What does the Security Cooperation Organization do in Foreign Military Sales shipping?

Most SCOs will not be routinely involved in transportation issues. Many FMS customers are self-sufficient in arranging for materiel movement and receiving materiel both at CONUS ports and in overseas ports of debarkation. However, when the DTS is used to deliver materiel in-country, with LOA DTCs 9 or 7, an in-country U.S. Military Representative (USMILREP), such as the SCO, may get involved. For clarification, the USMILREP may be any of the following:

• The SCO
• The Defense Attaché
• A representative of the U.S. Army Transportation Command (ARTRANS)
• A DoW employee

The USMILREP is responsible for supervision of the discharge at the destination of classified FMS materiel and equipment moving through the DTS. The SCO may be required to serve as the U.S. DGR, and ensure proper transfer of the classified materiel to the FMS customer’s DGR. If the SCO is to serve as the U.S. DGR, the responsible individual must be identified in the transportation plan for the movement of classified materiel. The IA is responsible for preparing the transportation plan. The case manager should provide a copy of the transportation plan to the SCO or other USMILREP acting as the U.S. DGR.

The extent of the SCO’s responsibility in the discharge of unclassified materiel shipped through the DTS will depend upon the capabilities of the foreign purchaser. This responsibility may include making arrangements for receipt of the cargo, ensuring establishment by the purchaser of adequate procedures for checking the equipment and materiel against manifests and shipping documents, providing technical advice regarding proper discharge of cargo, and responding to transportation correspondence and initiating various transportation receipt documents and discrepancy reports as outlined in the DoD 4500.9-R, Defense Transportation Regulation Part II, Chapter 210, and The Defense Logistics Management Standards (DLMS) 4000.25-M, Volume 2, Chapter 17, Supply Discrepancy Reporting. This latter instruction explains how to report shipping or packaging discrepancies caused by the shipper (i.e., overages, damages, or non-receipt) via an SDR by the receiving activity.

The SCO or USMILREP may also be required to initiate Transportation Discrepancy Reports (TDR) using DD Form 361 when DTS shipments arriving in country are damaged or lost.

The following guidance is provided for shipments made through the DTS on DTC 9 or 7. The SCO must monitor and coordinate transfer of DTS-routed shipments arriving at aerial or water PODs, by tracking shipments in the Security Cooperation Information Portal (SCIP) and the Enhanced Freight Tracking System (EFTS). Advance notice of incoming shipments plus copies of release documents, manifests, Reports of Shipment (REPSHIP), Cargo Traffic Messages, and Bills of Lading are needed to clear customs at PODs. Release documents can be any of the following: (1) DD Form 1348-1A, (2) DD Form 250, and (3) DD Form 1149, or the iRAPT Receiving Report that replaced the Wide Area Work Flow form and the DD Form 250. FMS purchasers often request certificates of origin to identify the source and exporter of the materiel. The DoW uses the release documents as proof that the USG is the exporter and the items are of U.S. origin.

Release documents should be mailed by the shipper to the SCO at the TAC 5 or 6 address in the MAPAD. The SCO is responsible for providing the release documents to the purchaser to permit the purchaser to clear customs. An APO or DOS pouch service address may not move documentation quickly enough to be available for ship arrivals. The SCO should ensure that the U.S. SCO communication routing identifier (COMMRI) or message address is listed as the TAC 4 address in the MAPAD or that a reliable office email address for the U.S. SCO is listed in the MAPAD special instructions. This message or email address will be used for electronic notification of REPSHIPS. The MAPAD TAC 5 and 6 addresses should reflect the mailing address of the U.S. SCO.

Prior to releasing sensitive items, controlled cryptographic items, or conventional AA&E, shippers are required by the DoD 4500.9-R, Defense Transportation Regulation Part II, Chapter 205, to send a REPSHIP to the consignee. This will either be a message sent to the TAC 4 address or the SCO’s email address in the MAPAD or a copy of the Ocean Bill of Lading (OBL) sent to the TAC 5 or 6 address in the MAPAD. For REPSHIP purposes, the in-country USMILREP is the consignee addressee for security cooperation materiel deliveries. The USMILREP will use the REPSHIP to coordinate pickup by the purchaser at the POD.

The SCO should meet with the FMS purchaser at least annually to conduct a review of the Military Assistance Program Address Directory (MAPAD) addresses that apply to the purchaser. The SCO is also responsible for identifying the appropriate shipping destination codes for BPC LOA shipments prior to case implementation.