TRADE FACILITATORS, INC.

Consulting Services in the Fields of Global Supply Chain Management, Logistics & Trade Compliance
“At TFI, we provide consulting services specific to international supply chain management, logistics & transportation, and U.S. trade compliance. Within these areas of expertise, we create value by trading in two currencies: ‘Know How’ and ‘Know Who’, the proper combination of which maximizes the client’s ROI with Trade Facilitators."
- Dan Gardner, Co-Founder of Trade Facilitators, Inc.

The TFI Value Proposition:
The Company Name Says It All

Trade Facilitators, Inc. was founded in 2007 by logistics industry veteran Dan Gardner and the former Big Five consulting executive, Patricia Gardner. Headquartered next to the Los Angeles/Long Beach Port Complex in Palos Verdes, California, TFI’s service offering focuses on three areas: Supply Chain & Logistics consulting for Beneficial Cargo Owners, a specialized practice dedicated to Agentic AI for U.S. Importers and consulting & fractional marketing services for firms in the Logistics Technology space.

As the name states, TFI is all about trade facilitation. Through a Value Proposition built on knowledge transfer, we assist clients in achieving competitive advantage through the application of innovative techniques, field-proven tactics and best practices.

Supply Chain, Logistics & Trade Compliance Consulting

Competitive Advantage Through Superior Execution

Trade Facilitators, Inc. is a Los Angeles based consultancy that specializes in the fields of global supply chain management, logistics and import/export trade compliance. With over thirty years of multi-industry experience, TFI combines in-house talent with an international network of Subject Matter Experts to design integrated, customer-centric operations that maximize product sales, drive down landed costs, compress cumulative lead times and optimize inventory investment. 

The Trade Facilitators Value Proposition is founded on six core variables: knowledge transfer, relationship capital, process design, enabling technologies, financial outcomes and responsible corporate citizenship. Whether an organization needs to conduct a Current State Analysis of its entire import supply chain, is exploring a Nearshoring strategy in Mexico or needs help negotiating transportation contracts, TFI has the knowledge, empathy and flexibility to craft programs that maximize your ROI.

Services in the TFI’s consulting practices are:

  • Current State Analysis and implementation of recommendations for import/export supply chains
  • Design of integrated import supply chain programs (P.O. management, origin logistics, international transportation, U.S. customs and domestic on-forwarding) 
  • Ocean freight, air freight & domestic transportation bid management
  • Development of U.S. import/export trade compliance programs
  • Product evaluation for duty free treatment under U.S. Free Trade Agreements
  • Set-up and operation of U.S.-based Foreign Trade Zone facilities
  • Evaluation, selection and implementation of trade-related technology solutions
  • Training programs in supply chain, logistics & trade compliance
  • Expert Report Writing & Expert Witness services for supply chain-related legal proceedings

Agentic AI for U.S. Importers

Design, Testing, Deployment, Governance and Evolution of Multi-Agent Supply Chain Systems

Founded on the tenets of Machine Learning, the pairing of Multi-Agent AI Systems (MAS) with Large Language Models (LLMs) has permanently changed the way international business is conducted. Given the multi-player and data rich nature of global trade, supply chain management is undoubtedly the most fertile ground for deploying AI Agents across multiple business functions.

While recognizing the power and potential of AI for trade, we at TFI believe that the best “AI” is built upon “OI” (Organic Intelligence) where humans play an integral role in the ongoing management of a multi-agent framework. Guided by this fundamental belief, the Trade Facilitators team works with U.S. importers to design, test, deploy and evolve trade-based AI frameworks that balance ROI with proactive governance, security and social responsibility.

