CBP Says Only ACE Summary Filers Will Get DIS and PGA Message Set
In the September-October 2011 ACE Trade Account Owner (TAO) Update, U.S. Customs and Border Protection states that access to capabilities within the Document Image System (DIS) and the Participating Government Agency (PGA) Message Set will be available to ACE entry summary filers and ACE entry summaries only.
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CBP Says Limitation to Encourage Filers to Move to ACE
CBP has determined that access to the capabilities within the DIS and the PGA Message Set will be available to ACE entry summary filers and for ACE entry summaries only (including ACE entry summaries certified for release) in order to promote the filing of transactions and expedite the transition to ACE. CBP will announce the specific terms of the DIS test in a Federal Register Notice.
CBP to Deliver DIS Web Services Standards to PGAs in Oct 2011
The DIS was deployed in October 2010, allowing trade members to submit document images and associated descriptive data to CBP electronically. The submitted documents are automatically processed and are made available to authorized CBP and PGA officials via a web based application. In its October 2011 ACE Status Update, CBP states that standards for the web services will be delivered to PGAs by October 2011. CBP expects this project will eventually facilitate the creation of a single automated gateway that will accept all necessary documents submitted by trade partners to CBP and PGAs that may be needed during the cargo importation and release process.
PGA Message Set Collection Technology to be Pushed out in November 2011
The 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. In the October ACE Status Update, CBP states that interoperability capabilities were deployed in August 2011 and the first web service capability became available in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2011. In addition, CBP states that the technology to support the collection of the PGA Message Set, which was targeted for release in October 2011, will now be pushed out to November 2011 due to external factors.
(CBP sources have noted that about 46 entities are filing entry summaries in ACE to date, and that ACE entry summaries represent less than 1% of all summaries filed.
See ITT's Online Archives 11101440 for BP summary of CBP stating that it and the NCBFAA are encouraging traders to begin moving their import processes to ACE.
See ITT's Online Archives 11100557 for BP summary of CBP posting its DIS Implementation Guide and related documents, which provide a description of business scenarios and other topics that would assist trade partners in building their interface with the CBP DIS system. DIS Guide and related documents are available here.
See ITT's Online Archives 11092307 for BP summary of a Food and Drug official providing an update on the Border Interagency Executive Council's efforts to align PGA "trusted trader" programs and to share information and images via DIS.
See ITT's Online Archives 11092117 for BP summary of CBP's September 2011 update on ACE, including PGA interfaces/interoperability.)
CBP's October 2011 ACE Status Update is available here.