate pre-shipment inspection to help catch off-spec goods before they leave the dock.
Logistics coordination
Multimodal routing, port operations, and vessel coordination for bulk and containerized cargo, with logistics specialists who have 20+ years in ports and shipping.
USDA & ag-export consulting
Phytosanitary requirements, USDA/FAS programs, and the documentation path for agricultural exports.
Who it's for
Built for teams that need someone who has done this before.
- Importers and exporters whose shipments keep getting held, delayed, or hit with unexpected duties.
- Growing trade operations that need real compliance procedures before they get audited.
- Companies that want to lower landed cost legally through classification, FTAs, and drawback.
- Teams that need project-based help on a single shipment or ongoing operational support.
How engagements work
Scoped after a short intake and quoted to fit the work: a one-time project for a single shipment, hourly advisory, or an ongoing retainer for continuous operational support. You'll know the structure and the fee before we begin.
Start a RequestFAQ
Common questions
What does a trade compliance consultant actually do?
We advise on and coordinate the work between contract and delivery: HTS classification, duty optimization, sanctions and denied-party screening, licensing, Incoterms, logistics, and the compliance program that keeps shipments moving.
Can you help recover duties we have already paid?
Yes. Duty drawback lets you recover duties paid on goods that were later re-exported. We assess eligibility and coordinate the recovery, which is cash many importers leave on the table.
Do you file customs entries or give legal opinions?
We advise and coordinate. Where an action is legally reserved for a licensed customs broker or attorney, we bring in a vetted licensed partner rather than filing or representing in your place.
Can you help with a single shipment or only ongoing work?
Both. We take one-time projects for a single held or at-risk shipment, hourly advisory, and ongoing retainers for continuous operational support.
Tell us what you're trying to do.
Share the situation and the outcome you need. We'll scope it and come back with a plan, usually within two business days.