Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and

Trade Bureau

FY 2013

President’s Budget

Submission
TTB - 2

Table of Contents

Section 1 – Purpose ....................................................................................................................... 3

1A – Mission Statement.............................................................................................................. 3

1.1 – Appropriations Detail Table .............................................................................................. 3

1B – Mission Priorities and Context........................................................................................... 3

Section 2 – Budget Adjustments and Appropriation Language............................................. 10

2.1 – Budget Adjustments Table............................................................................................... 10

2A – Budget Increases and Decreases Description................................................................... 10

2.2 – Operating Levels Table.................................................................................................... 12

2B – Appropriations Language and Explanation of Changes................................................... 13

2C – Legislative Proposals........................................................................................................ 13

Section 3 – Budget and Performance Report and Plan........................................................... 15

3A – Collect the Revenue ......................................................................................................... 15

3.1.1 – Collect the Revenue Budget and Performance Report and Plan................................... 19

3B – Protect the Public ............................................................................................................. 19

3.1.2 – Protect the Public Budget and Performance Report and Plan....................................... 22

Section 4 – Supplemental Information...................................................................................... 23

4A – Capital Investment Strategy............................................................................................. 23
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Section 1 – Purpose

1A – Mission Statement

To collect the federal excise taxes on alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and ammunition, and assure 

compliance with federal tobacco permitting and alcohol permitting, labeling, and marketing

requirements to protect consumers.

1.1 – Appropriations Detail Table

Dollars in Thousands

FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 % Change

Resources Available for Obligation Enacted Enacted Request FY 2012 to FY 2013

FTE AMOUNT FTE AMOUNT FTE AMOUNT FTE AMOUNT

New Appropriated Resources:

 Collect the Revenue 268 $50,399 248 $50,939 237 $47,893 -4.44% -5.98%

 Protect the Public 267 50,399 248 48,939 245 48,893 -1.21% -0.09%

Subtotal New Appropriated Resources 535 $100,798 496 $99,878 482 $96,786 -2.82% -3.10%

Other Resources:

 Reimbursables 15 $3,958 15 $4,928 15 $4,928 0.00% 0.00%

 Unobligated Balances from PY - 2,990 - - - - 0.00% 0.00%

Subtotal Other Resources 15 $6,948 15 $4,928 15 $4,928 0.00% 0.00%

Total Resources Available for Obligation 550 $107,746 511 $104,806 497 $101,714 -2.74% -2.95%

1B – Mission Priorities and Context

TTB is responsible for the administration and enforcement of those sections of the Internal 

Revenue Code of 1986 (IRC) associated with the collection of excise taxes on alcohol, tobacco, 

firearms, and ammunition, and the Federal Alcohol Administration (FAA) Act, which provides 

for the regulation of the alcohol beverage industry and the protection of U.S. consumers. 

The TTB mission is carried out according to two principal strategic goals that, briefly stated, are: 

collect the revenue and protect the public. TTB’s collect the revenue strategic goal is to assure 

that industry remits the proper federal tax on alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and ammunition 

products. This TTB goal supports the Treasury’s strategic goal to pursue comprehensive tax and 

fiscal reform, as well as the agency-wide priority goal to increase voluntary tax compliance. The 

TTB protect the public strategic goal is to ensure that alcohol and tobacco industry operators 

meet permit qualifications, and alcohol beverage products comply with federal production, 

labeling, and marketing requirements, and supports the Treasury strategic goal to enhance U.S. 

competitiveness and promote international financial stability and balanced global growth. 

Various activities under these two TTB strategic goals contribute to the Treasury’s priority goal 

of increasing paperless transactions with the public.

In Fiscal Year (FY) 2013, TTB will strategically invest its resources in program activities that 

provide the greatest assurance that these industries are operating in compliance with tax and 

regulatory requirements, in the interest of collecting the excise taxes due and assuring fair and 

honest market activity. TTB will act to prevent compliance violations by enhancing the 

guidance offered to industry members on federal alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and ammunition

laws and regulations. TTB will continue its efforts to verify compliant operations and proper tax 

payment through its audit program, and will employ sophisticated risk modeling to target highrisk entities for the most effective and efficient use of limited enforcement resources. Enforcing 
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the tax code also requires that TTB address tax evasion and the illicit trade in alcohol and 

tobacco products, which not only represents potentially billions of dollars in revenue loss but 

also undermines the lawful business activity of taxpaying industry members. Specifically, in FY 

2013, TTB is establishing forensic audit and investigation teams that will detect and pursue 

fraudulent activity in the alcohol and tobacco trade. These teams will supplement its random and 

risk-based audits and further focus TTB’s limited resources on high risk areas for revenue loss. 

TTB will also focus on improving its business results in two primary processing areas–permit 

and label applications–by enhancing the electronic filing capabilities for industry and evaluating 

proposals to streamline TTB’s processing work without compromising the controls in place to 

effectively accomplish its mission. Applications for permits continue to rise and TTB is 

implementing e-Gov solutions to avoid degradation to the level of service provided to 

entrepreneurs applying for a TTB permit. Delays in issuing permits may impede the nation’s 

economic recovery, as the new businesses permitted by TTB are predominantly small businesses 

that contribute to job opportunities locally and to America’s competitiveness in the global 

market. Technology enhancements alone will not entirely address the strain on TTB resources 

caused by the continued growth in alcohol beverage label applications. TTB is working with 

industry to assess opportunities to streamline this critical line of business to prevent costly delays 

in receiving TTB’s approval. Such delays may negatively impact businesses, which must have 

label approval prior to bottling or introducing their products into domestic commerce. 

FY 2013 Priorities

 Collect roughly $24 billion in annual excise tax revenues due to the federal government;

 Complete audits and investigations of TTB taxpayers based upon risk and random selection 

to ensure lawful operations and tax reporting and payment compliance; 

 Detect and address criminal diversion activity, including counterfeit alcohol and tobacco 

products, to protect the federal revenue stream, U.S. consumers, and fair market activity;

 Reduce the burden of compliance by expanding and promoting electronic filing options for 

industry members, including the online system that allows industry members to apply for an 

original permit to start a new alcohol or tobacco business; 

 Conduct statistically valid marketplace sampling programs to determine industry-wide 

compliance with federal regulations for alcohol beverages, and tailor enforcement and 

education programs based on these findings to ensure products sold to U.S. consumers meet 

federal alcohol beverage production, labeling, and marketing requirements; 

 Refine TTB product safety activities that focus on the integrity and safety of domestic and 

imported alcohol beverage products; 

 Promote U.S. exports by facilitating industry compliance with foreign requirements and by 

working with foreign regulators to reduce barriers to trade; and

 Strengthen global tax administration structures through work with trading partners and 

emerging markets to prevent tax loss from illicit trade and improve tax collection outcomes.

