What term describes a person at a U.S. company authorized to sign export authorizations and investigate any aspect of a transaction?

• A. Empowered Official
• B. Elicitation
• C. Duration
• D. Direct Commercial Sales (DCS)

Answer: (A)

The key idea is the role within a company that has the highest responsibility for export control decisions. An empowered official is designated by the company to sign export license applications and to oversee the licensing process. This person has the authority to investigate any aspect of a transaction—classification, screening, end-use and end-user checks, license requirements, and compliance with the EAR or ITAR—ensuring that every export complies with applicable laws. This combination of signing authority and the power to probe and validate all parts of a transaction is what defines the empowered official. The other terms don’t denote a person with that authority: elicitation is about gathering information, duration is a time-related concept, and Direct Commercial Sales refers to a licensing pathway rather than a role within a company.