CBP's Federal Register Notice on Its NCAP/ACE Test for ESAR (Part II - Final)

The notice also announced the types of ACE portal accounts that have been added or enhanced.

(On September 9, 2007, CBP deployed ESAR A1. With its deployment of A1, previously-available ACE account types were enhanced, additional account types were created, and ACE became the system of record for certain data elements.)

This is Part II, the final part of a multipart series of summaries, and highlights information regarding the new ACE portal account types. (See ITT's Online Archives or 10/19/07 news, 07101910, for Part I of BP's summary, which provided information on enhancements made to previously available ACE account types (importers, brokers, truck carriers), misconduct penalties, etc.)

Benefits, Requirements for the Eight New ACE Portal Account Types

CBP's notice outlines the following benefits and requirements for the eight new ACE portal account types that came with the deployment of ESAR A1:

Carrier (air, rail, sea). Initially, carriers who establish ACE portal accounts will only have access to the static data and basic account profile information necessary to establish their portal account.

Any new ACE portal account functionalities that may be made available to carriers on a test basis will be announced in a future general notice published in the Federal Register. At that time, CBP will deploy an initial group for participation in the NCAP test. It is anticipated that carrier portal accounts will eventually derive the following benefits: access to operational data through the ACE portal; electronic interaction with CBP; receipt of status messages concerning account transactions; access to integrated account data from multiple system sources; ability to manage and disseminate information in an efficient and secure manner; and ability to electronically transmit a manifest and obtain release of its cargo, crew, conveyances, and equipment via the ACE portal or Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) messaging.

(To establish a carrier (air, rail and sea) portal account, the following information is required: Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC), International Air Transport Association (IATA), or International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) designator (as applicable); and method of transportation (i.e., air, rail, vessel).)

Cartman or lighterman. Once the Portal Account is established, cartmen or lightermen will be able to maintain addresses, points of contact, employee information and manage official data via the portal.

(To establish a cartman or lighterman portal account, the following information is required: Employer Identification Number (EIN) or Social Security Number (SSN) and CBP-issued license number.)

Driver/crew. Although drivers/crew are not required to establish an ACE portal account to transact business with CBP, drivers/crew who elect to have their own ACE portal account with a driver/crew view will be required to submit the following information: name; date of birth; and Commercial Driver's License (CDL).

(Drivers/crew who are interested in having their information entered into ACE are encouraged to contact a truck carrier with EDI or an ACE portal account; or a third party provider (this includes importers, brokers, and service centers) with an ACE portal account.)

Facility operator. Once the portal account is established, facility operators will be able to maintain facility operator addresses, points of contact, facility points of contact, and employee lists at the facility level, as well as store and view pertinent documents pertaining to the facility via the ACE portal.

(To establish a bonded warehouse, container freight station (CFS), or container examination station (CES) facility operator portal account, the following information is required: EIN or SSN; Facilities Information and Resources Management System (FIRMS) code; and bond number.)

Filer. Once the filer portal account is established, filers will be able to maintain addresses and points of contact (at the filer code level and port level).

(To establish a filer portal account, the filer must provide their filer code to CBP.)

FTZ operator. Once the portal account is established, Foreign Trade Zone operators will have the ability to maintain FTZ operator addresses, points of contact, and certifications pertinent to the site. FTZ operator portal account owners will also have the ability to view all sites operated by the FTZ operator, as well as view and store documents pertinent to the site.

(To establish a FTZ operator portal account, the following information is required: EIN or SSN; FIRMS code; zone number; sub-zone number (if applicable); site number; and bond number.)

Service provider. Once the service provider portal account is established, service providers will be able to maintain addresses and points of contact via the ACE portal.

(To establish a service provider portal account, the following information is required: software vendor- filer code and/or SCAC; service bureau/center- filer code and/or SCAC; port authority- SCAC; preparer- SCAC; and surety agent- filer code.)

Surety. Once the portal account is established, sureties will be able to access the following functionality via the portal: maintain addresses; points of contact; and corporate surety power of attorney data; and view continuous bond data.

(To establish a surety portal account, the following information is required: surety code and EIN.)

(See the Federal Register notice for information on the ACE application process.)

(For more information on ESAR A1's functionality, including information on CBP Form 5106, see ITT's Online Archives or 08/09/07 and 06/11/07 news, 07080920 and 07061105, for BP summaries of CBP's discussion of the deployment of A1 at the ACE Exchange VI and V conferences, respectively.

See ITT's Online Archives or 09/20/07 news, 07092005, for most recent BP update on the deployment of ESAR A1. See ITT's Online Archives or 09/27/07 news, 07092705, for BP summary announcing a revised ACE application (which includes the expanded account types).

See ITT's Online Archives or 08/31/07 news, 07083145 1, for BP summary announcing that the ACE Account Services Desk was increasing staffing levels to prepare for the new capabilities that are coming with the deployment of A1.

See ITT's Online Archives or 08/06/07 news, 07080610, for BP summary announcing that CBP updated its ACE Web-based training to include a course on A1.)

CBP general notice (FR Pub 10/18/07) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-20553.pdf