The operating environment has shifted again.
The Supreme Court’s decision striking down the IEEPA tariffs did not restore certainty. It introduced a new phase of policy movement — and almost immediately, alternative authorities under Section 122 and Section 338 entered the discussion.
At the same time, escalating tensions involving Iran are adding pressure to global energy markets and key transit corridors. Individually, each of these developments requires attention. Together, they create compounding financial and operational exposure.
For boards and executive teams, this presents a clear leadership choice:
Wait for clarity — and react to the next development.
Or prepare for multiple outcomes — and lead with discipline.
Energy represents a meaningful portion of freight cost depending on mode. Even modest volatility can compress margins quickly. Layer tariff uncertainty onto fuel exposure and sourcing risk, and the financial impact accelerates.
This is no longer simply a compliance issue. It is a margin protection and enterprise resilience issue.
Special Tariff Briefing Webinar
Wednesday, March 4
11:00am Central / 12:00pm Eastern
In partnership with the National Industrial Transportation League (NITL) and CSCMP, TranzAct will host a focused webinar to address what leadership teams and supply chain professionals should be evaluating now. We encourage you to join us for this webinar and invite others who could benefit.
What You’ll Hear
1. What Comes Next After the IEEPA Decision
Samir Varma, Partner at Thompson Hine, will address the alternative trade mechanisms currently under consideration, how they differ from IEEPA, and how quickly they could be invoked.
Samir will outline:
• What timelines companies should realistically expect
• Whether new tariffs could be additive
• The compliance and cost implications leadership teams must evaluate now
Reactive organizations interpret policy after it changes. Prepared organizations understand pathways before they are triggered.
2. The Refund Reality
Many companies are asking about recovering previously paid tariffs.
The most common questions we have heard include:
What does the process actually involve?
What documentation will be required?
How quickly do organizations need to move?
While there's no clear path forward at this time, you'll hear insights about what companies are doing to protect their rights to a refund.
3. Scenario Planning Is Now a Governance Imperative
A single forecast is insufficient in a multi-variable risk environment. What do these three areas, tariff policy, geopolitical tension, and the energy markets all have in common? They all affect supply chains and they are all very fluid right now.
Given the fluidity of these issues, should your company be proactive or reactive? Organizations relying on static sourcing assumptions or single-path financial projections will remain in reaction mode — absorbing cost swings instead of anticipating them.
Proactive leadership teams are:
• Modeling multiple tariff scenarios
• Stress-testing supplier exposure
• Quantifying fuel sensitivity
• Establishing contingency triggers
• Aligning finance and supply chain around structured response plans
You’ll hear directly from Steve Robinson, a former VP of Global Logistics at Starbucks about the challenges for shippers at this time and the importance of scenario planning. He'll share insights on how organizations significantly impacted by tariffs can navigate these uncharted waters.
If “firefighting” consumes margin, and “preparedness” protects margins, which option would you prefer?
A Leadership Perspective
Over the past ten days, our team has spoken with customs brokers, participated in targeted tariff briefings, and engaged in direct discussions interpreting the implications of the Court’s decision and the potential next steps.
One theme is consistent: policy velocity is exceeding many organizations’ planning cadence. There is no shortage of information. There is a shortage of disciplined synthesis.
Our goal is to distill what materially affects leadership decisions — so organizations can act deliberately rather than react under pressure. Preparedness is not automatic. It is a leadership decision.
The companies that move quickly, gather the right information, and implement a structured tariff management plan will be in a far stronger position than those waiting for certainty.
And if you’re looking for help building a proactive tariff management strategy, we’re ready to talk. Without a plan, you’ll remain in constant reaction mode.
We encourage you to sign up for this important webcast. And if you can not make it for the live webcast, don’t worry. If you register we will send you a recording and briefing materials.
To learn more, give us a call at 630-833-0890, send us an email, or schedule a conversation.