Recent Accomplishments

During FY 2011, TTB collected $24 billion in excise taxes and other revenues from 7,800 

taxpayers in the alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and ammunition industries. The return on investment 

for the TTB Collect the Revenue program is 468:1. TTB completed 173 targeted audits and 190 

revenue investigations of permitted businesses, which contributed to the identification of 

additional tax revenue of more than $29.4 million, and acts as a deterrent to fraud. In enforcing 
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its criminal jurisdiction, TTB initiated 21 criminal investigations involving diversion of alcohol 

and tobacco products with an estimated tax liability of more than $20 million. In support of the 

Nation’s continued economic growth, TTB processed nearly 6,000 original permits, most of 

which are for small businesses. A TTB permit is required before a business can operate in the 

alcohol and tobacco industries. In addition, TTB processed 145,300 Certificate of Label 

Approval (COLA) applications, of which 88 percent were filed electronically. Federal law

prohibits the import or domestic bottling of an alcohol beverage without an approved COLA, 

making this TTB service integral to U.S. business operations. TTB also completed more than 

800 field investigations of industry members in the areas of permit qualification, consumer 

complaints, trade practice violations, and product integrity verifications, all of which serve the 

bureau’s dual mission of revenue collection and consumer protection.

Additionally, TTB works with industry, foreign and state governments, and other interested 

parties to protect the integrity of the alcohol beverage trade, ensuring that all businesses are 

operating in compliance with federal laws and regulations, and that U.S. industry can penetrate 

foreign markets. TTB made significant inroads in advancing these objectives in FY 2011, with 

key accomplishments including its completion of a nearly $2 million offer in compromise to 

settle a major trade practice investigation that was stifling fair competition within the alcohol 

beverage distribution system, its signing of several memoranda of understanding with important 

trade partners designed to enhance trade and improve regulatory and tax compliance of imported 

products, and its efforts to engage with emerging markets through the Asia Pacific Economic 

Cooperation (APEC) to expand trade opportunities for U.S. businesses.

Challenges in FY 2013:

Alcohol and Tobacco Diversion

TTB has jurisdiction over federal excise tax evasion in relation to alcohol and tobacco products.

The diversion of these products outside of legitimate commercial channels without the payment 

of taxes due presents a serious threat to federal revenues, undermines fair trade activity, and 

provides a well-established source of funding for criminal enterprises. Diversion schemes vary 

widely and change in response to targeted enforcement efforts. Schemes include the illicit 

manufacture of product, diversion of ―exported‖ and non-taxpaid product, and misclassification 

of imported product to evade tax. Another historic source of tobacco diversion is the illicit 

manufacture and sale of tobacco products on Native American reservations. 

Accurately measuring the loss in federal tax receipts from alcohol and tobacco diversion is 

difficult because of the clandestine nature of the activity. In February 2010, the Department of 

the Treasury issued a report to Congress (―Report to Congress on Federal Tax Receipts Lost Due 

to Illicit Trade and Recommendations for Increased Enforcement‖), which presented a study 

estimating the amount of federal tax receipts lost as a result of cigarette diversion. The study 

emphasized the substantial uncertainty surrounding the magnitude of the federal tax receipts lost 

due to cigarette diversion; however, in any case where the intrinsic value of a product is dwarfed 

by its tax value, there is incentive to evade the tax to gain an illegal profit. The recent tobacco 

tax rate increase, which tripled the tax on cigarettes, serves to enhance the potential for illegal 

gains. While there is not a similar study estimating revenue losses from alcohol diversion, recent 

TTB investigations indicate multiple schemes in the wholesaler and importer segments of the 

industry. 
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To address the illicit trade in these commodities, in FY 2010, TTB was provided $3 million in 

two-year funding to initiate a law enforcement program. TTB entered into an interagency 

agreement for the services of law enforcement agents on a reimbursable basis from the Internal 

Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS CI) division. In FY 2012, an additional $2 million 

was appropriated to continue TTB’s enforcement efforts to address tobacco smuggling and other 

criminal diversion activities. 

Succession Planning

Succession planning is high on the list of TTB’s strategic priorities. TTB could lose 

approximately 35 percent of its workforce by 2013 due to retirements and other attrition. TTB 

continues to use the personnel interventions identified in the Pay Demonstration Project to 

mitigate these losses and enable the bureau to improve its capacity to recruit, develop, and retain 

high-caliber employees. Continuation of this authority is essential to closing skill gaps in 

mission critical occupations and is requested for an additional year in the FY 2013 budget.

Operating Environment

TTB Tax Collections and the Regulated Industries

TTB is the third largest tax collection agency in the U.S. Government, after the IRS and U.S. 

Customs and Border Protection. Annual revenues from the alcohol, tobacco, firearms and 

ammunition industries approach $24 billion, with trends in the volume of permit applications 

submitted to TTB indicating continued expansion and robust business activity in these trades.

Alcohol Tax Collections

The alcohol beverage industry in the United States pays $7.6 billion in federal excise taxes each 

year and also provides a source of tax revenue for state and local governments. A 2007 industry 

trade association report shows that the alcohol beverage industry contributes directly or 

indirectly to the U.S. economy by providing nearly 4 million jobs and roughly $400 billion in 

economic activity. Economic forecasts predict continued modest growth in the alcohol industry, 

and taxes collected on alcohol beverages are expected to continue to rise throughout the period 

of FY 2012 – FY 2013. TTB expects that the increase in new alcohol businesses will be most 

prominent in the number of wineries, craft breweries, and craft distilleries.

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

18,000

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Dollars in Thousands

Tax Collections by Commodity

Tobacco Alcohol Firearms
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Tobacco Tax Collections

In FY 2011, TTB tobacco excise tax collections reached $15.5 billion as a result of the increased 

tax rate imposed by the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 

(CHIPRA). This legislation provided for a tax increase on all tobacco products (except large 

cigars), and cigarette papers and cigarette tubes, effective April 1, 2009. In forecasting tobacco

revenues, federal collections are expected to decline after peaking in FY 2010. Higher prices on 

tobacco products have historically resulted in decreased consumption and increased illicit trade, 

which combined would indicate declining tax revenues in the out years. 

Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax Collections

Firearms and ammunition excise taxes (FAET) are remitted to the Fish and Wildlife Restoration 

Fund under provisions of the Pittman-Robertson Act of 1937. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service, which oversees the fund, apportions the money to state governments for wildlife 

restoration and research, and hunter education programs. Federal excise tax collections on 

firearms and ammunition have increased from $193 million in FY 2003 to $344 million in FY 

2011, an increase of $151 million over the past eight years, or a 78 percent growth in federal 

FAET revenues. The increase in reported tax revenue can be attributed to industry growth, 

effective outreach and collection initiatives at the bureau, and the field presence of TTB’s 

auditors, which continues to promote voluntary taxpayer compliance. 

