CBP Moving ITRAC Data to ACE Reports, Testing Modernization Suggestions, Smith Tells NCBFAA Meeting

SAN ANTONIO -- CBP is already testing multiple suggestions put forth as part of the agency's effort to update its framework, said Brenda Smith, CBP executive assistant commissioner-trade, on April 17 at the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America's annual conference. For example, the agency is "investing in cognitive analytics to protect U.S. business from unfair or illicit trade through more effective risk assessment and targeting," she said. CBP is also working at "providing better data out of ACE," she said.

The agency would like to make Importer Trade Activity (ITRAC) reports available through the portal without a fee, she said. "We also want to enhance the ACE Reports processing speeds and data retrieval capabilities," Smith said. The agency sent out a CSMS message about the transition the same day. "Starting this Spring, CBP will begin migrating ITRAC data to ACE Reports, making the data available to all trade members, on-demand," CBP said. "During this time, trade may continue to use existing processes for requesting ITRAC reports." The agency plans to discontinue the use of CDs for ITRAC reports altogether by the winter of 2019, CBP said in a transition document.

Smith sounded disappointed that there were only 28 initial comments filed on the agency's framework update (see 1902140022). "How many people are in this room?" she asked. "Why didn't you use your voice? Why didn't you put forward your ideas?" The March 1 meeting on the update was better, bringing together 209 attendees and 748 telephonic participants, and CBP is now reviewing the latest set of comments (see 1904120031), she said.

The slowed trade processing along the Southern border due to reassignments of port personnel should serve as a reminder that CBP is looking to update the way it processes trade, Smith said. The ongoing issues mark a chance to reflect on "how we want our future borders to work," she said. "We must look at our current challenges as calls to action," she said. Change is a lengthy process, as exemplified by the ACE transition and the still pending updates to Part 111 regulations on brokers (see 1804110024), she said. "It's coming!" Smith said of the broker regulations.

John Sanders, who was recently named acting CBP commissioner (see 1904160010), only joined the agency as chief operating officer within the last year, Smith said. Prior to CBP, Sanders had been a political appointee at several agencies, she said. Smith has spent a "fair amount of time" with Sanders describing the stakeholders and issues, and he has been an "enthusiastic student," she said.