CBP Directive No. 51410-027A
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
CBP DIRECTIVE NO. 51410-027A
DATE: FEBRUARY 2, 2023
ORIGINATING OFFICE: OTD
SUPERSEDES: CBP Dir. 51410-018A
CBP Dir. 51410-027
REVIEW DATE: FEBRUARY 1, 2026
ONLINE/DISTANCE LEARNING MANDATORY TRAINING
1. PURPOSE. In accordance with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) memorandum Ensuring Improved Enterprise-Wide Mandatory Training, dated November 14, 2022, this directive establishes the authorities to mandate online/distance learning for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel. It also includes the responsibilities to track and report the completion of mandatory training.
2. BACKGROUND. While mandated training is important to ensuring the workforce has the necessary knowledge to perform in a variety of areas, it can also be extremely expensive and create a significant burden to the workforce. On average, each hour of required online training translates into approximately $5.2M, per course, in lost productivity. Since employees have multiple courses to take each year, assuming at least 10 courses per year, this loss ultimately translates into $52M of lost productivity each year. This does not take into account the operational impact of pulling officers and agents off the frontline to complete this training. Every effort must be made to reduce the overall cost and burden of mandatory training while ensuring the workforce maintains the critical knowledge required to safely and professionally execute CBP's mission.
3. SCOPE. This policy is applicable to all CBP personnel.
4. POLICY.
4.1 Only those authorized under this directive may mandate training to CBP's workforce.
4.2 Completion of mandatory training will be tracked and reported in CBP's approved Learning Management System (LMS).
4.3 All online courses delivered on the approved LMS will be developed following CBP's Office of Training and Development (OTD) design and development policies/directives.
4.4 Each online course will have a sunset date to ensure they remain relevant to approved policies and include the proper learning strategies/requirements as mandated by DHS's memo on Ensuring Improved Enterprise-Wide Mandatory Training. Prior to that sunset date, each course will be reviewed, reapproved and re-mandated by the appropriate leadership levels established in Section 7 of this directive.
4.5 Mandatory online training courses will have a pre-test that enables students to "test-out" of taking the course whenever not prohibited by law, regulation, and/or policy. A passing score on the pre-test will serve as the employee's successful completion of the course.
4.6 Only course owners, in consultation with their leadership, can waive or defer an employee from attending/taking online training.
5.1 U.S. Code Title 4 Chapter 41, Training.
5.2 Code of Federal Regulations Title 5 Part 410, Training.
5.3 DHS Policy Memorandum, Ensuring Improved Enterprise-Wide Mandatory Training, dated November 14, 2022.
There are three broad categories of mandatory training:
6.1 Externally Mandated Training: Training mandated for CBP personnel by an external entity (e.g., President, Congress, DHS, Office of Management and Budget, Office of Personnel Management).
6.2 Internally Mandated (Cross-Office) Training: Training mandated by CBP leadership for personnel across multiple offices/occupations (e.g., all law enforcement officers, all supervisors).
6.3 Internally Mandated (Office-Specific/Required) Training: Training mandated by a specific CBP office for personnel in that office or for employees who perform collateral duties for that office (e.g., all Office of Field Operations employees, all Acquisition, all Safety Officers).
7.1 CBP Deputy Commissioner
7.1.1 Approves any Externally Mandated Training for the entire workforce as described in Section 6.1.
7.2 CBP Deputy Commissioner and/or Chief Operating Officer (COO)
7.2.1 Approves any Internally Mandated (Cross-Office) training as described in Section 6.2.
7.3 Executive Assistant Commissioners/Chief, United States Border Patrol
7.3.1 Approve any Internally Mandated (Office-Specific/Required) Training for their office.
7.3.2 Monitor, track, enforce and report completion of designated training through CBP's approved LMS.
7.4.1 Develops (if required) and posts any online/distance learning course into the LMS that was approved in Section 6.
7.4.2 Works with all CBP offices to track, run reports, and conduct annual reviews of Externally Mandated and Internally Mandated (Cross-Office) Training as requested or needed.
7.4.3 Establishes criteria for and coordinates the development/incorporation of pre-tests for applicable courses.
7.4.4 Maintains an online catalog of all CBP mandatory training, with direct responsibility for Externally Mandated Training and Internally Mandated (Cross-Office) Training.
Requesting the Establishment of a New Mandatory Training Course
8.1 Externally Mandated Training.
8.1.1 External requests to mandate training shall be referred to CBP's Deputy Commissioner.
8.1.2 Requests shall include the following: title, brief description, delivery frequency, audience, delivery mechanism, and source of the mandate.
8.1.3 Requests will specify whether or not the requirement includes the Federal workforce, contractors, or both.
8.2 Internally Mandated (Cross-Office) Training.
8.2.1 Internal requests to mandate Cross-Office training shall be submitted to CBP's COO.
8.2.2 Requests shall include the following: title, brief description, delivery frequency, audience, delivery mechanism, and the source of the mandate.
8.2.3 Requests will specify whether or not the requirement includes the Federal workforce, contractors, or both.
Implementation of Internally Mandated (Office-Specific/Required Training)
8.3 Internally Mandated (Office-Specific/Required) Training will follow the policies and procedures of the mandating office.
8.4 Implementation of a mandatory training course may have a reasonably foreseeable impact on the working conditions of the bargaining unit(s).
8.5 Prior to mandating training, program offices will consult with the Labor-Management Relations Division in CBP's Office of Human Resources Management.
9. MEASUREMENT & RECORDKEEPING. OTD will maintain a copy of the required mandates and approval process for any external and internal (cross-office) courses posted to the approved LMS. OTD will also work with all CBP offices to ensure personnel understand the process for creating, updating, tracking, and removing online courses located in LMS.
10. POINT OF CONTACT. For questions regarding this directive, please OTD at (b) (7)(E)
11. NO PRIVACY RIGHTS CREATED. This document is an internal policy statement of CBP and does not create or confer any private rights, privileges, or benefits for any person or party.
12. APPROVAL AUTHORITY.
Troy Miller
Acting Commissioner
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Date