CBP Releases its September 30, 2005 Quarterly Report to Congress on ACE
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has recently posted to its Web site its quarterly report on the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) entitled Report to Congress: The Automated Commercial Environment. This report is dated September 30, 2005 and covers the July 1, 2005 - September 30, 2005 period.
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CBP states that this report provides a "snapshot" of current program status, highlighting recent accomplishments, challenges, cost and schedule status, and near-term milestones.
CBP notes that this report also addresses the ongoing CBP efforts to support ACE expansion if required, and in engaging other Government agencies to participate in ACE/International Trade Data System (ITDS).
This is Part II of a multi-part series of summaries on CBP's quarterly report to Congress on ACE and highlights ACE cost and scheduling issues and key milestones scheduled for October 1, 2005 through December 31, 2005.
ACE Cost and Schedule
According to CBP, concurrent with the reorganization of its Office of Information Technology (OIT), OIT conducted a comprehensive review of forthcoming ACE capabilities. CBP states that this review sought ways to deliver ACE capabilities sooner, reduce costs, and ensure ACE is aligned with the antiterrorism mission of the agency and the department.
Based on this review, OIT determined that more existing ACE capabilities (including the e-Manifest: Trucks design and release processing) and other operational systems, can be leveraged in the development of forthcoming ACE capabilities. OIT also determined that ESAR (Release 5) and e-Manifest: All Modes and Cargo Security (Release 6) capabilities can be developed concurrently, and that new capabilities can be deployed incrementally as development is completed. This approach will allow critical cargo security capabilities, such as electronic manifest for remaining transportation modes, to be delivered sooner than previously planned.
CBP states that a key outcome of the aforementioned review is the integration of ACE Screening and Targeting (S&T) efforts with the Automated Targeting System (ATS). Through this integration, ATS will be modernized and augmented with new S&T capabilities. This approach will provide a comprehensive targeting solution. Modernizing ATS will deliver all previously planned ACE S&T capabilities while also allowing greater flexibility to more rapidly incorporate emerging technologies in the future. In the short term, the Screening Foundation (S1) Production Readiness Review (PRR) and Operational Readiness Review (ORR), have been rescheduled for December 22, 2005 and February 9, 2006, respectively. CBP states that significant cost savings are also expected, as the completion of S&T development is anticipated to be completed nearly a year earlier than previously planned.
CBP states that its Cargo Security Program Office (CSPO) continues to expand its use of existing ACE capabilities. With the deployment of ACE truck processing capabilities to Douglas, AZ and Pembina, ND, and surrounding ports, CBP Officers are now using ACE to process cargo at 24 Northern and Southern border ports.
The ACE Secure Data Portal has been modified to provide Participating Government Agencies (PGAs) read-only access to ACE data, consistent with the International Trade Data System (ITDS) vision of creating a single window for trade and transportation data. PGA users will soon be able to view and run over 30 existing reports that draw from cargo entry and entry summary data. National Targeting Center analysts continue to use the Targeting Framework (TF) prototype to automate many of the tasks required to identify and track potential terrorist activities. By automating key tasks, the TF is enabling analysts to increase the time spent on deeper analysis.
Notwithstanding this progress, CBP states that it faces the challenge of increasing the trade community's use of the ACE e-manifest capability. To address this challenge, CSPO is making programming modifications to the ACE Secure Data Portal to simplify its use for carriers, and reduce the time required to achieve Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) certification. OIT is hiring additional Client Representatives to augment the staff for getting carriers "on board," and multiple trade outreach sessions are being planned to encourage submission of e-manifest information via EDI. CBP states that it is also preparing to allow carriers to submit electronic manifests through a service provider with an ACE Secure Data Portal account.
CBP states that the FY06 Modernization Expenditure Plan is consistent with the FY 2006 budget. As of the date of this report, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was completing its report and was expected to transmit the plan to Congress by the end of 2005. CBP states that the plan requests $305.5 million for ACE and $16.2 million for ITDS. Among the key elements are:
detailed design and development of cargo management and S&T capabilities;
continued deployment of ACE truck processing capabilities at land border ports; and
design and development of PGA requirements for ACE/ITDS.
Near-Term Milestones
The following are highlights of CBP's key near-term milestones scheduled between October 1, 2005 and December 31, 2005:
October 2005
CBP projected that electronic truck manifest capabilities will be deployed at ports in the Detroit, MI area
Read-only access to ACE data was to be established for PGAs, enabling them to use trade and transportation data collected via ACE
October - November 2005
CBP was to introduce additional ACE Secure Data Portal enhancements that will support compliance with the Food and Drug Administration Bio-Terrorism Act; enable service providers to submit e-manifests on behalf of carriers; allow EDI transmissions to contain multiple manifests; and provide In-Bond export capability
October - December 2005
Planning will intensify for the transfer of ACE development environments to an integrated departmental data center
November 2005
Expansion of electronic truck manifest capabilities will continue to ports near and include Highgate Springs, Richford, Derby Line, and Norton, VT.
December 2005
The Production Readiness Review for Screening Foundation (S1) will be completed, marking the beginning of the pilot and evaluation period.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 01/13/06 news, 06011310, for Part I.)
September 30, 2005 ACE quarterly report available at