Email Scripts

Email Script for outreach to eFiling Alpha Pilot participants

Subject: CPSC's eFiling Beta Pilot

Dear [participant],

[Participant company] participated in CPSC’s eFiling Alpha Pilot in 2016. CPSC is now planning on making eFiling permanent and will be conducting a Beta Pilot, beginning next year, that will test our PGA Message Set to a greater extent and with more participants. You can learn more about the Beta Pilot from our Federal Register Notice and at www.cpsc.gov/eFiling. Please reach out to me if you have any interest in participating or any questions.

I would also like to inform you that CPSC will be hosting a public workshop for the Beta Pilot on Thursday, October 13^th (in person and virtual), where we will be providing a detailed overview of eFiling, the Beta Pilot, and answer questions from the attendees. I hope you and your team are able to attend. You can register here.

Email Script for outreach after conference attendance

Subject: Follow up from CPSC

Dear [name],

Thank you for stopping by my table to learn more about CPSC and eFiling. I hope we can collaborate on the Beta Pilot, set to begin in fall 2023, with IT development beginning this fall. You can find more information on eFiling at www.cpsc.gov/eFiling. We will also be hosting a hybrid workshop (in person in Bethesda, MD) in October, so please pencil that in your calendar.

I am also sending you a few CPSC resources:

• Our Regulatory Robot: www.business.cpsc.gov/robot/, which is a user-friendly resource to learn about CPSC requirements for regulated consumer products.

• Our generic imports inbox: [email protected], where you can send any questions about CPSC or any inquiries of CPSC holds at imports.

Email Script to registrants of the eFiling Beta Pilot Workshop held on October 13^th

Thank you for participating in the CPSC Staff Workshop: PGA Message Set Test (Beta Pilot) of Electronic Filing of Certain Certificate of Compliance Data for Regulated Imported Consumer Products. The workshop will be from 9 am to 4:30 pm on Thursday, October 13^th.

The day will begin with remarks from the Chair of CPSC, Alex Hoehn-Saric, followed by an overview of eFiling, certificate requirements, and the Risk Assessment Methodology. The remainder of the workshop will be broken into four sessions, covering:

1. PGA Message Set Data Elements

2. Product Registry Features

3. HTS Codes, Disclaims, and Exemptions

4. De minimis and direct-to-consumer shipments

After a brief presentation for each session, CPSC staff will share several discussion questions. Attendees will then have the opportunity to provide immediate feedback and ask their own questions. Virtual attendees will be able to fully participate in providing feedback.

This workshop will be recorded, including any comments or questions from the attendees, and published later online on CPSC’s website.

An ASL interpreter will be available in WebEx. In order to view the interpreter at all times, (1) hover over the interpreter’s video; (2) select the more icon in the upper right; and, (3) select “Lock a participant to this location.” The interpreter will be on one of the monitors in the hearing room as well, but it is advisable that in-person attendees who require the interpreter to bring their own laptop, in order to also join WebEx and view the interpreter more closely.

Virtual attendance

Please join by using this link: [link now expired]. The link will be open at approximately 8:30 am. Please log in early, because there will be many attendees. When you join, you will be automatically muted. Due to the large number of virtual attendees, a CPSC staff member will moderate WebEx and mute/unmute participants. Attendees will not be able to unmute themselves.

You will still be able to participate during the scheduled times for comments and discussions. To do so, please select the “raise your hand” icon. The moderator will keep track of raised hands and then call on you. At that time, you will be unmuted and allowed to speak. After a response from a CPSC staff member, you will be again muted. You can at anytime ask a question or write a comment in the Q&A field.

In-person attendance

The workshop will be hosted in the CPSC Hearing room at 4330 East West Highway on the 4^th floor. Registration begins at 8:30 am. Please arrive early, because you will have to go through security.

CPSC HQ is an approximately 10-minute walk from the Bethesda Metro, which is on the Red Line. When you exit the metro, go through the tunnel on your right, which will take you to the same side of the street as the building. When you exit on the street level, walk east (away from Wisconsin Ave).

