Every effort should be made to secure an inspection assignment through the Automated Import Information AIIS (AIIS). In the event that inspection assignments cannot be obtained through the AIIS, import inspection personnel should contact the Regional Import Field Office (RIFO) for assistance. Depending upon the reason for access failure, import inspection personnel will follow one of the procedures outlined below.

1. Import inspection personnel must maintain up-dated lists that can be also obtained from the Import public folder located on Outlook: Public Folders / All Public Folders / OIA / IID / Import Folder. The updated lists will be e-mailed to all import inspection personnel as they are updated. These lists include:

   1. A list of Countries/Establishments on Increased and Species Specific Sampling;

   2. An intensified List (establishments, countries and products on intensified);

   3. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) disease table for reference.

2. Regional Import Field Offices (RIFO) must maintain the most recent list of countries and foreign establishments approved to export to the United States. The list will be e-mailed to all of the import regions as they are updated. This list will be posted on the shared drive whenever the AIIS/FSIS web site is updated.

3.  Regional Import Field Supervisor must develop a Plan of Action for inspection personnel to obtain assignments. These plans should include at a minimum:

   1. A list of import facilities and back up locations in or outside the region for entering data and retrieving inspection assignments.

   2. After hours and weekend operations at import inspection facilities.

   3.  Mandatory notification to IID-HQ and other Regional Import Field Offices of a TOI failure when the AIIS is not available.

   4. Back up plan for receiving and notifying DHS-CBP of the results of “Perishable Cooked Beef from Countries Affected with FMD”.

Part 1, Section 1 “AIIS Down (Contingency Plan)” dated June 27, 2005.

1. Pre-scheduled AIIS-wide Maintenance when shipment information (FSIS Form 9540-1) is available.

   When routine maintenance on the computer server is scheduled, a notice is sent to all users. During this identified period, access to e-mail or the AIIS may not be available.

   1. When shipment information (FSIS Form 9540-1) is available prior to the scheduled outage, inspection personnel at any import establishment that is scheduled to work during the scheduled downtime should:

      1. Enter shipment data (from FSIS Form 9540-1 and the foreign health certificate) into the AIIS.

      2. Obtain the inspection assignments prior to the scheduled maintenance of the AIIS for any shipment scheduled to be presented for reinspection during the scheduled downtime.

      3. Hold any assignment obtained in advance of the shipment’s arrival under inspection control.

      4. Reinspect as scheduled by the AIIS, noting any TOI that must be exempted.

      5. Enter Intensified or failed lot results as soon as the AIIS is available.

      6. Enter all other results within 24 hours of the AIIS being available.

   2. When shipment information (FSIS Form 9540-1) is not available prior to the scheduled outage and inspection personnel are unable to access the AIIS, import inspection personnel will:

      1. Perform all reinspections as outlined in Paragraph IV, A through D.

      2. Perform data entry, assignment and entry of results for intensified or failed lots as soon as the AIIS is available

      3. Perform data entry, assignment and entry of all acceptable lot results into the AIIS within the next working day after the AIIS becomes available.

2. AIIS Failure – Individual (Local) Failure - Obtaining an assignment using the RIFO Plan of Action during non-scheduled outage

   Import inspection personnel not able to access the AIIS should determine whether this is a local problem or an AIIS-wide problem. Inspectors shall refer to the RIFO back up plan. Import inspectors shall refer to their specific Regional Plan of Action in addition to the following procedures.

   1. For shipments that have had FSIS Form 9540-1 information entered into the AIIS but do not have an assignment

       If the problem is within working hours and limited to the inspector’s location only (computer/modem malfunctions, complications with phone lines, etc.), the inspection assignments for unassigned lots must be obtained from the AIIS through an alternative source. RIFO’s will have a written plan of action that will identify appropriate backup location sites (e.g. another import establishment) for AIIS assignments in the event an inspector is unable to access their individual computer.

      1. Provide, by fax or phone, the AIIS Lot ID number to the import inspection personnel assisting with the assignment, if available. The foreign health certificate number and/or shipping mark can be provided if the AIIS Lot ID No. is not known.

      2. Obtain inspection assignments from import inspection personnel assisting with obtaining the inspection assignment from the AIIS. This can be sent by fax or e-mail.

