Update on Questions & Answers from CBP's October/November ACE Exchange II Conference (Part I)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted to its Web site a document listing the questions and answers from the importer and broker session of the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Exchange II Conference that was held from October 30-November 2, 2006 in Tucson, Arizona.
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This is Part I of a multi-part series of summaries on this Q&A document, and highlights questions and answers presented during the opening session of the conference. See future issues of ITT for additional summaries.
Will brokers ever be able to sign up for one account that represents a complete client list for periodic monthly statement (PMS) instead of having to do this on an importer by importer basis, as they have to do today?
CBP states that brokers will have to continue signing up importer clients on an individual basis. This is the current finance policy and CBP does not see this changing for a while.
Why do brokers have to sign up each importer? Brokers do not do that for Automated Clearinghouse (ACH).
According to CBP, headquarters believes that if CBP allows this mass sign up of Importer of Record (IRs) numbers it will not be able to validate all of these IRs in the Automated Commercial System (ACS) all at one time. CBP adds that this is because a lot of the information in ACS is not good data. Each IR number requires a switch to be turned on to allow participation in PMS.
What is the time frame for enforcement of the 90 days on mandatory e-Manifest: Truck?
CBP states that the time frame is at least a few months. The Office of Field Operations (OFO) is looking at that right now. CBP states that it is probably five months from a truck being returned to Mexico. (See ITT's Online Archives or 10/30/06 news, 06103005, for BP summary on mandatory e-Manifest: Trucks, which states, among other things, that CBP will provide 90 days notice before making e-Manifest: Trucks mandatory at a port..)
What is causing the delay in brokers receiving ACE Accounts?
CBP states that part of the problem in receiving an ACE Account is a delay in the assignment of the CBP Account Manager.
How much time does it take from when an application is received for PMS until it is activated?
According to CBP, it should take 3-5 days if the broker applying is an ACE Account.
See ITT's Online Archives or 12/08/06 news, 06120805, for BP summary announcing the availability of the Q&A document.
CBP Q&A available at CBP Q&A available at http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/toolbox/about/modernization/ace/reports_briefings_events/ace_ex_conf/ace_exchange/ace2_qa.ctt/ace2_qa.doc