Departments should consult with Procurement Services prior to placing orders or shipping items outside of the U.S. This would include “free” samples or research materials.
Some research materials, especially live biological specimens, bacteria, viruses or biologically active components like enzymes, may need special government permits to enter the U.S. or other countries. Commercial or industrial materials would be subject to import tariffs based on their value. This would include items sent “free” to ISU for evaluation.
Express carriers like FedEx and UPS will normally employ internal brokers to have items clear U.S. and other countries’ customs. If a carrier requests that you sign a form which allows you to approve their customs broker, send the form to Procurement Services for approval. This is important because these forms usually ask the University to sign over its power of attorney to the broker.
Iowa State has retained Perimeter Logistics Inc. to handle customs clearance on our behalf. The broker fees typically add $100-$200 per clearance, plus any additional shipping required to get the item(s) from the Port of Entry to ISU. Most international freight clears customs in New York City, Minneapolis, or Chicago. To help reduce the cost associated with customs clearance, departments should request that the items clear U.S. Customs at the Des Moines International Airport, which is an official Port of Entry.
If you have placed orders overseas, a representative of Perimeter Logistics or Procurement Services may contact you requesting additional information about the product. Please respond promptly, as the products are held in customs until all inquiries have been addressed. On rare occasions, orders for ISU have been held in customs and scheduled for destruction. If you receive a notice from the U.S. Customs Service, please forward it to Procurement Services immediately; do not attempt to resolve the issue yourself.
Perimeter Logistics Inc.
Dallas
2800 STORY RD W STE 200 IRVING TX 75038
Phone: +18777011919
Fax: +12142601435
