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Scientific Services Division
MISSION
The Scientific Services Division (SSD), directed by Dr. Abdul Mabud, provides comprehensive technical support to all TTB programs in line with the Bureau’s goals of consumer protection and revenue collection. SSD accomplishes this mission by producing authoritative scientific data, providing excellence in customer service, maintaining state-of-the-art laboratories, maintaining a well-trained work-force, and through continued methods development research for new capabilities.
SSD carries out its mission through the operation of four laboratories: the Beverage Alcohol Laboratory, the Nonbeverage Alcohol Laboratory, the Compliance Laboratory, and the Tobacco Laboratory.
In line with our commitment to the excellence in the quality of data that our laboratories generate, SSD has instituted a robust Quality Program headed by a Quality Manager. In 2007, we worked diligently to obtain ISO 17025 accreditation from the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation for the Beverage Alcohol Laboratory and the Compliance Laboratory.
FUNCTIONS
Beverage Alcohol Laboratory
- Performs pre-import sample analysis.
- Performs sample analysis for tax credits under 26 U.S.C. 5010.
- Performs analysis and provide advice on issues of trade and trade barriers.
- Performs sample analysis for the Bureau-wide beverage alcohol monitoring and compliance program.
- Performs analysis on consumer complaint samples.
- Certifies chemists/enologists and laboratories for wine and spirits export.
- Performs sample analysis for harmful contaminants, adulterants, and limited and prohibited ingredients.
Nonbeverage Products Laboratory
- Evaluate nonbeverage drawback formulas
- Evaluate specially denatured alcohol formulas.
- Perform analysis on samples related to nonbeverage drawback and specially denatured alcohol formulas.
- Perform analysis on products intended for import to determine proper tax classification.
- Process flavor verifications for flavors intended for use in alcoholic beverages.
- Perform sample analysis for the Bureau-wide beverage alcohol monitoring and compliance program.
Compliance Laboratory
- Perform analyses on post-market beverage and nonbeverage product samples for compliance monitoring.
- Perform sample analyses for the Bureau-wide beverage alcohol monitoring and compliance program.
- Perform sample analyses for sulfur dioxide waiver requests for wines.
- Perform analyses to support monitoring of accuracy of alcohol labeling.
- Perform special tests and evaluate new wine-making processes.
Tobacco Laboratory
- Support tax classification for any tobacco product submitted by internal and external customers
- Provide technical support to TTB rulemaking
- Support investigations of tobacco industry by TTB auditors and investigators
- Support Trade Analysis and Enforcement Division (TAED) programs
- Provide technical support to State tax authorities on tobacco products
- Provide technical support to other Federal agencies on tobacco-related issues
- Establish and maintain professional relationships with the laboratory staff of domestic and international tobacco regulatory agencies for the purpose of sharing and enhancing technical expertise on tobacco
- Develop analytical methodologies to expand technical capabilities and expertise on tobacco products and acquire modern analytical instruments to maintain a state-of-the-art laboratory
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