Parking is available in the building basement for approximately $12/day. The entrance ramp is under construction, so you have to enter via the exit on Montgomery Ave, behind the building. Montgomery Ave is a one-way street from Wisconsin Ave. It may be easier to type 4310 Montgomery Ave into your GPS. The garage entrance is across the street from this address. Follow directions inside the garage to building 4330.

For lunch, Sprout Café is located on the first floor of the building next door. There are other lunch options walking distance from the building. Please follow this link to find restaurant options. You will have to go through security again when returning from lunch.

Wifi will be provided.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me.

Email Script for first follow-up to the eFiling Beta Pilot Workshop held on October 13^th

Subject: Seeking volunteers for the CPSC eFiling Beta Pilot

Good afternoon trade and industry partners, 

  

Thank you again for attending the eFiling Beta Pilot Workshop on Thursday, October 13, 2022.  

We are hopeful that you gained a better understanding of the eFiling Initiative and upcoming eFiling Beta Pilot, and you felt we achieved our intended objectives to:   

• Provide you an overview of the eFiling program;  

• Obtain your feedback and answer your questions; and  

• Most importantly, extend the invitation for your participation in the eFiling Beta Pilot.  

Please consider volunteering for our CPSC eFiling Beta Pilot! 

• Following the workshop, several importers, brokers, testing laboratories, and software companies have already committed to participation in the eFiling Beta Pilot – thank you to those who have already signed up! 

• We still require a significant number of participants in all roles to perform a successful eFiling Beta Pilot. 

• Therefore, CPSC seeks additional commitment to participate, from up to 50 importer-broker pairs, who will test the eFiling process using data from participating importers. Testing laboratories and software developers can participate alongside an importer. 

• In addition to eFiling Beta Pilot participation, there is also an opportunity for a Subgroup of nine stakeholders to volunteer and advise specifically in connection with IT development.     

 eFiling Beta Pilot participation benefits for you include: 

• Being among the first to use and assess the eFiling process;  

• Having the potential to participate in the IT development advisory group and influence the technicalities of the eFiling Program; and 

• Gaining the opportunity to provide feedback from your eFiling Beta Pilot experience, which may inform process improvements for the eFiling implementation across all applicable products.  

Your participation is essential to the success of the eFiling Beta Pilot and the eFiling program overall.  We extend the invitation to participate across the Trade community, request, and welcome your participation in the eFiling Beta Pilot!     

We are looking to identify participants by November 15, 2022! 

If you are interested in participating in the eFiling Beta Pilot, please send your interest and/or inquiries to the eFiling inbox at [email protected]. Learn more at www.cpsc.gov/eFiling.  

Email Script for second follow-up to the eFiling Beta Pilot Workshop held on October 13^th

Subject: eFiling Beta Pilot Participation

Good Afternoon,

Thank you again for your attendance at the eFiling Beta Pilot Workshop on October 13th!  We are reaching out directly to attendees whom we have not had an opportunity to correspond with directly.  We would like to determine your interest in participating and providing feedback in the Beta Pilot.

Many workshop attendees reached out by email to request additional information about the Beta Pilot and to express interest or commitment in Pilot participation. There is still space for additional participants as we work to identify up to 50 importer-broker pairs who will test the eFiling process. 

Please let us know if you are interested in being among the first to use and assess the eFiling process and provide feedback!

For additional information about the eFiling Beta Pilot, please feel free to respond directly to this email from [email protected] or visit www.cpsc.gov/eFiling.

We would like to hear from you!  Please reply to this email, by December 15, 2022, to share confirmation of your interest to participate OR desire to defer consideration of the eFiling Beta Pilot. 

Email Script for outreach to importers who participated in CPSC’s eCommerce Assessment

Subject: eFiling Beta Pilot Overview and Opportunity to Participate

Good Afternoon,

Based on your previous participation with the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) on the eCommerce Assessment, we are reaching out to share a new opportunity to participate in a CPSC initiative. 

