CBP April ACEopedia Spells Out ACE Process Improvements

U.S. Customs and Border Protection's ACEopedia for July 2012 adds additional information on the process improvements created by ACE to date. A new listing of those improvements is the largest change from the previous ACEopedia.

These improvements are listed as:

Single Window for Importers

• Single, harmonized set of data for government validation of import requirements and automationof paper processes for over 40 government agencies
• Enabling of new communications among government agencies, and between government agenciesand international trade community
• Ability of authorized agencies to hold imported shipments of concern and coordinate asappropriate with other agencies
• Tracking for government agencies that do not have hold authority
• Increased targeting potential due to broader data set
• Integration of CBP Agriculture Specialist processing and recordation with both APHIS system and ACE for smoother transactions
• One stop shop for international trade community to submit all government-required import data
• Upgraded electronic status notifications to international trade community
  • Identification of which government agency has pending requirement on their cargo
  • Single, coordinated release of the cargo, representative of all involved government agencies, to carrier and broker

Continued Flow of Trade During Emergencies

• Efficient and streamlined transfer of cargo processing to an open port during emergency port events/closures
• Elimination of requirement that international trade community resubmit data when cargo transfers to open port, resulting in continued flow of trade with minimal impact to international trade community
• Maintenance of CBP and PGA holds on imported cargo

Automated Updates to Previously Filed Import Data

• Ability for international trade community to electronically submit requests for corrections,deletions and cancellations of their import data
• Ability for CBP to access and act upon changes immediately
• Automated, efficient and uniform processing of changes
  • Elimination of paper processing

Enhanced Tracking of Non-Compliant Cargo to Government Custody

• Capability for agencies to automatically request that imported cargo that is non-compliant be returned to government custody ("redelivered")
• Government visibility to cargo until the resolution of all CBP and PGA concerns
• Capability for CBP to manage redelivery requests and prepare for shipments that will be destroyed or seized

Enhanced Entry Processing for CBP Officers

• Enabling of CBP Officers to make quicker and better informed decisions on disposition of imported cargo
• Synchronized data throughout lifecycle of imported cargo shipment
• Ability for the international trade community to partition import data to accommodate the release of freight when some merchandise in the shipment was seized/detained

Single Transaction Bond

• Ability for bond filers to submit bond data electronically, in lieu of filing paper bonds
• Real-time verification of bond sufficiency
• Automatic system rejection of cargo shipments with insufficient bonds
• Foundation for continuous bond capability in ACE

Manufacturer‘s ID

• Establishment of parent child relationship based on MID
• Streamlining of current process under which multiple IDs created for single entity
• Enhancement of record maintenance

Workflow

• Tailored in-boxes for specified CBP teams to facilitate electronic routing of work
• Efficient routing and review by appropriate parties

(The "ACEopedia" also lists the deployed Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) capabilities and their dates as (1) ACE Secure Data Portal (2003), (2) Periodic Monthly Statement (PMS) (2004) , (3) e-Manifest Truck (2007), (4) ACE Entry Summary (2009), (5) Post Summary Corrections (PSC) (2010), Importer Security Filing (ISF) (2009) with the link to ACE delivered in 2011), and (6) e-Manifest Rail and Sea (April 2012).)

Ranked ACE Priorities and Work Plan

In the ACEopedia and in color (here) is CBP's table of ACE Priorities and Work Plan. In its seven categories of work, CBP has completed projects in two categories to date (Manifest and Entry Summary). The only change on the table of priorities from the last ACEopedia is the ACE M1 status was changed to "in progress."

CBP's completed ACE projects are in italicized text below, while Priority projects and their ranking (1 - 5) are in bold. Projects that are remaining for ACE completion are in normal text.

Progress Update on DIS, PGA Work, and Export Manifest

CBP's ACEopedia also provided updates on the work on e-Manifest Rail and Sea (M1), Cargo Release (including DIS, PGAs, and Simplified Entry), and Exports.

The only new part of M1 update said as of April, all ninety-six direct arrival ports are currently using M1 and eighty-five percent of the carrier community impacted by M1 has either sent rail and sea manifests to ACE, completed testing, or is in the process of testing. On April 11, 2012 CBP successfully completed Operational Readiness Review (ORR) which determined that the system, as implemented, achieved operational acceptance by meeting mission needs and operational requirements. CBP officially ended the M1 Pilot and will continue to roll out the capabilities to indirect arrival ports and additional trade partners.

On March 29, 2012 CBP published a Federal Register Notice (see 77 FR 19030), (here) announcing that after a six month transition period, effective September 29, 2012, ACE will be the only CBP-approved EDI for transmitting required advance information for ocean and rail cargo to CBP. If the required programming changes, certification testing and transition to ACE e-Manifest: Rail and Sea are not made when this transition takes place, EDI messages for ocean and rail manifest and ABI inbond transactions will fail.

The update on Cargo Release said a pilot is ongoing to evaluate the feasability of processing email-based submissions of Export Manifest via DIS, with 18 ocean carriers and seven port participating in the pilot. The update also said CBP is in the process of bringing several more participating government agencies (PGAs) into the interoperability environment. Such PGAs include: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Department of Transportation (DOT), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food Safety Inspection Services (FSIS), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG).

New ACE Development Funded in FY 2012 from Carryover Dollars

The ACEopedia continues to state that in fiscal year (FY) 2012, the ACE program entered into the Operations & Maintenance phase with no funding for additional development. The program is using carry-over dollars (from prior years) for development work on the following initiatives:

• Cargo Release/Simplified Entry (partially funded)

• CBP ITDS Priorities -- Document Image System (DIS), PGA Message Set, and PGA Interoperability

• Requirements efforts for Exports and to begin development of Exports

Unless future funding is available for continuous development of new capabilities, CBP states that development work will cease.

(The Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) is a multi-year project to modernize Customs’ processes, and will become the “single window” for all trade and government agencies involved in importing and exporting. ACE has been underway for over 10 years.

The April 2012 ACEopedia contains sections titled: Executive Summary, ACE overview and business case, ACE deployed capabilities, ACE program priorities, e-Manifest rail and sea (M1), cargo release, exports, ACE budget/financial status, and three frequently asked questions.)

(See ITT's Archives 12032028 for a summary of CBP's March ACEopedia).