Border Interagency Executive Council Gives Itself High Marks for Coordination Efforts, but Challenges Persist

The Border Interagency Executive Council is meeting the functions spelled out in a 2014 White House executive order that tasked the BIEC with coordinating the government's trade requirements (see 14021928), it said in a new "report card." The council will continue to advance the functions mentioned in the EO, which include improving agency review of electronic data, encouraging foreign governments to use single window systems and developing metrics to measure ACE and other border management coordination, the BIEC said.

The report card also highlighted several challenges the BIEC is facing. "While many of the 49 [partner government agencies (PGAs)] are engaged and committed to the BIEC and its initiatives, it can be difficult to engage all PGAs and receive equal input," the council said.

Further development of ACE is challenged by the expenses involved and "more resources need to be allocated to CBP and the [single window sustainment (SWS)] process," it said. "The SWS initiative was initially established as a cost-sharing framework, however, many PGAs do not take advantage of the cost-sharing aspect of the framework because (1) PGAs are unaware of the cost-sharing aspect of the SWS process; and (2) PGAs do not learn about a potential [request for development] RFD of interest in sufficient time; and/or (3) PGAs lack of available funding."

The BIEC cited the work toward the Global Business Identifier, which is slated to begin a proof of concept test in the spring (see 2107230034), as among the group's accomplishments. Still, "global adoption and harmonization of any unique trade identification solution remains a long-range challenge," it said. "The complexity of the GBI initiative has led to some challenges with the timeline and launch of the GBI evaluative proof of concept. Each workstream is interdependent on the completion of all legal and technical requirements which have led to delays in the timeline." The council expects some new issues to arise once the GBI starts. To "mitigate some expected challenges (e.g., trade industry buy-in and agency cost), CBP and the interagency are conducting a GBI roadshow to inform the trade industry and other stakeholders of key aspects of the pilot," it said.