      3. Enter reinspection results as outlined in V. B or C.

   2. Shipments that have not had the FSIS Form 9540-1 information entered into the AIIS and need an assignment:

      1. A copy of the FSIS Form 9540-1 and foreign health certificate must be faxed to the import inspection personnel assisting with the shipment. The shipment information will be entered into the AIIS Initial Data Entry Screen and the inspection assignment pulled.

      2. The inspection assignment will be faxed to the import inspector at the import establishment where the shipment has been presented.

      3.  If unable to transmit or receive the fax, the information can be transmitted by phone.

      4. Reinspection results should be entered as followed in outlined V., B or C.

4. Reinspection Procedures for all Shipments when the AIIS is Down and an Assignment is Not Obtaintable

If the problem is widespread (e.g., dial in connection or high speed data connection is not working or the server is down), and an inspection assignment cannot be obtained from the AIIS, import inspection personnel will follow the following reinspection steps (A - E) for all shipments.

1. Step 1 - Verify that all products presented for reinspection are from an approved foreign country or establishment.

1. An up-dated list of eligible foreign countries and establishments approved for export to the United States shall be e-mailed to import inspection personnel by IID Headquarters. If a current list has not been forwarded, inspection personnel shall contact the RIFO for the most up-to date list. All shipments must be verified.

2. All questionable shipments should be held by import inspection personnel until the AIIS is functioning.

2.  Step 2 - Verify whether products/ species presented are from countries with animal health restrictions (Outlook Public Folders / All Public Folders / OIA / IID/Import Folder).

   1. Using the APHIS Disease Chart as guidance, verify whether shipments presented for reinspection are from restricted countries or have special animal health requirements.

   2. Restricted products must have proper animal health certification statements, which are cleared by the Department of Homeland Security, Customs Border and Protection (DHS, CBP) prior to FSIS reinspection.
      
      Ruminant products from Canada must have confirmation of CBP-AI (APHIS) clearance, which is indicated by stamping the foreign health certificate (Canada Only – Refer to IID Messages in Part 4 of Import Manual).

   3. If certification is questionable, import inspection personnel will hold the shipment and call the RIFO immediately for further guidance.

   4. If product requires a Pink Juice Test, the pink juices examination will be performed on every lot (skip or reinspection) of cooked meat imported from a country that is subject to animal health disease restrictions for Foot-and-mouth Disease (FMD) by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Results of the test must be reported back to the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection (DHS, CBP) on the “FSIS Notification For Perishable Cooked Beef From Countries Affected With FMD”, which must be received from DHS/CBP prior to the shipment being inspected. Follow your Import Regional Field Office action plan for alternative procedures, if unable to transmit this form electronically to/from CBP.
      

3. Step 3 –Perform Reinspections

   1. All shipments must be reinspected at the rate outlined in Enclosure 1, Contingency Plan Sampling Rate.

   2. Import inspection personnel must verify whether the product presented or the country/foreign establishment producing the product is included on either the “Increased or Intensified” lists, located on Outlook (Public Folders / All Public Folders / OIA / IID / Import Folder).

   3. Inspection personnel shall use the random number generator located under FSIS Applications/Other Tools on the computer menu to generate the selection of the reinspection lot (based on Enclosure 1) and sample selection for reinspection assignments. Please refer to the Import Folder for helpful hints and examples on how to use the random number generator.

   4.  If the lot is an “inspect”, perform all physical TOI’s/microbiological samples (e.g., listeria, salmonella, E.coli 0157:H7), including any Intensified or Increased TOI’s. No food chemistry or residue samples shall be taken. Refer to Part 1, Section 2, “Process Categories, Subcategories and Types of Inspections (TOI) for AIIS” for the types of inspection that should be performed. Refer to Part 3 and Part 4 of the IID Manual of Procedures for any additional TOI’s that may be exempted.

   5. When applicable, if the lot is “skipped”, perform Intensified or Increased TOI.

   6. Import inspectors shall maintain a list that identifies reinspections performed under the Contingency plan (Normal, Intensified, Increased, or Skipped) for all lots presented. These lists shall include the country, health certificate number, AIIS Lot ID No. (if available), and whether a reinspection (Normal, Intensified or Increased) or skipped was assigned.

