CBP Terminates its Semi-Monthly Statement Processing Prototype, as Participants Have Moved to PMS
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a general notice, effective September 8, 2008, announcing its decision to formally terminate the test of the semi-monthly filing and statement processing prototype program that was initiated in April 1998, as part of the National Customs Automation Program (NCAP).
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(This prototype permitted importers to file entry summaries and to pay their duties, taxes, and fees within seven days of the end of a 15 or 16 day semi-monthly period for cargo released during that period. Only six importers elected to participate in the program that was originally instituted at 14 ports of entry (number of ports later expanded, but not the number of participants).)
Participants in Prototype Have Moved to PMS
All of the six original participants in the Semi-Monthly Statement Processing Prototype have terminated their involvement in the program in favor of participation in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE)-based Periodic Monthly Statement (PMS)1.
ACE allows account holders to pay duties, taxes, fees, and other payments owed using a periodic statement cycle. The ACE Secure Data Portal system for PMS processing has been deployed nationwide thereby ending the need for the semi-monthly filing program.
(The PMS feature simplifies the processing of duties and fees for importers and brokers with ACE accounts. PMS can streamline accounting and report processing and provide the ability to make periodic payments on an interest-free monthly basis. PMS has now exceeded over two billion dollars in revenues on the periodic deposit of estimated duties and fees.)
Test was Conceived as a Transitional Procedure from ACS to ACE
The test of the semi-monthly filing program was conceived as a transitional procedure from the Automated Commercial System (ACS) to the full electronic processing of commercial importations in ACE.
1Also referred to as Periodic Monthly Payment statement
CBP contact- Sharon Taylor (202) 863-6527 or Sharon.Taylor@dhs.gov
(See ITT's Online Archives or 06/24/02 news, 02062405, for most recent BP summary on the NCAP semi-monthly processing test.
See ITT's Online Archives or 09/04/08 news, 08090405, for BP summary announcing that CBP updated its ACE FAQ, which contains a section on PMS.)
CBP general notice (FR Pub 09/08/08) available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-20765.pdf