Whether your organization is just beginning its Agentic AI journey, has launched work-flow specific agents or is operating an integrated Multi-Agent System, TFI combines an engagement-specific mix of “OI” & “AI” that allows companies to:

  • Analyze data with a focus and speed that no person will ever match
  • Execute multi-faceted agentic AI workflows without human intervention
  • Uncover patterns in data that are indiscernible to the human eye
  • Respond to queries, conduct simulations and predict future supply chain outcomes
  • Offer recommendations and courses of action for executives to consider
  • Operate in a secure environment that emphasizes privacy and social responsibility

Guided by its “MDPFE Methodology” (Monitor, Detect, Predict, Formulate & Execute) for designing Multi-Agent Systems, Trade Facilitators, Inc. enables the integration of enterprise-wide functions that include Demand Management, Materials Planning, PO Management, Inbound Transportation, Customs Compliance, Inventory Management, Distribution Planning and Outbound Transportation.

With an emphasis on building MASs with early detection mechanisms to identify supply chain opportunities and problems, compress supply chain latency and augment human judgement, below are some of the activities that the TFI team undertakes during an engagement:

  • Current State Analysis of existing supply chain eco-system (physical world)
  • Analysis of current Tech Stack (emphasis on any current Agentic AI initiatives)
  • Identification of mission critical, function-specific supply chain workflows
  • Analysis of data quality (internal & external to organization)
  • Identification and creation of algorithms for agentic workflows
  • Design and implementation of standalone, task-centric AI Agents
  • Gap Analysis of requirements for deployment of a Multi-Agent System
  • Strategic plan and roadmap for MAS implementation
  • Architecture Design of a fully integrated MAS (emphasis on data & compute scalability)
  • Evaluation, selection and launch of Large Language Model(s)
  • Selection criteria and execution of training & test data
  • Use of “Human-in-the-Loop” best practices throughout the life of Agentic AI initiatives
  • Determination of required API calls
  • Efficient use of Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)
  • Design for cost-sensitive tokenization
  • Domain and agent-specific fine tuning
  • Implementation of data security, privacy and social responsibility protocols
  • Creation of portfolio of Agentic AI Key Performance Indicators

Fractional Marketing Support

Advisory & Fractional Marketing Services for GTM Software Providers

With over three decades of experience crafting Value Propositions, TFI offers Marketing On Demand services to companies engaged in international commerce. With particular expertise in supporting Global Trade Management software firms and offshore firms seeking representation in the U.S., Trade Facilitators knows how to set its clients apart from the “maddening crowd”.  

Through its “MOD Squad” approach, TFI provides a combination of core services that can be contracted on an individual or bundled basis. Whether you need a single white paper, a webinar series or want to augment inside sales, TFI has the creative chops and market access to help you build brand awareness, generate quality sales leads and ultimately, close new business.

Elements of the MOD Squad service portfolio include:

  • Email campaigns
  • LinkedIn posts
  • Blog series
  • Live webinars
  • White papers
  • Podcasts
  • Inside sales support
  • Speaking engagements

DOES YOUR U.S. IMPORT PROGRAM

NEED SOME "TLC"?

INTRODUCTION TO THE TRADE FACILITATORS, INC.

TOTAL LANDED COST ENGINE

Welcome to the complimentary version of the Trade Facilitators, Inc. Total Landed Cost Engine! Designed for U.S. importers, this tool calculates a product’s landed cost by summing its unit cost, applicable customs duties and item-level maritime transport costs.

Please be advised that certain data points are needed to generate the total landed cost of your item. Upon inputting information that includes unit cost, country of origin, HTS #, port of loading and port of discharge, the engine will produce an easy-to-understand, product-specific landed cost.

Please note that this is the “MVP” (Minimum Viable Product) version of a much more sophisticated engine that generates landed costs for all items in an importer’s Product Master Data file. As such, this engine is limited to maritime transportation and allows two options for the applicable Incoterms Rule. To learn more about the enterprise, AI-enabled version of the TLC engine, write to us at contact@tradefacil.com.

While TFI is confident in the underlying algorithms, formulas and APIs that enable this engine, it must be stressed that all outputs are intended for informational purposes only and in no way constitute any transportation, duty, legal or U.S. Customs & Border Protection regulatory advice. Integral to the Terms & Conditions for use of this tool, Trade Facilitators, Inc. accepts no liability related to its use.

If you’re ready to show your U.S. import program some “Tender Loving Care”, please continue below to sign-up for twelve complimentary landed cost calculations…

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