CBP Posts ACE 101 Update, Overview and Status Update, as Well as Set of FAQs

CBP posted a lengthy ACE 101 update and primer/information sheet on the Automated Commercial Environment on its website (here). It says about 21,000 ACE portal accounts have been established, more than 65 percent of all duties and fees are being collected via monthly statement in ACE, and 29 PGAs are currently using ACE. It also said the most common entry types, representing 99 percent of all entries filed, can be filed via ACE. There are currently 125 downloadable reports available via ACE, CBP said.

Among the features to become operational later this year, it said, are: Automated Export System Re-engineering; Cargo Release -- Automated Corrections/Deletions; Partner Government Agency Message Set; and Initial Entry Summit Edits.

CBP also posted an ACE overview and status update (here) that includes many of the previously announced ACE developments. Among the goals for the future cited in the overview was improvements to the International Trade Data System, with a goal of creating a single window for the filing of documents required by CBP and PGAs. It said the PGA Message Set will simplify filing of data needed by all PGAs, allow quicker release decisions by CBP and PGAs, increase data sharing between PGAs, and eliminate the file of many of the paper forms required by PGAs.

Automated Corrections & Deletions will provide the capability to accept (or deny) corrections and/or deletions to an entry sent by the trade community via Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) for Simplified Entries already on file with CBP, it said.

CBP said it anticipates completing work on the single export automated platform in September, after starting the project in November. The project involves moving the legacy Automated Export System (AES) on to a re-engineered system platform in order to modernize the system design to lower operation, maintenance and development cost over the existing legacy system, provide a single export processing platform for commodity data, manifest data and export control licensing data, and maintain existing legacy AES capabilities and to provide for anticipated Census regulatory changes to include Option 3 filing functionality.

CBP said trade impact for this first phase of development should be limited to those changes required by the new Census Bureau regulations and Option 3 filing functionality. It said it engaged stakeholders from the Census Bureau.

CBP also posted a set of frequently asked questions and answers (here). Topic areas in the 128-page document include: Systems Background; Automatic Broker Interface (ABI); General Application; Cargo Systems Messaging Service ; Carriers; Document Image System; e-Manifest: Rail and Sea; e-Manifest: Truck; Cargo Release/Simplified Entry Pilot: Policy; Cargo Release/Simplified Entry Pilot: Technical; Entry Summary, Accounts, and Revenue; Importer Security Filing (ISF); Periodic Monthly Statement; Reports; and Post Summary Corrections.