CBP Delays Deployment Date for ACE ESAR A1 to August 2007
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a notice announcing a change in the deployment date for the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Entry Summary, Accounts, Revenue (ESAR) A1 release. This release, originally scheduled for May 2007, has been moved to August 2007.
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CBP states that delays in the development of the technical infrastructure and software to support ESAR A1 have contributed to the schedule slip. In addition, CBP needed to move processing equipment to its new disaster recovery center, which has resulted in a delay of the acceptance testing of the ESAR A1 functionality.
Outline of the Functionality to be Delivered in the ESAR A1 Release
According to CBP, the ESAR A1 release contains the following functionality:
ACE portal account holders will have electronic access to certain data submitted to CBP. Those who establish ACE portal accounts - enabling them to use the Internet-based ACE Secure Data Portal, a customized, secure Web site - will be provided electronic access to account-related master, reference, and transactional data submitted to CBP.
New account types will be created, CBP Form 5106 can be submitted, updated electronically. New account types will be created. Some of the new ACE participants in the first phase will include sureties and Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) operators. Also, the CBP Form 5106 (Importer ID Input Record) may be submitted and updated electronically via the portal or the Automated Broker Interface (ABI).
PGAs will be able to store blanket LPC data. Participating Government Agencies (PGAs) will gain the ability to store blanket License, Permits and Certificate (LPC) data at an account level using the ACE Secure Data Portal.
Broker data will be available at a national level. Broker data (exam, license and permit information) will be available at a national level. Broker data will be maintained and available to broker management offices and the broker management branch through ACE.
ACE users will need only one ID, password. No longer will industry users need to maintain multiple user-identification numbers (IDs) and passwords to access multiple ACE accounts. ACE users will need only one user ID and password; this will improve the system's user security and accessibility.
Process for merging accounts within the ACE Secure Data Portal will be automated. The process for merging accounts within the ACE Secure Data Portal will be automated, making the process much easier, and eliminating the need for a systems administrator to move data.
Truck drivers will be able to manager their own accounts, etc. Truck drivers will be able to create and maintain their own accounts, or assign the creation and maintenance function to a service provider, carrier, broker, or importer.
CATAIR Draft Chapter 5106 Posted, Only CATAIR Message Changing with ESAR A1 Release
CBP states that the draft Customs and Trade Automated Interface Requirements (CATAIR) chapter for CBP Form 5106 is now posted to CBP's Web site along with a business description of the change. CBP notes that this is the only CATAIR message changing with this release. (See ITT's Online Archives or 03/13/07 news, 07031325 2, for BP summary announcing the posting of this draft CATAIR chapter.)
New ACE Secure Data Portal Reporting Tool Expected in Spring 2007
According to CBP, the delivery of the new ACE Secure Data Portal reporting tool, along with the subsequent Authorized Data Extract, are planned to be delivered in the spring of 2007. Web-Based Training (WBT) for the new reporting tool has been made available to all account owners.
CBP has previously stated that the Authorized Data Extract (formerly known as Bulk Data Download) will enable ACE users to download large amounts of data for reporting or analytical purposes.
Current and new reporting tools will be available for 5 months to provide transition. CBP states that for five months, both the current and new reporting tools will be available while users make the transition. All reports will then be converted at one time.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 01/29/07 news, 07012915, for BP summary announcing that some/all ESAR A1 elements may be delayed. See ITT's Online Archives or 01/10/07 news, 07011015, for Part VI of BP's summaries on questions & answers from the ACE Exchange II Conference, which highlights Q&As presented during the "new to ACE" session on ESAR A1.
See ITT's Online Archives or 10/23/06 news, 06102305, for BP summary of a CBP fact sheet on ACE ESAR which highlights ESAR's three phases (A1-A3). See ITT's Online Archives or 04/12/06 news, 06041205, for BP summary on the "ACE Toolkit" which provides, among other things, highlights and ACE benefits of ESAR A1.)
CBP ESAR A1 notice (dated 03/13/07) available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/about/modernization/ace_esar/date_chg_for_deployment.xml
ESAR At a Glance Fact sheet (dated October 2006) available at http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/newsroom/fact_sheets/trade/ace_factsheets/esar_cbp_factsht.ctt/esar_cbp_factsht.pdf
CBP PowerPoint presentation on the ACE report tool (dated 02/27/07) available at http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/toolbox/about/modernization/ace/reports_briefings_events/ace_ex_conf/ace_exchange_three/exch3_age_pres/new_report_tool.ctt/new_report_tool.pdf