CBP and Treasury Update COAC on ACE, ITDS Development Efforts

During the February 25, 2010 Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Related Homeland Security Functions (COAC) meeting, CBP and Treasury officials discussed Automated Commercial Environment and the International Trade Data System development efforts.

Important Planned 2010 ACE Functionality Includes M1, Imaging, PSCs

The CBP official emphasized that e-Manifest: ocean and rail (M1) is the most important functionality that CBP plans to get out in 2010. Also listed as important for 2010 were imaging capability, post-summary corrections (PSC), etc.

CBP Has Completed 1st Phase of its ITDS CONOPS, 2nd Phase Funded

CBP developed high level CBP/ITDS 'concept of operations' (CONOPS) that outlines CBP's future vision as to how it will interact with other government agencies (referred to as participating government agencies) in the ACE environment.

In January 2010, the first phase of the CONOPS was approved by CBP's executive steering committee and the second phase of development has been approved and funded.

A CBP official noted that the first phase is a very high level document with lots of blanks, which CBP will try and fill during the second phase. In the second phase, CBP will be working with six key admissibility agencies to do gap analysis between their approved concept of operations and CBP's CONOPS and coordinating necessary changes. The official stated that CBP has met with Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service, Food and Drug Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, Food Safety and Inspection Service, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Trade Cautioned on Agency Jurisdiction When ITDS Single Window in Place

During the meeting, a CBP official cautioned the trade that with the single window concept, agencies that have not previously been actively involved with cargo (as CBP has performed that function for them) are going to be more involved in the processing and release of cargo.

The official urged the trade to think about how CBP determines agency jurisdiction over a product, noting that in the future, cargo release will require a further delineation of products that is not provided for in the HTS. According to the CBP official, the trade needs to seriously consider other ways, such as product identification codes (PICs), etc. that can help determine an agency's jurisdiction over a product.