CBP Says New ACE Development Strategy Offers Speed, Flexibility

CBP's ACEopedia for August 2012 describes a "New ACE Development Strategy." The new "Agile-like" strategy allows for the additions of smaller functionalities to ACE and has been used in deploying Simplified Entry (SE), the Document Image System (DIS) and Participating Government Agency (PGA) Interoperability, said CBP. The new strategy was the biggest change between the new ACEopedia and previous versions. The new ACEopedia doesn't mention the departure of Cindy Allen, the current head of the ACE Business Office.

(See ITT's Online Archives 12081721 for news of Allen's plans to leave CBP.)

CBP said in the ACEopedia as part of the changes undertaken to put the ACE program back on track, CBP has begun to use a new approach for the development of functionality -- build in modular components, treating each piece of distinct functionality as a separate project that quickly delivers value for stakeholders, and having more frequent delivery of these smaller segments of functionality. ACE stakeholders have already begun to experience how this new methodology works in ACE through SE, DIS and PGA Interoperability, CBP said.

CBP‘s Agile-like development model has some key differences with the approach historically used on the ACE program:

• The Agile-like development approach requires more collaboration with stakeholders during the development and deployment phases and as capabilities are piloted. A primary intent of the Customs Support Network (CSN) is to provide dedicated operational input from subject matter experts into ACE development. Likewise, Agile-like development provides the best approach to ensure timely deployment of ACE program priorities and future program development efforts.

Agile-like releases are smaller, and delivered more rapidly, bringing needed functionality to users more quickly than has been possible in the past.

• Rather than delivering large suites of capabilities, Agile-like releases build off one another incrementally until all functionality has been delivered.
• Agile and agile-like development methodologies are being used throughout Government and industry and provide numerous benefits and advantages:
• More accurate cost projections as shorter term estimates are used to price smaller releases;
• More flexibility to trade off priorities for future releases;
• More rapid delivery of capabilities to stakeholders;
• Incremental development allows for incremental funding, which is easier to accommodate in the current economic climate.

New progress in deploying ACE includes:

Simplified Entry (SE) -- streamlines the data required to obtain release of products for cargo, eliminating the current entry (CBP Form 3461) for those transactions in the SE pilot.

• As of Aug. 10, 7,914 Simplified Entries have been successfully filed for 338 importers at the three pilot ports of Atlanta, Chicago and Indianapolis
• CBP is expanding the pilot to additional ports using a regional approach, as follows:
  • Seattle, San Francisco and Oakland the week of Aug. 14;
  • Los Angeles the week of Aug. 20;
  • South/southeast airports including Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston and Miami the week of Sept. 10; and
  • Northeast airports including Newark, New York/JFK and Boston the week of Sept. 17.
• CBP published Federal Register Notice 77 FR 48527 on Aug. 14 to open the pilot to additional participants.
• CBP is working to add new functionality to the pilot including incorporation of the PGA Message Set and the use of the Document Image System. Remote Location Filing is not available for the Simplified Entry/Cargo Release pilot at the present time; however, CBP is working to incorporate RLF filing in the future.

(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), (6) e-Manifest Rail and Sea (April 2012), and (7) Simplified Entry (May 2012).)

Ranked ACE Priorities and Work Plan

In the ACEopedia and (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 table remains the same as the previous version.

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.

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

(See ITT's Archives 12070926 for a summary of CBP's July ACEopedia).