Expansion of U.S. Exports

TTB program work to promote fair and open trade with U.S. trading partners supports the 

nation’s economic recovery. Overseas demand for the products TTB regulates continues to 

grow, with U.S. exports of all alcohol beverages totaling $2.3 billion in 2010. The majority of 

these exports are spirits and wine products. Examining just the wine sector, 81 percent of world 

wine consumption is outside of the U.S., indicating that these industries may contribute 

significantly to the U.S. trade policy goal to double all exports in 5 years, as stated in the 

President’s National Export Initiative.

TTB has noted an increase in the value of commodities it regulates, particularly in regard to wine 

products. In 2010, for example, global exports of U.S. wine totaled more than $1 billion, which 

represents a 23 percent increase from 2009. With the exception of the 2009 calendar year, 

exports of wine (by value) have increased each year since 2006. Distilled spirits exports reflect a 

similar trend, though at a more moderate level. Global exports of U.S. spirits totaled more than 

$1.15 billion, representing a 12 percent increase from 2009 to 2010. Malt beverage exports also 

indicate a positive trend, with a consistent increase in exports since 2006.

$0

$200

$400

$600

$800

$1,000

$1,200

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Millions

U.S. Beverage Alcohol Exports

(2006-2010)

Grape Wine

Distilled Spirits

Malt Beverages
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As the technical expert in these commodities, TTB seeks to promote U.S. exports by facilitating 

industry compliance with foreign requirements and by working with foreign regulators to address

barriers that block market access for U.S. products. In FY 2011, TTB issued nearly 9,000 export

certificates for beer, wine, and distilled spirits. Without these certificates, which are only issued 

by TTB, U.S. producers of alcohol beverages cannot sell their products in major markets abroad. 

TTB’s workload in processing export certificates increased 45 percent between FY 2007 and FY 

2010, indicating market expansion, but also the need to work with trading partners to eliminate 

unnecessary or burdensome certification requirements. Through its international outreach, TTB 

has arranged for the elimination or reduction of certification requirements for wine exported to 

the European Union, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Georgia, New Zealand, and South 

Africa. Export certifications as a whole declined 8 percent between FY 2010 and FY 2011, 

principally due to a decline in the issuance of import documentation forms – also known as VI1s 

– required for wine exported to the EU.

As international trade in alcohol beverages increases, TTB must seek innovative and efficient 

ways to achieve its consumer protection and revenue collection mission. Specifically, TTB’s 

expansion of international agreements has fostered a global network of regulators in the alcohol 

and tobacco industries that ensure markets remain open and illegal activity in the global trade is 

addressed promptly. In FY 2011, TTB signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the 

Central Inspectorate for Food Quality and Fraud Repression (ICQRF) of the Italian Ministry of 

Agriculture and Forestry, the primary regulator of wine production in Italy, to open new channels 

for international cooperation and communication. Italy is currently the largest source of 

imported wine in the U.S., and TTB pursued this MOU because of the many alcohol product 

integrity issues that concern imported Italian products. Recently such issues have included 

mislabeled Italian wine, reported counterfeits of Italian wine, and adulteration of imported Italian 

wine with unauthorized pesticides. TTB also signed an MOU with the Canada Border Services 

Agency (CBSA). TTB pursued this MOU because of the many alcohol and tobacco tax issues 

arising along the U.S.-Canada border. Diversion between the U.S. and Canada is a significant 

issue, and this MOU helps TTB and CBSA to collaborate on technical work to reducing 

smuggling and counterfeiting.

In supporting the Nation’s economic recovery, TTB works to open burgeoning markets to U.S 

producers. During FY 2011, TTB took a leadership role in coordinating a seminar on key issues 

relating to wine targeting representatives from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 

forum member countries. Eighteen of the 21 APEC nations sent representatives to the 

September meeting in San Francisco, California. The APEC wine regulators’ seminar helped to

further a global vision for facilitating trade and enhance the prospect for U.S. competitiveness by 

educating the regulators in emerging markets on wine production and standards. Emerging 

markets commonly issue unnecessarily restrictive technical trade barriers; educating their 

regulators about the U.S. system will help prevent those countries from issuing technical barriers 

that impede U.S. exports.

Import Product Safety and Integrity

The integrity of U.S. products is critical in global commerce, and product safety incidents can 

have crippling effects on trade. In FY 2011, TTB acted to further its unique regulatory role in 

assuring that alcohol beverage products in the marketplace meet federal standards and do not 
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mislead consumers. In support of this objective, TTB expanded its Alcohol Beverage Sampling 

Program (ABSP) to include the analysis of all three beverage alcohol commodities—wine, malt 

beverages, and distilled spirits—each year. The program also was modified to include an 

investigative component, so that ABSP compliance results will also indicate the veracity of 

claims made on wine labels, including grape varietal and appellation of origin, which can only be 

verified through on-premise review of manufacturing records. Through this program, TTB 

generates statistically reliable information that can be used to estimate the percentage of alcohol 

beverage products in the market that are fully and accurately labeled. TTB then uses this 

information to target enforcement efforts as well as to make improvements to industry guidance.

Approximately 650 products were inspected and tested in FY 2011 to ascertain the marketplace 

compliance rates. Results of the ABSP indicate a statistically significant decrease in overall 

compliance for wine from FY 2010 to FY 2011, a statistically significant increase in overall 

compliance for distilled spirits from its FY 2008 baseline year to FY 2011, and no significant 

change in malt beverages from its FY 2009 baseline year to FY 2011. Based on these results, 

TTB will hone its sampling method to determine more detailed information about noncompliance issues, and will feed the program findings into its FY 2012 risk model to target 

enforcement resources.

Integrity in Domestic Commerce

A rigorous trade practice enforcement program helps maintain a level playing field for all those 

who trade in alcohol beverages. In FY 2011, TTB concluded its investigation into the Las Vegas 

property of a national casino chain in which large alcohol beverage suppliers had given millions 

of dollars in unlawful inducements to the casino in order to receive premium retail shelf space 

for their products. These so-called ―slotting fee‖ violations have a particularly deleterious 

impact on small businesses, which cannot afford to operate in an environment where one has to 

pay in order to receive shelf space at a retail establishment. The investigation found that these 

illegal payments by large suppliers resulted in the exclusion of competing products at the 

casino’s Las Vegas properties, which caused reductions in sales to many of the suppliers’ 

competitors (some by as much as 75 percent). TTB accepted offers in compromise totaling 

nearly $2 million from six companies alleged to have violated the tied house ―slotting fee‖ 

provisions of the Federal Alcohol Administration Act. This is the largest set of offers in 

compromise ever accepted by TTB for trade practice violations.
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Section 2 – Budget Adjustments and Appropriation Language

2.1 – Budget Adjustments Table

Dollars in Thousands

Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau FTE Amount

FY 2012 Enacted 496 $99,878

Changes to Base:

Maintaining Current Levels (MCLs): - $987

Maintaining Current Levels - $987

Non-Recurring Costs: - ($2,000)

FY 2012 Funding for Special Agents - ($2,000)

Efficiency Savings: (6) ($1,079)

Permits Online Efficiencies (6) ($550)

Data Center Consolidation - ($529)

Subtotal FY 2013 Changes to Base (6) ($2,092)

Total FY 2013 Base 490 $97,786

Program Changes:

Program Decreases: (8) ($1,000)

Repeal Bond Requirement (Quarterly Filing) (8) ($1,000)

Total FY 2013 Request 482 $96,786

2A – Budget Increases and Decreases Description

Maintaining Current Levels (MCLs) .........................................................+$987,000 / +0 FTE

Maintaining Current Levels +$987,000 / +0 FTE 

Funds are requested for inflation adjustments (1.7 percent) in non-labor expenses such as GSA 

rent adjustments, postage, supplies and equipment and health benefits and the increase in Federal 

Employees Retirement System participation. Funds are also requested for the proposed 2013 pay 

raise (0.5 percent).

