CBP Posts its 2006 Quarterly Reports to Congress on ACE (Part II - Early 2007 Target Milestones)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has recently posted to its Web site its quarterly reports on the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) entitled Report to Congress on the Automated Commercial Environment. These reports cover the four quarters of calendar year 2006.
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CBP states that these reports provide an update on ACE accomplishments, challenges, fiscal status, and upcoming program milestones.
CBP notes that these reports also address the ongoing CBP efforts to integrate ACE with other systems and engage other government agencies to participate in the ACE/International Trade Data System (ITDS).
This is Part II of a multi-part series of summaries on CBP's most recent quarterly report (October 1, 2006-December 31, 2006) and highlights key milestones that were targeted for ACE for the January 1, 2007-March 31, 2007 period, as well as ACE cost and scheduling issues.
ACE Milestones Scheduled for First Quarter 2007
The following are highlights of ACE's milestones that were scheduled to occur between January 1, 2007 and March 31, 2007:
January 2007
Completion of the Test Readiness Review (TRR) for ESAR: Master Data and Enhanced Accounts (A1) will indicate that A1 software development is complete and acceptance testing can begin1.
CBP projects the deployment of ACE electronic truck manifest processing capabilities to Washington ferry ports (including Port Angeles, Friday Harbor, and Anacortes); Eastport and Porthill, Idaho; and the following ports in Montana: Roosville, Whitlash, Del Bonita, and Wildhorse.
CBP will pilot ACE wireless capabilities that allow officers to perform cargo release tasks from a wireless device.
CBP will complete the first quarterly drop (Increment 3.0) for Targeting Framework (TF), which is planned to provide new user capabilities and enhancements
Completion of the Preliminary Design Critical Review (PDCR) for Advanced Targeting will validate the system design and the user requirements.
CBP will deliver Advanced Targeting Drop 2, which will provide user defined rules, unified screening response, and impact assessment.
February 2007
CBP projects the deployment of ACE electronic truck manifest processing capabilities to the following land border ports in Montana: Sweetgrass, Willow Creek, Turner, Morgan, Scoby, Opheim, Raymond, and Whitetail.
Business Objects reporting capabilities will become operational, providing ACE Secure Data Portal users with enhanced reports and data analysis tools.
CBP will conduct an ACE Exchange conference February 26-28, 2007 in Detroit, MI for brokers, importers, carriers, and software developers.
March 2007
CBP will complete its own Production Readiness Review (PRR) for ESAR: Master Data and Enhanced Accounts (A1). Completion of the PRR will indicate that testing was successfully completed and that A1 is ready to move into a pilot phase. Upon achievement of this milestone, CBP will coordinate with the DHS Chief Information Officer (CIO) to obtain certification that A1 is ready to move beyond the PRR milestone1.
CBP will complete the PDCR for M2, signaling that user and functional requirements are defined and that system design work can begin.
CBP projects the deployment of ACE electronic truck manifest processing capabilities to the following land border ports in Maine: Calais, Ferry Point, Milltown, Eastport, Lubec, Vanceboro, Forest City, and Orient.
Completion of CDR for Advanced Targeting will signal that stakeholders have accepted requirements and the system design. Upon completion of the CDR, CBP will work with the DHS CIO to obtain certification that Advanced Targeting is ready to move beyond the CDR milestone.
ACE Scheduling and Cost
CBP states that it continues to manage to the Acquisition Program Baseline, which reflects a $3.3 billion program that will attain Full Operational Capability (FOC) by August 2011. Baseline schedule and cost estimates were validated through the Independent Government Cost Estimate. CBP projects that the attainment of ACE FOC by August 2011 can be completed at a cost of $3.1 billion.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 03/20/07 news, 07032015, for Part I of this multi-part series of summaries.)
1CBP has recently posted a notice to its Web site announcing a delay in the deployment date for ACE ESAR A1 to August 2007 (from May 2007). (See ITT's Online Archives or 03/20/07 news, 07032010, for BP summary.)
October 1-December 31, 2006 ACE quarterly report (posted 03/01/07) available at http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/toolbox/about/modernization/ace/newsletters/quarterly_reports/ace_report_to_congress_12312006.ctt/ace_report_to_congress_12312006.pdf.
January-September 2006 ACE quarterly reports (posted February 2007) available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/about/modernization/ace/newsletters/quarterly_reports/.