CBP Seeks Comments & Approval for New ACE Survey

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is requesting comments by May 6, 2011, on a proposed new information collection, the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Trade Survey, that it will be submitting to the Office of Management and Budget for approval.

(About $3 billion over ten years has been spent on ACE and ITDS to date, according to one CBP official that spoke at TradeWatch 2011, which was held in California on February 17, 2011. The official noted that CBP has changed ACE from being an IT project to one driven by business needs, adding that customs brokers and forwarders need to advise CBP on which ACE functionality is critical to their industries.)

CBP Plans to Conduct Voluntary ACE Survey of Brokers, Forwarders, Importers

CBP plans to conduct a survey of commercial entities, including Non- Vessel Operating Common Carriers, Freight Forwarders, Foreign Trade Zones, Filers (to include Brokers and Self-Filers), Importers, Carriers and Sureties, regarding their use of and experience with the ACE system.

Survey Would Include Questions on ACE Functionality

This voluntary survey will be conducted over the internet by e-mail and/or telephone invitation. The survey will include questions about current, as well as future ACE functionalities. The results and analysis of the survey responses will be used to characterize the trade community’s experience with ACE and inform future functionality deployments.

CBP Estimates 1,000 Businesses Will Respond at 30 Minutes Each

CBP estimates the number of respondents will be 1,000. CBP estimates the time per respondent will be 30 minutes and total annual burden hours to be 500.

Comments Requested on Utility of Survey, Etc.

CBP is asking for comments from the general public and other federal agencies on (1) whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency’s estimates of the burden of the collection of information; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; (4) ways to minimize the burden including the use of automated collection techniques or the use of other forms of information technology; and (5) the annual costs burden to respondents or record keepers from the collection of information (a total capital/startup costs and operations and maintenance costs).

(During a recent interview with Broker Power, CBP officials provided an update on ACE. See ITT’s Online Archives or 02/14/11, 02/15/11, 02/24/11, and 03/08/11 news or 11021424, 11021531, 11022421, and 11030832, for BP summaries from this interview.)

CBP contact- Tracey Denning (202) 325-0265