Meet CTPAT’s Business Partner Audit Requirements with Confidence

Ensure your foreign business partners meet the Minimum Security Criteria (MSC) with professional, actionable audits that protect your certification and strengthen your supply chain.

Inquire Now

Partner with Us for Comprehensive Business Partner Audits

CTPAT certified companies are required to assess foreign partners’ CTPAT compliance when those partners are not certified members of CTPAT or a Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) program in their country. Secure Trade Advisors conducts detailed Business Partner Audits that evaluate a partner’s alignment with the CTPAT Minimum Security Criteria (MSC). These audits help your company fulfill CTPAT obligations to assess non-CTPAT/non-MRA partners and maintain proper due-diligence documentation.

Benefits of Conducting Business Partner Audits

  • Demonstrates the company’s compliance with the MSC — Shows CBP that your organization is properly vetting, assessing, and monitoring non-CTPAT and non-MRA business partners as required.
  • Assesses each partner’s compliance with the MSC — Evaluates whether foreign suppliers and service providers meet all applicable CTPAT requirements and identifies any gaps or missing evidence.
  • Identifies non-compliance risks early and outlines how partners can correct them — Gives partners clear guidance on the issues that must be addressed before they impact your certification.
  • Provides partners with the required MSC-compliant documents — We give business partners all of the policies, procedures, forms, logs, and training material they need to comply with the MSC so they are not left guessing or trying to interpret requirements on their own.

Collaborative and Constructive Approach

We understand that many of your foreign business partners are essential to your supply chain and their compliance directly impacts your CTPAT certification. Our goal is not only to assess their current level of compliance but to guide them toward full alignment with the MSC.

Our approach builds cooperation, not pressure. We work directly with your suppliers and logistics partners to:

  • Identify specific compliance gaps.
  • Explain what needs to be improved and why.
  • Provide all required MSC-compliant policies, procedures, forms, and training material.
  • Support implementation of corrective actions and verify completion.

This collaborative method strengthens your global partners, protects your certification, and results in a more secure, transparent, and resilient supply chain.

Rigorous Audit Process

Our audit process is structured, detailed, and practical. We evaluate a partner’s compliance with every applicable MSC category, identify strengths and vulnerabilities, and provide clear recommendations for improvement. Your company receives a complete, actionable assessment that enhances accuracy, transparency, and compliance.

A Chain Is Only as Strong as Its Weakest Link

Your supply chain’s resilience depends on the reliability of each partner. Our Business Partner Audits evaluate the physical, procedural, and administrative security practices of your suppliers, manufacturers, and logistics providers. This proactive approach helps protect your certification, reduce risk, and strengthen the integrity of your global operations.

Strengthen Your Supply Chain with Comprehensive Business Partner Audits

Certified CTPAT members must assess foreign partners that do not participate in CTPAT or a Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA). Secure Trade Advisors conducts detailed Business Partner Audits that evaluate a partner’s level of alignment with the CTPAT Minimum Security Criteria (MSC). These audits help your company fulfill its CTPAT requirement to assess non-CTPAT/non-MRA partners and maintain proper due-diligence documentation.

CTPAT Business Partner Audit FAQs

Below are answers to common questions about business partner audits, supply chain risk, and what to expect from the audit process.

What is a CTPAT Business Partner Audit?

A CTPAT Business Partner Audit is an assessment of a supplier or service provider’s supply chain security practices to confirm whether they meet the applicable CTPAT Minimum Security Criteria (MSC) and to identify gaps that could introduce risk into your supply chain.

Why does CTPAT require business partner screening and monitoring?

CTPAT requires members to determine and assess the risk business partners bring into the supply chain and to document screening and monitoring practices. This is part of maintaining compliance with the MSC and supporting your annual risk assessment requirements.

Which business partners should be audited?

Business partner audits are most important for non-CTPAT and non-Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) partners such as foreign suppliers, vendors, manufacturers, and logistics service providers that handle your cargo or support your international supply chain.

How often should business partner audits be conducted?

Most CTPAT members audit business partners prior to doing business with them; once a year for high-risk business partners; and every two years for medium-risk business partners.

What does Secure Trade Advisors evaluate during a business partner audit?

We evaluate whether your business partner’s security program and evidence meet the applicable MSC requirements, identify security and documentation gaps, and provide clear corrective actions so the partner can align with CTPAT expectations.

What happens if a business partner is not compliant?

If gaps are identified, we outline what must be corrected and help the partner understand what evidence and procedures are required to meet MSC expectations. This reduces supply chain risk and demonstrates to CBP that your company is actively managing partner compliance.

Do you provide business partners with templates and documents to meet MSC requirements?

Yes. We provide partners with MSC-compliant policies, procedures, forms, logs, and training materials so they can implement the required controls instead of guessing or interpreting requirements incorrectly.

Is a business partner audit the same as a security questionnaire?

A questionnaire is one tool for screening, but it isn’t enough on its own. A business partner audit evaluates compliance more thoroughly by reviewing procedures, evidence, and implementation to verify whether MSC requirements are actually being met.

Does this help with our CTPAT validation readiness?

Yes. Demonstrating documented screening, monitoring, and corrective action for business partners supports MSC compliance and strengthens validation readiness by showing CBP you are actively managing supply chain risk beyond your own facilities.

Ready to Get Started?

Complete the form below and an advisor will contact you.

"*" indicates required fields

Name*