Key Terminology

Understanding foreign trade terms is essential in order to make an educated and qualified decision for your organization. Therefore, the administration of FTZ No. 79 strives to educate businesses about the numerous advantages of using a foreign trade zone.  

The following words, terms, and associated abbreviations, shall have the meaning set out on this webpage when used on this website:

Act -- The Foreign Trade Zones Act of 1934, as amended (19 U.S.C. 81a-81u).

Alternative Site Framework (ASF) -- The approach to foreign-trade zone designation process and management of Zone Sites that are located within Hillsborough County or Polk County. The Alternative Site Framework was adopted by the U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones Board as a matter of practice in December 2008 (74 FR 1170, January 12, 2009; correction 74 FR 3987, January 22, 2009) and modified by the U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones Board in November 2010 (75 FR 71069, November 22, 2010) and as may be amended or modified in the future.

Approved Adjacent Areas -- The geographical area that is located within a 60-mile radius or 90-minute driving time from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Port of Entry of Tampa that is located at 1624 East Seventh Avenue, Suite 101, Tampa, Florida 33605 or a geographical location in which U.S. Customs and Border Protection deems that proper oversight can be accomplished with physical and electronic means.

ASF Service Area -- Hillsborough County and Polk County.

Customs Territory of the United States-- The territory of the U.S. in which the general tariff laws of the United States of America apply. The Customs Territory of the United States includes only the Fifty-States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) -- One or more restricted-access sites (i.e. Zone Sites) in or adjacent (as defined by §400.11(b)(2)) to a CBP Port of entry, operated as a public utility (within the meaning of §400.42) under the sponsorship of the Zone Grantee authorized by the Foreign-Trade Zones Board with zone operations under CBP's supervision.
                                                                                                                                                                                                             Free Zone (Free Trade Zone) -- Geographical areas that receive preferential treatment on tariffs and taxes on commercially exchanged commodities.  In the United States, free zones are called foreign-trade zones.

General Purpose Site -- A Zone Site intended to serve to attract multiple Zone Operators or Zone Users under the Traditional Site Framework.

Grant of Authority -- The document issued by the Unites States Foreign Trade Zones Board that authorizes the Zone Grantee to establish, operate, and maintain an FTZ, subject to limitations and conditions specified in this part and in 19 CFR 146. The authority to establish a zone includes the responsibility to manage it.

Grantee -- See Zone Grantee.

Lapse Provision -- For Zone Sites located in Approved Adjacent Areas under the Traditional Site Framework, authority shall lapse unless the sites are activated, pursuant to 19 CFR §146, and in operation not later than five years from the authorization of the Zone Sites, subject to the provisions of Board Order 849 (61 FR 53305, October 11, 1996).

Magnet Site -- A Zone Site intended to serve to attract multiple Zone Operators or Zone Users under the Alternative Site Framework.

Procedures Manual -- The document that delineates the Zone Operator's inventory control and record keeping systems for those activities that relate to all activity within the Zone Site.

Subzone Site -- A Zone Site (or group of Zone Sites) tied to a single Zone Operator or Zone User under the Traditional Site Framework.

Sunset Provision -- For Zone Sites located in Approved Adjacent Areas under the Alternative Site Framework, FTZ designation will self-remove from a Zone Site if there is not within three years of FTZ designation approval admission into the Zone Site of foreign non–duty paid material for a bona fide customs purpose. This provision is subject to “resetting” whereby activation at a Zone Site during the Zone Site’s initial sunset period would serve to push back the sunset date by another three years, at which point the sunset test would again apply.

Traditional Site Framework (TSF) -- The approach to foreign-trade zone designation process and management of foreign-trade zone sites that are within Approved Adjacent Areas of Foreign-Trade Zone No. 79 and not located within either Hillsborough County or Polk County.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) -- The federal authority responsible for enforcement of customs laws relating to merchandise and records pertaining to admission and removal of merchandise from foreign trade zone sites and responsible for approval of foreign-trade zone operator’s bonds and activation and deactivation of foreign trade zone sites.

U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones Board (FTZB) -- The federal regulatory authority that supervises the entire U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones program.

Usage-Driven Site -- a Zone Site (or group of Zone Sites) tied to a single Zone Operator or Zone User under the Alternative Site Framework.

Zone Designation -- The authorization given by FTZ No. 79 Board Inc. and the U.S. Foreign Trade Zone Board that designates parcels of land as a Zone Site.

Zone Grantee -- The City of Tampa, Grantee of Foreign Trade Zone No. 79 pursuant to Foreign-Trade Zones Board Order No. 192, subsequent Board Orders relating to Foreign Trade Zone No. 79 through Board Order 1902, and all Board Orders entered subsequent to the date of this agreement.  Where used on this website, the term “Grantee” means “Zone Grantee” unless otherwise indicated.

Zone Operator -- A corporation, partnership, or person that operates a Zone Site under the terms of an contractual agreement with the Zone Grantee, or third party on behalf of the Zone Grantee, with the concurrence of CBP.

Zone Operator Agreement -- The contractual terms with FTZ No. 79 Board, Inc. under which a corporation, partnership, or individual receives the authority to operate a Zone Site within FTZ No. 79.

Zone Site-- The physical location of a facility with FTZ No. 79 Zone Designation.  A Zone Site is composed of one or more generally contiguous parcels of land organized and functioning as an integrated unit, such as all or part of an industrial park or airport facility.   Zone Sites are called General Purpose Sites, Magnet Sites, Subzone Sites, and Usage-Driven Sites.

Zone User -- A corporation, partnership, or person using a Zone Site under agreement with a Zone Operator for the storage, handling, or processing of merchandise.