CBP Says Trade Can Test DIS Upload of Documents for PGA Use
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials have recently been discussing CBP’s new Automated Commercial Environment Document Imaging System (DIS), which will provide electronic document submission, storage, and retrieval capabilities to CBP, Participating Government Agencies, and the trade.
CBP has previously stated that DIS will be a new capability to allow information from paper documents, such as CPSC General Conformity Certificates, to be uploaded and made available to PGAs.
The following are additional details from the November 9, 2010 COAC1 meeting, as well as information presented at a November 12, 2010 Trade Support Network (TSN) press call. (See ITT’s Online Archives or 11/12/10 news, 10111226, for initial BP summary on the discussion of DIS at the COAC meeting.)
Trade Can Participate in DIS Testing, Upload Documents
CBP has been testing DIS with a few ACE early adopters who have been able to successfully transmit documents to the DIS. At the COAC meeting, a CBP official stated that anyone that was interested in participating in the DIS is urged to contact CBP.
According to CBP, the trade will be able to an submit documents to the DIS in three ways: (i) MQ connection, (ii) secure FTP connection, and (iii) EDI.
CBP states that it is also looking for input from the trade on the paper based processes that DIS can satisfy.
CBP Has Begun Testing DIS with EPA, also Working with FDA
CBP has just rolled out its DIS and is testing it with a few trade partners and has identified some participating government agencies. According to CBP, the Environmental Protection Agency is the first agency to participate and CBP continues to work with EPA to identify other types of information it would like to access via the DIS. CBP is also working with the Food and Drug Administration.
DIS is being rolled out with a measured approach so that PGAs and CBP Officers are not overwhelmed.
CBP also Looking at How DIS Could Help Its Internal Processes
Although the DIS was developed specifically for PGA use, CBP states that it is also looking at internal CBP processes that can maybe facilitated by the DIS. CBP says it will continue to look at how DIS can be used in the interim until the International Trade Data System (ITDS) is fully functional.
(At the COAC meeting, a CBP official also provided a demonstration of DIS, stating that while it doesn’t anticipate giving the trade the view it demonstrated, it wants the trade to understand how the information it submits would be viewed and utilized by CBP and the PGAs. CBP also provided a demonstration of DIS at the October 21, 2010 Interagency Import Safety Conference. See ITT’s Online Archives or 10/22/10 news, 10102210, for BP summary.)
1Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Related Homeland Security Functions.