CPSC is currently implementing an eFiling initiative that will enable importers of regulated consumer products to file electronically (eFile) with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) certain data elements from certificates of compliance, via a Partner Government Agency (PGA) Message Set. An Alpha Pilot was conducted in 2016 to establish the infrastructure and test the eFiling process. The Beta Pilot will launch in Fall 2023 to develop, test, and implement processes and procedures for an eFiling requirement for imported, regulated consumer products.

We hosted a workshop on Thursday, October 13, 2022, that provided an overview of the upcoming eFiling Beta Pilot. Many workshop attendees expressed interest or commitment in Pilot participation. We are reaching out to the Trade industry to create awareness and extend the opportunity to learn more about the Beta Pilot. We invite you to preview the eFiling Beta Pilot workshop on the CPSC YouTube page and consider participation. 

There is still space for additional participants as we work to identify up to 50 importer-broker pairs who will test the eFiling process. Please let us know if you are interested in being among the first to use and assess the eFiling process and provide feedback!

For additional information about the eFiling Beta Pilot, please feel free to respond directly to this email from [email protected] or visit www.cpsc.gov/eFiling.

We would like to hear from you!  Please reply to this email, by December 15, 2022, to share confirmation of your interest to participate OR desire to defer consideration of the eFiling Beta Pilot. 

CPSC Business Education Newsletter: December 2022
Sent by the Small Business Ombudsman

eFiling Beta Pilot: Importer Participation

CPSC Staff Seeking Volunteers for a PGA Message Set Test (Beta Pilot) of Electronic Filing of Certain Certificate of Compliance Data for Regulated Imported Consumer Products

Electronic filing (eFiling) will modernize the way import data is processed by enabling importers of regulated consumer products to eFile certain data elements from a certificate of compliance with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), via a Partner Government Agency (PGA) Message Set. 

CPSC is conducting a six-month Beta Pilot test in conjunction with CBP and up to 50 industry participants to:

• Scale-up IT systems to accept regulated consumer product data

• Refine infrastructure requirements for real-time data collection and use

• Develop procedures to supply, use, and maintain certificate data

• Inform rulemaking for required and permanent implementation of eFiling certificate data

eFiling Beta Pilot program planning and participant onboarding activities are currently underway, and importers are invited to volunteer to participate. For more information, click here.

Email Script for Q&A session announcement

Subject: Q&A session for eFiling Beta Pilot Participation

Greetings,

Thank you for your interest in participating in the eFiling Beta Pilot and collaborating with CPSC to modernize the filing of certificate data! We would like to remind interested brokers that you must be paired with an importer partner to participate in the Beta Pilot.

We are about halfway to our goal of 50 Beta Pilot participants and there are still opportunities for interested brokers and their importer partners to participate. CPSC is hosting a Q&A on Thursday, February 16^th at 2 pm ET to provide an eFiling overview, highlight potential benefits, and answer importer and broker questions.

We are requesting brokers to identify a minimum of 4 – 5 importers who may be good candidates to participate in the Beta Pilot and share the attached meeting link with your interested clients. We have attached a list of HTS codes that may help you identify prospective importers to invite to the Q&A session.

Thank you in advance for your support with reaching our participation goal. Please reach out to the eFiling team at [email protected] with any questions or support you need.

CPSC Business Education Newsletter: February 10, 2023
Sent by the Small Business Ombudsman

Dear Small Business Community,

Thank you for subscribing to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Business Education newsletter. If you have any questions about CPSC product safety requirements, you can reach the Small Business Ombudsman (SBO) team by sending an email through our online contact form, or by sending an email to us directly at: [email protected]. You can also call our business line at: (301) 504-7945, and leave us a voicemail, and we will call you back directly. 

Upcoming eFiling virtual Q&A Session for interested importers and brokers

eFiling Program Specialist Arthur Laciak is hosting a virtual Q&A session, for interested importers and brokers, to provide an eFiling overview, highlight potential benefits, and answer questions about participation on Thursday, February 16, 2023, at 2:00pm to 3:00pm ET. To receive a meeting link, please contact [email protected]. For additional information on the meeting, please contact Arthur Laciak at [email protected].

Best regards,

Small Business Ombudsman Team