The very first step for having an aircraft brought into the FAA system is contacting the FAA Manufacturing Inspection District Office (MIDO).

Tell them you intend to bring an Operating aircraft as an Experimental Light-Sport Aircraft  (ELSA).

They will provide a package of information on how they handle inspection and application for the airworthiness certificate.  

Here is a list of MIDO offices by region:

Phoenix MIDO,                   602-640-2103                 AZ

Los Angeles MIDO             562-627-5290                 CO, MT

Van Nuys MIDO                   818-904-6298                 CA, Northern area only, NV

Windsor Locks MIDO         860-654-1090                 CT

Orlando MIDO                     407-855-9050                 FL, PR, VI, PCZ, CI

Atlanta MIDO                         770-703-6100             AL, FL, N of Jacksonville,GA, MS, NC, SC, TN

Wichita MIDO                      316-946-4175                 AK, KS, western only

Boston MIDO                       781-238-7179                 ME, MA, NH, NY, RI, VT

Minneapolis MIDO             612-713-4366                 MI, UP area only, MN, ND, SD, WI

Kansas City MIDO             816-329-4190                     IA, KS, eastern area only, MO, NE

Saddle Brook MIDO             201-556-9490                 DE, NJ

Farmingdale MIDO             631-694-8420                 NY, Long Island, NYC, Westchester County only

Cleveland MIDO                 216-265-1380                     Michigan, Lower Peninsula, OH, N area only

Vandalia MIDO                     937-898-3991                 IL, IN, KY, OH, southern area only    

Oklahoma City MIDO          405-798-2052                 AR, OK

New Cumberland MIDO     717-781-4425                 DC, MD, NY, Chemung County only, PA, VA, WV

Fort Worth MIDO                 817-222-5819                 Louisiana, N area only, NM, E area only, TX

San Antonio MIDO                 210-308-3360             LA, S area only, NM, W area only, TX

Seattle MIDO                             425-227-2170                 HI, ID, OR, UT, WA, WY