Export compliance training, inspection set
Mississippi State University will host a leading security consultant for two days of export compliance training, auditing and an inspection later this month.
Charles "Chip" Palmer, the vice president for training and business development of Maryland-based Export Compliance Solutions LLC (ECS), will be on campus March 27-28 to provide important training for MSU faculty and staff working on or managing contracts that involve Export Administrations Regulations (EAR) and International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).
ECS is well known for its training academy that was developed to assist the defense industry in its understanding of the very complex maze of federal regulations that controls exports and imports administered by the departments of State and Commerce.
The State Department has also used ECS to perform investigative audits of companies that have violated export compliance regulations.
Palmer will lead two seminars on March 27:
--From 8:30-10:30 a.m., an in-depth presentation will be provided for MSU personnel actively engaged in the management and oversight of export-controlled and ITAR contracts, including principal investigators and co-PIs, contract and grant specialists, SPA contract administrators and business managers.
--From 10:45-11:30 a.m., an introduction and overview will be given for personnel working on export-controlled/ITAR projects or those who want a general understanding of export control regulations and standards.
Online registration is available at http://www.tfaforms.com/233027.
The free training sessions will be held in the auditorium of the Franklin Furniture Institute, which is located at 100 Blackjack Road in Starkville.
On March 28, Palmer will perform an audit and inspection of MSU compliance with EAR and ITAR.
According to the Neil Lewis, director of the university's Office of Research Security, the audit and inspection will consist of reviewing the physical space where sensitive work is performed, conducting interviews of personnel and examining relevant records. He anticipates the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems, the High Performance Computing Collaboratory, Sponsored Programs Administration and the Bagley College of Engineering being most affected by the audit.
ECS will provide a preliminary report of the university's export compliance status at the conclusion of the audit and inspection, and then follow up with a more thorough and detailed report in three months. The final report will identify any problems and provide information about necessary corrective action.
"The penalties for non-compliance of export regulations are severe, and they are levied against employees performing the work, as well as the institution," Lewis said.
For additional information, contact Lewis at nelewis@fso.msstate.edu or 662-325-8682.
Jim Laird | University Relations