   7.  Refer to V. data entry procedures.

4. Step 4 – TOI Failure Procedures

   1. Import inspection personnel must notify the Regional Import Field Office of any TOI that fails reinspection as soon as possible, which will be shared with other regional IFO's and HQ, according to the IFO action plan.

   2. Any TOI that fails must be entered into the AIIS as soon as the AIIS can be accessed.

   3. For any product presented for reinspection from a foreign production establishment that has failed a TOI previously during the contingency plans operation, import inspection personnel must perform “all required” physical TOI (s) on future shipments of imported product based on the process category/subcategory (e.g., 03D).

   4.  Refer to V. for data entry procedures.

5. AIIS Data Entry Procedures

   If an assignment was issued by an inspector at an alternative site, and the shipment fails reinspection, or is under intensified or increased status then data entry for the completed assignment should be made by inspection personal at the alternative site, if possible. If the inspector that obtained the assignment at the alternative site is not available, the inspector who performed the TOI shall contact the RIFO to assist with entry of results, prioritizing any Increased, Intensified, or failed reinspection assignments. If the RIFO is unavailable, contact the Deputy Director of Operations.

   When import inspection personnel are able to access the AIIS, every shipment that was processed under the contingency plan must be entered into the AIIS for assignment.

1. Upon Access to AIIS

   1. Any shipment reinspected by inspection personnel under the contingency plan for product exam (physical) TOI or laboratory TOI that receives a “Skipped” assignment for “physical or laboratory TOI” from the AIIS must have unscheduled TOI's entered into the AIIS.

   2. Any shipment that was “Skipped” by inspection personnel under the contingency plan that receives a reinspection (Physical or Laboratory) assignment from the AIIS must have all TOIs unassigned from the AIIS.

      In all cases, data entry corrections associated with the contingency plan for the TOI’s that cannot be corrected in the field must be sent in an e-mail to the generic import inspection mailbox (import.inspection@fsis.usda.gov), with a cc to the RIFO, once e-mail is operational.
       

2. Data Entry Under Intensified, Increased, or Shipment Failure

   1. The results for any TOI under intensified, increased or that fails reinspection under the contingency plan must be entered into the AIIS as soon as the AIIS becomes available.

   2. If the inspector that obtained the assignment at the alternative site is available, then the results of the reinspection should be forwarded to that location so that the results for intensified or failed reinspection assignments can be entered immediately.

3. Laboratory Data Entry Procedures

   Laboratory results are automatically forwarded to the AIIS by the Laboratory Electronic Application for Results Notification (LEARN). Please refer to IV.C.4 above for samples to be collected and submitted to the lab during the Contingency period. Any results that are unable to be entered should be forwarded to the import inspection mailbox (import.inspection@fsis.usda.gov).

4. Files

   All case files completed under the Contingency Plan should be readily available until the AIIS is operating.

6. Homeland Security Threat Condition Response - Emergency Procedures for the Office of International Affairs, Import Inspection Division, During Elevated Threat (Orange or Red)

1. In all cases of computer outage during Homeland Security alert status , import inspection personnel shall refer to the procedures in FSIS Directive 5420.4 - HOMELAND SECURITY THREAT CONDITION RESPONSE - EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOR THE OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS IMPORT INSPECTION DIVISION.

2. In all cases of computer outage when the PBIS is down during a Homeland Security alert status, import inspection personnel shall refer to the procedures in FSIS Directive 5420.4 for Food Security Verification Procedures. The procedures shall be performed, recorded and filed in the inspector’s files. When the PBIS AIIS is not operational for extended periods of time, import inspection personnel should perform unscheduled procedures and complete a paper copy of a Non-Compliance Record (NR) when a deviation occurs. Paper copies of NR’s shall be maintained at each import facility.

3. All Imported Egg Shipments shall be handled as per FSIS Directive 5420.4 VII, C, 3, D. Further guidance on all imported egg shipments will be given by IID Headquarters.

6. CONTACTS

1. During normal working hours, inspection personnel with AIIS problems may contact the RIFO or Import Inspection Division headquarters.

2. Import inspection personnel should contact FAIM Help (800) 473-9135 or (979) 260-3748 or their RIFO for assistance outside normal working hours.

3. In any instance, when import inspection personnel question a shipment's eligibility, they shall hold the shipment and contact the RIFO for further guidance.

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