Non-Recurring Costs .................................................................................-$2,000,000 / +0 FTE

FY 2012 Funding for Special Agents -$2,000,000 / +0 FTE 

Congress provided TTB with funding in FY 2012 for the costs of special law enforcement 

agents to target tobacco smuggling and other criminal diversion activities which TTB is 

executing by reimbursing IRS for the use of its special agents. In FY 2013 the Administration 

proposes to achieve this purpose by providing the IRS with authority to use its appropriation to 

work these cases at the discretion of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue and in coordination 

with TTB.

Efficiency Savings .......................................................................................-$1,079,000 / -6 FTE

Permits Online Efficiencies -$550,000 / -6 FTE 

Savings realized from staffing reduction enabled by efficiencies gained from the Permits Online 

electronic filing system.

Data Center Consolidation -$529,000 / +0 FTE 

Savings realized from the move of all IT equipment and TTB core business applications from the 

Qwest data centers in Sterling, Virginia and Denver, Colorado to TTB facilities.
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Program Decreases .....................................................................................-$1,000,000 / -8 FTE

Repeal Bond Requirement (Quarterly Filing) -$1,000,000 / -8 FTE 

TTB proposes a statutory change to mandate quarterly excise tax filing and payment (rather than 

semi-monthly) for those beverage alcohol industry members (breweries, distilled spirits plants, 

wineries and bonded wine cellars) who reasonably expect to be liable for not more than $50,000 

per year in alcohol excise taxes (and who were liable for not more than $50,000 in such taxes in 

the preceding calendar year), and to repeal the bond requirement for such taxpayers. 

Complementary regulatory changes will mandate quarterly operational report filing by those 

industry members required to file excise tax returns quarterly. Additionally, since 1990, TTB 

has administratively allowed eligible wineries who paid excise taxes in an amount less than 

$1,000 during the previous calendar year to file and pay taxes annually. The proposal will create 

parity among alcohol taxpayers by allowing all distilled spirits, wine, and beer taxpayers who 

reasonably expect to be liable for not more than $1,000 in taxes per calendar year to file and pay 

taxes annually rather than on a quarterly basis.

The legislative change will have the following impacts:

 Repealing the bond requirement will reduce the financial burden on small businesses; 

 Deferring tax payments from semi-monthly to quarterly will reduce the number of tax filings, 

and therefore the regulatory burden on, small businesses;

 Reducing the number of tax filings and operational reports will reduce TTB workload; and

 Collecting tax payments quarterly rather than on a semi-monthly basis will result in a 

nominal loss of investment income to the U.S. Treasury.

The following is a summary of industry members who would fall under this new requirement:

If this proposal were adopted, TTB estimates that approximately 90,000 business transactions, 

which include operational reports and tax returns, could be eliminated from the document 

processing cycle.

TTB believes that the cost savings associated with this proposal substantially counterbalance the 

relatively small revenue risk that it presents, since the bond requirement is generally substantially 

smaller than the potential liability exposure involved and TTB has only rarely collected on the 

bonds.

 

The loss of investment income to the U.S. Treasury would be minimal, approximately $200,000 

each year, since almost 90 percent of all taxpayers that fall within this threshold actually pay less 

than $20,000 in annual taxes.

Industry Members With Bonds

Tax 

Liability 

Not More 

Than 

$50,000

Bonded Wine Cellar 79

Bonded Winery 4,504

Brewery 1,757

Distilled Spirits Plants 363

Total 6,703
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2.2 – Operating Levels Table 

Dollars in Thousands

 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013

 Actual President's Enacted Proposed Proposed Request

Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau Budget Reprogra Operating

 mmings Level

FTE 482 502 496 0 496 482

Object Classification

11.1 - Full-time permanent 44,454 45,389 45,389 0 45,389 44,514

11.5 - Other personnel compensation 796 785 785 0 785 758

11.9 Personnel Compensation (Total) $45,250 $46,174 $46,174 $0 $46,174 $45,272

12 - Personnel benefits 12,419 11,582 11,582 0 11,582 11,439

21 - Travel and transportation of persons 2,571 2,990 2,990 0 2,990 3,061

22 - Transportation of things 39 96 96 0 96 97

23.1 - Rental payments to GSA 4,538 4,763 4,763 0 4,763 4,844

23.3 - Communication, utilities, and misc charges 2,452 5,178 5,178 0 5,178 4,755

24 - Printing and reproduction 322 393 393 0 393 393

25.2 - Other services 20,999 16,548 16,548 0 16,548 16,665

25.3 - Other purchases of goods and services from Govt. accounts 5,791 6,420 8,420 0 8,420 6,420

26 - Supplies and materials 463 636 636 0 636 652

31 - Equipment 5,362 3,071 3,071 0 3,071 3,161

42 - Insurance claims and indemnities 129 27 27 0 27 27

Total Budget Authority $100,335 $97,878 $99,878 $0 $99,878 $96,786

Budget Activities:

Collect the Revenue 50,166 48,939 50,939 0 50,939 47,893

Protect the Public 50,168 48,939 48,939 0 48,939 48,893

Total Budget Authority $100,335 $97,878 $99,878 $0 $99,878 $96,786
TTB - 13

2B – Appropriations Language and Explanation of Changes

Appropriations Language Explanation of 

Changes

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX AND TRADE BUREAU

Federal Funds

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

For necessary expenses of carrying out section 1111 of the Homeland

Security Act of 2002, including hire of passenger motor vehicles,

[$99,878,000] $96,786,000; of which not to exceed $6,000 for official 

reception and representation expenses; not to exceed $50,000 for 

cooperative research and development programs for laboratory 

services; and provision of laboratory assistance to State and local 

agencies with or without reimbursement[: Provided, That of the

amount appropriated under this heading, $2,000,000 shall be for the 

costs of special law enforcement agents to target tobacco smuggling 

and other criminal diversion activities]. (Department of the Treasury 

Appropriations Act, 2012.)

