CBP Provides Update on ACE & ITDS Projects at Aug COAC Meeting

August 31, 2011 by Elizabeth Parker|Top News

At the August 18, 2011 COAC¹ meeting, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials provided an update on the status of various Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) projects and International Trade Data System (ITDS) initiatives that are in development.

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Status of ACE Projects in Development

CBP provided the following updates on the status of its ACE projects in development:

M1 Schedule Is on Track, Six Trade Participants Certified for M1

CBP states that the Ocean and Rail Manifest (M1) schedule is on track. In July 2011, six trade participants met the trade test completion criteria and are now "certified" for ACE M1. On August 27, 2011, CBP deployed the code for new capabilities related to M1 and announced additional ACE capabilities that will be available September 6, 2011. (See ITT's Online Archives or 08/29/11 news, 11082909, for BP summary.)

CBP states that full deployment is scheduled for Winter 2012.

(See ITT's Online Archives or 08/02/11 news, 11080154, for BP summary of CBP stating it expects to turn off ACS ocean and rail manifests to be replaced in ACE, with fully deployment in the winter of 2012.)

Thru ITDS, ACE Will Be "Single Window" for Data Submission

Through ITDS, CBP states that ACE will become the “single window” for the trade community to submit data required by all Federal agencies for the clearance of cargo. Specific projects CBP is working on now include the following:

PGA Interfaces/Interoperability. CBP and various participating government agencies (PGAs) are developing an interoperability plan so that PGAs and CBP will be able to communicate and share information related to cargo imports through a PGA interface. CBP states that at least two PGAs are on track to conduct interoperability in the summer of 2011. The first web service capability was scheduled to become available in August 2011.
PGA Message Set². The data elements that make up the PGA Message Set was approved by the chair of the ITDS Board of Directors in May 2011. In June, CBP published "information guides" so that international traders and PGAs can begin readying themselves to utilize the new capability. CBP states that it will build the technology that will support the collection of this PGA Message Set by October 2011.
Document Image System (DIS)³. In March 2011, CBP created a link in the ACE Portal to allow CBP and the PGAs to access DIS for imaged forms. CBP had planned to use "web services" technology to push these imaged forms and corresponding "meta data" to PGAs by August 2011. CBP states discussions with PGAs continue to determine which agencies will be ready for testing this functionality.

(See ITT's Online Archives or 08/29/11 and 08/19/11 news, 11082921 and 11081914, for BP summaries of CBP announcing future additions of PGA indicators to ABI HTS Query transaction records and of CBP stating that it still planned to push DIS to PGAs in August 2011. Also see this summary for CBP stating that 41 approved entities were authorized to file ACE entry summaries using the Automated Broker Interface (ABI).)

ACE Cargo Release Contract Expected to be Awarded in Early 2012

CBP states that the development of the ACE Cargo Release requirements will focus on the admissibility of imported articles and their release into the commerce of the U.S. in coordination with PGAs and the trade community. CBP has completed the Concept of Operations and Operational Requirements Document and two key management and requirements documents that capture the purpose and desired functionality of Cargo Release. Assuming adequate funding is available, CBP states the design and acquisition phase for Cargo Release is scheduled to begin with an anticipated contract award in early 2012.

CBP is Proposing an ACE Export Processing Platform to Interface with AES

CBP is proposing to establish a single export processing platform within ACE to interface with the Census Automated Export System (AES) and various other operating systems maintained by PGAs with export transaction authority, including issuing, monitoring, and decrementing licenses, permits, and certificates for export shipments.

CBP states that the current AES system is not based in or interfaced with ACE, and therefore the export community and other government agencies are not benefiting from the ACE single window functionality that exists or is being delivered in the near future for importers. Various government agencies have been working to establish an automated single shipment information window for imports and exports that aligns with international data standards. CBP has also established a cross-functional requirements team to examine where current functionality can join with the export process.

Recently Deployed ACE Capabilities

ISF Filing for Small Importers and ISF Reports via ACE Portal

On April 16, 2011, CBP deployed two new capabilities in the ACE Portal to allow (1) infrequent importers to file an ISF⁴ (limited to 2 per day and 12 per year) and (2) importers to access to their ISF progress reports. (See ITT's Online Archives or 07/14/11 news, 11071403, for BP summary of CBP's deployment of these ISF capabilities in the ACE Portal.)

Post Summary Corrections Functionality Deployed in June 2011

On June 4, 2011 CBP also deployed Post-Summary Correction (PSC) functionality in ACE, which provided the ability to eliminate paper corrections for summaries filed in ACE and to streamline the acceptance process for submitting corrections. PSC functionality also includes (i) a line item numbering structure that better aligns with that used by the trade; (ii) modified data queries and reports such as Entry Summary Query and Reports, and Census Warnings Query; (iii) the ability to prevent acceptance of PSCs before the revenue due has been collected, minimizing financial risks to CBP and the original filer.

(See ITT's Online Archives or 08/12/11 news, 11081219, for BP summary of CBP considering how to address original filers' lack of visibility to PSCs. See ITT's Online Archives or 06/07/11 news, 11060719, for BP summary of CBP's June 4 deployment of PSC functionality.)

¹Commercial Operation Advisory Committee

²The PGA Message Set is the single, harmonized set of information that will be collected electronically from international traders by CBP on behalf of the PGAs, thereby allowing CBP and the PGAs to make decisions about what cargo can come into the U.S. without the myriad of paper forms currently required.

³The DIS will allow trade members to supply documentation needed during the cargo release process to Federal agencies electronically.

⁴CBP states that an Importer Security Filing (ISF) is a CBP regulation that requires importers (10 data elements) and vessel operating carriers (2 data elements) to provide additional advance trade data to CBP pursuant to the SAFE Port Act of 2006 for non-bulk cargo shipments arriving into the U.S. by vessel.

(See ITT's Online Archives or 08/22/11 news, 11082214, for BP summary providing an overview of this August 18 COAC meeting.

See ITT's Online Archives or 07/29/11 news, 11072917, for BP summary of CBP and the Trade Leadership Council and Trade Support Network (TSN) discussing key "action items" for developing ACE, including automated export processing, cargo release, etc.)