DHS Inspector General Finds ACE 'on Track,' Data Reliability Assessment Needed

CBP appears to be "on track" to meet the milestones it set for the implementation of the Automated Commercial Environment, said the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General in a newly released report (here). With four of seven ACE deployments completed, CBP is on track to finish ACE by the 2016 deadline and meet other milestones, said the OIG. "However, CBP has not ensured the internal control environment has kept pace with the rapid deployment of the ACE program," it said in the report. "Specifically, CBP has not conducted risk assessments to identify potential gaps in data reliability, and has not fully developed and implemented performance measures for the program."

CBP disagreed with the OIG finding that better risk assessment is needed, it said in response to a draft of the OIG report in March. CBP told the OIG that it performs regular risk assessments and did not concur with the OIG's worries and recommendations. The CBP response did not allay the OIG's concerns, it said in the report. Among other things, CBP gives software developers access to the live database, a potential risk without "proper internal controls," said the OIG. CBP should also update performance measures of ACE. While CBP "recently drafted new performance measures," the measures were not "ready for review," said the OIG. CBP's "validation and edits" following an ACE deployment "is merely testing the data and not the same as completing a risk assessment which provides the basis for developing appropriate risk responses," the OIG said.

Considering ACE will be used to collect duties and for "other key decisions," the OIG "contends that data reliability is the cornerstone of the ACE program," it said. "Given the multitude of data reliability issues within DHS" found in previous audits, "we maintain that CBP should conduct a comprehensive risk assessment to identify potential data reliability gaps." The DHS OIG interviewed CBP personnel working on the program, as well as other government agencies and contractors, it said.