 

2C – Legislative Proposals

Extend Pay Demonstration Project

TTB proposes to continue the Pay Demonstration Project (Pay Demo) by amending the General 

Provision language to extend the project for one additional year. This project was established to 

enhance Treasury’s ability to effectively recruit and retain highly qualified employees. Pay 

Demo has been extended every year since it was first established in FY 1999, and has been a 

successful intervention tool in the recruitment and retention of critical staff positions. 

 The continuation of the Pay Demo authority has proven to be an effective recruitment 

strategy that enables the bureau to timely fill its positions with the right people, with the right 

skills, minimizing loss and skill gaps caused by an aging workforce and employee turnover;

 The Pay Demo authority fosters a results-oriented organizational culture since the 

employees’ compensation is based upon the level of performance, therefore, improving the 

bureau’s overall performance; and

 The Pay Demo authority has resulted in a more diverse workforce, with increased 

representation of various groups (e.g., women, persons with disabilities, veterans, and 

persons from different age groups) across occupations and band/grade groupings under the 

authority.

The following is the proposed legislative language for extending Pay Demo and additional year 

under the Treasury Administrative Provisions:

―Section 122(g)(1) of Public Law 105–119 (5 U.S.C. 3104 note), is further amended by striking 

“14 years” and inserting “15 years”.‖
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Repeal Bond Requirement

The proposal, which is presented as part of the Administration’s overall tax agenda, would 

require any distilled spirits, wines, and beer taxpayer who reasonably expects to be liable for not 

more than $50,000 per year in alcohol excise taxes (and who was liable for not more than 

$50,000 in such taxes in the preceding calendar year) to file and pay such taxes quarterly, rather 

than semi-monthly. The proposal would also create an exemption from the bond requirement in 

the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (IRC) for these small taxpayers. The proposal includes 

conforming changes to the other sections of the IRC describing bond requirements.

Additionally, the proposal would allow any distilled spirits, wine, or beer taxpayer with a 

reasonably expected alcohol excise tax liability of not more than $1,000 per year to file and pay 

such taxes annually rather than on a quarterly basis. The proposal will create parity among 

alcohol taxpayers by allowing eligible distilled spirits and beer taxpayers to file annually as well.

The proposal would be effective 90 days after the date of enactment.

Internal Revenue Service/Enforcement (Special Agent Support)

Congress vested in TTB exclusive authority to enforce the criminal provisions of the IRC related 

to alcohol and tobacco excise taxes. In FY 2010 and FY 2012 Congress provided TTB with 

resources to work criminal cases, which TTB has accomplished by reimbursing IRS for the use 

of their special agents. In FY 2013 the Administration proposes to achieve this purpose by 

providing the IRS with authority to use its appropriation to work these cases at the discretion of 

the Commissioner and in coordination with TTB.

Section XXX, The Internal Revenue Service may conduct criminal enforcement investigations 

and prosecutions of excise tax violations of 26 U.S.C. Section 4181-4182 and Chapters 51 and 

52, at the discretion of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue and in coordination with the 

Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.
TTB - 15

Section 3 – Budget and Performance Report and Plan

3A – Collect the Revenue

($47,893,000 from direct appropriations, and $2,464,000 from reimbursable resources): 

This budget activity includes all tax processing, verification, enforcement, and outreach efforts 

related to administering the federal excise tax for the alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and ammunition 

industries. TTB collects nearly $24 billion in federal tax revenue annually from roughly 7,800 

businesses, making TTB the third largest tax collection agency in the federal government. 

Members of the regulated industries that are subject to excise taxes are distilleries, breweries, 

bonded wineries, bonded wine cellars, manufacturers of cigarette papers and tubes, 

manufacturers of tobacco products, and manufacturers and importers of firearms and 

ammunition. This budget activity supports the TTB strategic goal to assure that industry remits 

the proper federal tax on alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and ammunition products. The goal owner 

for this budget activity is the TTB Assistant Administrator for Field Operations.

Description of Performance:

In FY 2011, TTB met all of its targets for the performance measures under the Collect the 

Revenue budget activity, demonstrating the effectiveness and efficiency with which TTB 

operates its revenue collection mission. 

Efficiency of Tax Collection

The amount of revenue collected per program dollar measure uses annual collections figures and 

the actual expenditures and obligations for collection activities to quantify the efficiency of the 

TTB tax collection program. In FY 2011, TTB reported a return on investment of $468 for every 

dollar spent on collection activities. Due to ongoing and successful compliance audit and 

investigation efforts, TTB exceeded the performance target for FY 2011 by 17 percent. 

Each year, TTB collects approximately $24 billion in excise taxes, interest, and other revenues 

from alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and ammunition industries. In determining its performance 

targets for this measure, TTB examines historical collections trends across each of its regulated 

commodities, as well as other predictors that influence consumer behaviors. The following

displays the historical collections at TTB from FY 2001 to 2011 by revenue type:
TTB - 16

Excise Tax and Other Collections by Fiscal Year

Note: Tobacco revenue increased in 2009 as a result of the passage of the Chidren’s Health Insurance Program 

Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) legislation, which increased the tax rate on tobacco products. Also, legislation was 

enacted in July 2005 that repealed the SOT for all alcohol taxpayers. The SOT for tobacco permitees remains intact.

In just three years, the return on investment for the Collect the Revenue program increased by 50

percent, principally because of the higher federal excise tax rate imposed on tobacco products 

under the February 2009 CHIPRA legislation. This legislation tripled the federal tax rate on 

certain tobacco products and, as a result, TTB’s return on investment reached an historic high in 

FY 2010 of 478:1. However, shifts in consumption patterns, product manufacturing, and trade 

will impact federal revenues in the years ahead. In accounting for these types of marketplace 

shifts, TTB used Congressional Budget Office revenue projections for tobacco excise tax 

collections to determine its targeted performance levels for fiscal years 2011 – 2013.

 

The performance target of $400 for FY 2013 reflects TTB’s analysis of collections data, and will 

be met through continued efficiencies gained in TTB’s costs to operate its Collect the Revenue 

activities. Specifically, savings achieved in the processing of surety bonds and tax filings 

through the legislative initiative included in the FY 2013 budget submission should improve the 

efficiency quotient for this measure. Under TTB’s budget request, TTB proposes to repeal the 

bond requirement for businesses owing $50,000 or less annually and mandate the quarterly filing 

of tax returns. Currently, the cost of the bond requirement deters these taxpayers from filing tax 

returns and payments on a quarterly basis, and its elimination will reduce this filing and financial 

burden on industry, increase quarterly filings, and, thus, result in efficiencies for TTB. 

Increase Voluntary Tax Compliance

Fostering voluntary compliance among excise taxpayers is another primary tax administration 

strategy for TTB and supports the priority goal of the Department of the Treasury. A key 

performance metric shows that 95 percent of large taxpayers (i.e., those that pay more than 

$50,000 in annual taxes) voluntarily file their tax payments on or before the scheduled due date. 

During an economic downturn, this compliance rate from business is especially notable, and is a 

function of the service and outreach TTB provides to its industry members and its effective 

enforcement presence. 

Dollars in Thousands

Fiscal

Year Alcohol Tobacco FAET SOT FST Other Total

2001 $ 6,674,425 $ 7,119,726 $ 175,959 $ 103,610 $ 528 $ 168 $ 14,074,416

2002 6,889,401 7,763,652 205,027 101,893 115,609 159 15,075,741

2003 6,910,631 7,380,807 193,414 103,781 1,628 - 14,590,261

2004 6,995,366 7,433,852 216,006 100,562 - 359 14,746,145

2005 7,074,076 7,409,608 225,818 10,190 9 141 14,719,842

2006 7,182,940 7,350,058 249,578 2,895 638 146 14,786,255

2007 7,232,138 7,194,081 287,835 2,808 - 32 14,716,894

2008 7,420,576 6,851,705 312,622 448 - 634 14,585,985

2009 7,424,292 11,548,504 452,693 272 1,192,375 970 20,619,106

2010 7,476,789 15,913,479 360,813 300 8,558 180 23,760,119

2011 7,594,330 15,515,073 344,262 268 5,220 2,257 23,461,410

Average $ 7,170,451 $ 9,225,504 $ 274,912 $ 38,821 $ 120,415 $ 459 $ 16,830,561

FAET - Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax SOT - Special Occupational Tax FST - Floor Stock Tax Other - Suspense Account
TTB - 17

Improved Access to TTB Services

Through targeted investments in technology, TTB aims to improve voluntary compliance by 

working toward allowing TTB permittees and taxpayers to file all payments, returns, and 

applications online with the National Revenue Center. In FY 2011, TTB expanded the e-filing 

program to allow all excise taxpayers to file and pay taxes and file monthly operational reports 

electronically through the Pay.gov system. The total number of Pay.gov registrants increased 

over the prior year by 12 percent in FY 2011, bringing the total to nearly 7,200.

Tax Enforcement Audits and Investigations

An identifiable enforcement presence is a well-established driver of compliance rates. In FY 

2011, to meet its performance target of 92 percent for voluntary compliance, TTB used 

increasingly sophisticated risk models and audit targeting techniques to complete field work for

173 targeted audits and 190 revenue investigations. These audits and investigations resulted in 

the identification of $29.4 million in additional tax, penalties, and interest from industry 

members. Further, in a continuation of efforts to enforce the CHIPRA legislation enacted in 

2009, TTB continued its Floor Stocks Tax (FST) examination program by conducting 175 FST 

examinations of tobacco manufacturers, importers, wholesalers, and retailers, which this year 

identified $5.6 million of potential tax, penalties, and interest. In just over two years, TTB 

auditors and investigators have completed 465 FST examinations, identifying $16.3 million and 

collecting $8.5 million of potential tax, penalties and interest to date. 

Additionally, in FY 2011, TTB developed an automated system to identify FST non-filers at a 

national level, using minimal TTB resources. This involves a special operating procedure for 

targeting, referring, assessing, and collecting FST revenue from non-filers. In using this database 

solution, to date, TTB has identified an additional $25 million of estimated FST due. The actual 

revenue risk is likely higher, as TTB continues to collect tobacco data from a variety of sources 

and to complete its database of all FST non-filers. Since enacted in 2009, total FST collections 

are over $1.2 billion.

TTB also uses an interagency approach in applying these enforcement strategies that involves 

cooperation with local, state, federal, and foreign government counterpart agencies to maximize 

the deterrent impact of enforcement actions. In FY 2011, TTB continued to participate in the 

Fraud Investigative Strike Team (FIST), an interagency collaborative effort led by Immigration 

and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to address smuggling and fraud associated with activity along 

U.S. borders, primarily at Customs Bonded Warehouses (CBWs) and Foreign Trade Zones 

(FTZs), which are known points for diversion activity. During FY 2011, TTB participated in 

seven FIST operations at major ports and along the southwestern border, which identified leads 

and referrals for TTB audit and investigation. These operations also identified vulnerabilities in 

the movement of TTB regulated commodities from TTB to Customs bond, which created 

diversion opportunities. Accordingly, TTB amended its audit testing at large taxpayers and 

traced shipments destined for export to ensure product properly enters Customs bond.

Criminal Enforcement

Further, in its efforts to maintain tax compliance within the industries it regulates and the 

collection of all revenue due on alcohol and tobacco products, the bureau worked to address the 

illicit activity in the marketplace. TTB has criminal enforcement authority under the IRC, which 
TTB - 18

includes penalties for illicit tobacco product manufacturing and evasion of excise tax. Until FY 

2010, however, TTB did not have the resources for special agents to effectuate this authority. 

Instead, TTB had to rely on the availability and interest of other federal and state law 

enforcement agencies, agencies with separate and distinct missions, to either initiate joint 

investigations that would include violations of IRC provisions enforced by TTB or accept a 

criminal investigation referral.

TTB entered into an interagency agreement in FY 2011 to reimburse the Internal Revenue 

Service (IRS) for agent services to enforce the criminal provisions of TTB’s jurisdiction. In FY 

2011, a Special Agent in Charge and five special agents were assigned full-time to TTB. In its 

eight months of actively opening new investigations, this program resulted in the initiation of 21 

cases with a total estimated federal excise tax liability of over $20 million, and combined 

seizures and forfeitures totaling approximately $1.7 million. Of the 21 cases, 11 related to illicit 

tobacco trade (52 percent) and 10 relate to the illegal alcohol trade (48 percent), demonstrating 

that criminal activity is present across the industries TTB regulates. Nineteen (90 percent) were

accepted by an Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) for prosecution, and TTB closed two cases. 

Three of the 19 cases referred to an AUSA have been closed, one of which involved the 

misclassification of imported distilled spirits to evade federal excise tax and resulted in a plea 

agreement of more than $100,000. The two-year earmark that provided for the reimbursement of 

the IRS for its agent services expired at the close of FY 2011. In FY 2012, an additional $2 

million was appropriated to continue TTB’s efforts to combat tobacco smuggling and other 

criminal diversion activities.

The FY 2013 requested funding level enables the continuation of efforts to achieve the target of 

94 percent established for the voluntary compliance performance measure. Strategies that TTB 

will employ to meet this target focus on developing a balanced field approach of audits and 

investigations that targets non-compliant industry members, establishing an identifiable presence 

within the industry that encourages voluntary compliance, and identifying any gaps in tax 

payment from illegal entities and individuals operating outside of the lawful distribution system 

for alcohol and tobacco products.
TTB - 19

3.1.1 – Collect the Revenue Budget and Performance Report and Plan

Dollars in Thousands 

Collect the Revenue Budget Activity

Resource Level FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013

Enacted Enacted Enacted Enacted Enacted Enacted Enacted Request

 Appropriated Resources $49,618 $46,215 $46,693 $50,524 $53,000 $50,399 $50,939 $47,893

 Reimbursable Resources $813 $1,350 $1,733 $1,898 $2,117 $1,979 $2,464 $2,464

Total Resources $50,431 $47,565 $49,426 $52,422 $55,117 $52,378 $53,403 $50,357

Budget Activity Total $50,431 $47,565 $49,426 $52,422 $55,117 $52,378 $53,403 $50,357

Measure FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013

Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Target Target

Amount of Revenue Collected 

Per Program Dollar 

N/A N/A 313.0 427.0 478.0 468.0 410.0 400.0

Percent of Voluntary 

Compliance from Large 

Taxpayers in Filing Tax 

Payments Timely and 

Accurately (In Terms of 

Revenue) 

N/A N/A 94.0 94.0 94.0 95.0 94.0 94.0

Key: DISC - Discontinued and B - Baseline

3B – Protect the Public

($48,893,000 from direct appropriations, and $2,464,000 from reimbursable resources): 

This budget activity funds the programs that ensure the integrity of the products and industry 

members in the marketplace, promote compliance with federal laws and regulations by the 

56,000 businesses that TTB regulates, facilitate fair and lawful commercial trade in the alcohol 

and tobacco commodities, and provide full and accurate alcohol beverage product information to 

the public as a means to prevent consumer deception. This budget activity supports the TTB 

strategic goal to ensure that alcohol and tobacco industry operators meet permit qualifications, 

and alcohol beverage products comply with federal production, labeling, and marketing 

requirements. The goal owner for this budget activity is the TTB Assistant Administrator for 

Headquarters Operations.

Description of Performance:

In FY 2011, TTB met three of its targets for the performance measures under the Protect the 

Public budget activity. TTB tracks its success in meeting its trade and consumer protection goals 

through four principal performance measures that indicate how timely the bureau is in issuing 

permits to qualified alcohol and tobacco businesses, how satisfied businesses are with TTB’s 

permitting process, how effective TTB is in deterring illicit importation of tobacco products by 

non-permitted entities, and the efficiency of the bureau’s alcohol beverage label application 

processing activity. Taken together, these measures reflect the priorities of a service-oriented 

organization, which applies technology to the greatest extent in order to perform its consumer 

protection role and in order to assure that commerce is fair, lawful, and open.
TTB - 20

Increase Efficiency in Permitting Qualified Businesses: TTB protects consumers by screening 

permit applicants to ensure only qualified persons engage in operations in the alcohol, tobacco, 

firearms, and ammunition industries. For this purpose, in FY 2011, TTB processed nearly 6,000 

original and 19,700 amended permits, and performed approximately 250 investigations into 

high-risk applicants to meet TTB’s business integrity objective. TTB also monitors its timeliness 

in processing permit applications through its measure of average processing times for original 

permit applications. Undue delays in providing businesses a permit to commence operations 

impacts small business growth and federal revenues, as taxable commodities cannot be lawfully 

produced without a TTB permit. TTB targeted a 72-day turnaround time for original permit 

applications in FY 2011; however, the bureau averaged 74 days to process these applications.

TTB launched Permits Online in FY 2011 to expedite permit processing times and increase the 

number of paperless transactions with the community TTB services. Permits Online provides a 

secure, web-based solution that allows members of the alcohol and tobacco industries to 

electronically submit applications for permits to operate. Applicants who plan to produce 

finished distilled spirits, wines, malt beverages, and tobacco products, and persons wishing to 

operate businesses such as alcohol wholesalers, alcohol importers, tobacco importers, specially 

denatured spirits users and dealers, tax-free alcohol users, alcohol fuel plants, tobacco 

processors, and tobacco export warehouses, must submit original and amended permit 

applications. TTB’s National Revenue Center (NRC) currently processes original application 

packets for 23 types of permits/ registrations. 

Over the past several years, however, the volume of paper applications has increased making it 

difficult to maintain current service levels. On average, TTB has experienced a 6 percent annual 

increase in original permits applications. Recognizing this trend, and the loss of processing 

resources, TTB purchased a commercial off-the-shelf software package to serve as the core of 

the electronic system to automate the submission process for all permit applications. TTB is 

deploying the system in stages, with the initial release implemented in FY 2011, and subsequent 

releases scheduled through FY 2012. The initial release, which came online in February 2011, 

included the highest volume permit application filers—alcohol importers, alcohol wholesalers, 

and wineries. A second release of the system in May 2011 enabled electronic filing by specially 

denatured alcohol users and dealers and tax-free alcohol users. Processing times in the second 

and third quarters of the year suffered as staff was redirected for these initial system releases, but 

showed improvement in the fourth quarter as applicants and employees gained experience using 

the system. Also, with these initial releases, TTB focused its resources on processing e-filed 

permit applications in an effort to incentivize businesses to file their application in Permits 

Online. During this period, the backlog of paper applications grew, and increased the average 

processing time. 

With full system functionality for Permits Online slated for deployment in FY 2012, and 

considering the requisite transition and training period for industry members, TTB does not 

anticipate achieving reductions to turnaround time until the latter quarters of FY 2013. The FY 

2012 and FY 2013 President’s Budgets include staff reductions (9 FTE in total) as a result of the 

efficiencies gained by the introduction of this technology. These reductions in staffing will 

produce budget savings, but will reduce improvements in processing times, which TTB projects 

to average 75 days at the close of FY 2013. Sustained performance during a period of declining 
TTB - 21

staff and increasing workloads will demonstrate TTB’s effectiveness, and the success of the new 

e-filing system, without which processing times would exceed 90 days. TTB intends to meet this 

performance target by continuing to promote use of the Permits Online system by all permit 

applicants, and by updating the risk model and processes used by the NRC to conduct permit 

applicant interviews. 

Improved Customer Satisfaction Results: TTB also measures its performance in its permit 

processing function through surveying the businesses that apply for a TTB permit. The NRC 

customer survey solicits feedback on the level of service provided to applicants for an original or 

amended permit, and those industry members who file a claim to recover taxes paid on 

nonbeverage alcohol or overpayments of tax. TTB exceeded its target of a sustained score of 85 

percent on customer satisfaction for permit application and claims processing, and achieved a 

composite score of 90 percent in FY 2011. Planned service enhancements, including the 

scheduled enhancements to the online filing solution for original and amended permit 

applications in FY 2012, will contribute to the bureau continuing to meet its targeted 

performance level. The FY 2013 target for performance of 85 percent will be met through 

efforts to increase applicant adoption rates for the Permits Online system, as well as other 

improvements to business processes and TTB call centers that directly impact the business 

community that TTB services.

Sustained Permit Compliance by Regulated Importers: Maintaining lawful operations in the 

trade of alcohol and tobacco commodities is a principal TTB objective. TTB continues its 

enforcement of federal permit requirements, targeting entities identified as importing cigarettes 

and other tobacco products without a TTB permit. By monitoring the U.S. Customs and Border 

Protection’s International Trade Data System, and comparing import data against the permittees 

on file with TTB, the bureau is able to identify and take action against those entities engaging in 

unlawful operations. In FY 2011, through this data comparison, TTB determined that 14 percent 

of entities reporting importations of tobacco products had done so without a permit. TTB 

improved upon its prior year result of 15 percent for this measure and, through its vigilant 

oversight, produced a result 5 percent below its target of 19 percent. In all, of the 47 importers 

operating without a federal permit, TTB identified only 13 entities importing commercial 

quantities of tobacco products (10,000 KG or more). TTB’s issuance of cease and desist letters, 

and appropriate follow up activities, ensured that the responsible parties ended operations or 

obtained a permit.

TTB intends to meet its FY 2013 performance target of 14 percent for this measure by placing 

special emphasis on enforcing the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking (PACT) Act, a law enacted 

in 2010 to prevent tobacco smuggling and to ensure the collection of all tobacco taxes. Under 

the PACT Act, shipments of tobacco products via the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) are prohibited. 

The vast majority of the illegal imports are individuals purchasing tobacco products in small 

quantities for personal consumption through online tobacco outlets via the U.S. Postal Service 

(USPS) and FedEx. TTB continues to coordinate with the USPS and other shippers to provide 

enforcement assistance. TTB also will focus on monitoring the importation of processed 

tobacco, which is subject to new regulation and oversight under CHIPRA, to ensure the fidelity 

of the importers. Processed tobacco is the subject of intense TTB enforcement scrutiny, as it is a 

non-taxpaid tobacco product that may be diverted for illegal manufacturing of cigarettes.
TTB - 22

Efficiency in Alcohol Beverage Label Processing: TTB protects U.S. consumers by assuring 

that the alcohol beverage products offered at retail outlets are properly labeled and comply with 

federal production standards. In FY 2011, TTB met this objective and facilitated U.S. commerce 

through the approval of approximately 117,100 of the 145,300 COLA applications received; the 

remaining 28,200 (19 percent) were rejected, returned for correction, withdrawn, or expired. In 

furtherance of the Department-wide priority goal of increasing paperless transactions, the bureau 

reported increases in the percent of electronically filed COLA applications, which in FY 2011 

reached 88 percent of all applications. The ongoing rise in electronic filing is due to system 

improvements that track with customer feedback and which simplify the filing process for 

industry members. TTB has set a target of 88 percent for FY 2013 and, to meet this performance 

goal, will use targeted outreach to reach the segments of the industry that have not migrated to 

the online filing environment.

3.1.2 – Protect the Public Budget and Performance Report and Plan

Dollars in Thousands 

Protect the Public Budget Activity

Resource Level FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013

Enacted Enacted Enacted Enacted Enacted Enacted Enacted Request

 Appropriated Resources $40,597 $44,403 $45,822 $48,541 $50,000 $50,399 $48,939 $48,893

 Reimbursable Resources $813 $1,349 $1,733 $1,898 $2,117 $1,979 $2,464 $2,464

Total Resources $41,410 $45,752 $47,555 $50,439 $52,117 $52,378 $51,403 $51,357

Budget Activity Total $41,410 $45,752 $47,555 $50,439 $52,117 $52,378 $51,403 $51,357

Measure FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013

Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Target Target

Average Number of Days to 

Process an Original Permit 

Application at the National 

Revenue Center 

N/A N/A 64.0 64.0 65.0 74.0 75.0 75.0

National Revenue Center (NRC) 

Customer Satisfaction Survey 

Results (%) 

N/A N/A 90.0 89.0 89.0 90.0 85.0 85.0

Percent of Electronically Filed 

Certificate of Label Approval 

Applications 

38.0 51.0 62.0 74.0 79.0 88.0 88.0 88.0

Percentage of Importers Identified 

by TTB as Illegally Operating 

without a Federal Permit (%) 

N/A N/A 22.0 15.0 15.0 14.0 14.0 14.0

Key: DISC - Discontinued and B - Baseline

Detailed information about each performance measure, including definition, verification and 

validation is available.
TTB - 23

Section 4 – Supplemental Information

4A – Capital Investment Strategy

Information Technology

TTB’s Strategic Plan establishes the vision and objectives for the bureau in the business context. 

TTB’s Information Technology (IT) Strategic Plan is a five-year plan based on the business 

strategy, which includes the bureau’s mission, vision, goals, and objectives from the IT 

perspective. This plan charts the course the bureau will follow in the coming years to develop 

and implement IT solutions that are aimed at streamlining the collection of data, leveraging web 

technologies, and making the Internet the method of choice for the reporting and exchanging of 

information. By aligning business and technical strategy, TTB is able to leverage technology to 

enable the bureau to meet its objectives in the most efficient and cost-effective manner while 

identifying ways to minimize system redundancy. 

TTB has no major IT investments based on the OMB and the Department of Treasury criteria. 

Several non-major investments, however, directly support the mission, strategy, and day-to-day 

operations of the bureau. These include:

TTB Tax System: This investment consists of several component applications that ensure fair 

and proper collection of revenue from the industry members for alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and 

ammunition excise taxes and to ensure compliance with the excise tax regulations.

TTB Regulatory System: This investment includes applications that streamline the beverage 

and nonbeverage alcohol formula approval process and COLA issuance for tax and regulatory 

compliance.

TTB General Support Services: This investment provides TTB users with the infrastructure 

applications necessary to conduct daily business.

TTB Enterprise Architecture: This investment supports strategic management of IT operations 

(e.g., business process redesign efforts not part of an individual investment, enterprise 

architecture development, capital planning and investment control processes, procurement 

management, and IT policy development and implementation) and costs for Chief Information 

Officer functions.

In addition to leveraging IT to support the mission, strategy, and day-to-day operations of the 

bureau, TTB supports and maintains strategy alignment with OMB and Treasury through 

enterprise-wide IT initiatives. These include: Cyber Security; IT Infrastructure; Electronic 

Identity and Access Management (HSPD-12); Enterprise-wide Contracts and Services; and 

Program Metrics and Milestones.

Scientific Equipment for Laboratories

This investment will enable chemists to provide accurate and reproducible scientific data and 

laboratory results to support regulatory compliance, tax enforcement, tax classification, 

rulemaking, and investigations for both the alcohol and tobacco commodities. Laboratory 

instruments require periodic replacement, as they have finite lifecycles due to use and as 

scientific advances continue to evolve. Technologies applied at these laboratories eventually 

become obsolete and the instruments are not serviceable as vendors stop carrying parts and 

software. Periodic replacement of the existing technologies is essential for TTB laboratories to 
TTB - 24

remain state-of-the-art and effective to support the bureau’s mission, strategy, and day-to-day 

operations.

A summary of capital investment resources, including major information technology and nontechnology investments is available.