Administration Lists Planned ACE Projects for Current Fiscal Year

The budget request also states that ACE will continue to enhance border security, expedite trade flow and simplify and expedite cargo releases; however, the development of the remaining basic entry summary transactions, modernized cargo release processes or enhancing the single window concept that integrates with Participating Government Agencies (PGAs) will be deferred.

(CBP's FY 2011 budget request for ACE reflects $75 million less in funding than was enacted for FY 2010.)

Request Lists FY 2010 ACE Plans for M1, M2.1, Post Summary Correction, Etc.

According to the Administration's FY 2011 budget request, CBP has four ACE projects planned for FY 2010 (which ends on September 30, 2010):

e-Manifest: Ocean and Rail - also known as M1, which will provide cargo manifest processing for rail and sea modes of transportation and the creation of a unified, multi-modal environment that will support all modes of transportation. CBP expects full operational capability by the first quarter of FY 2011.

e-Manifest: Air - also known as M2.1, which would provide cargo into the multi-modal manifest processing environment shared by the rail and sea modes of transportation. Drop M2.1 will resulting the rail, sea, and air modes of transportation sharing a common repository and reference files in an environment of enhanced functionality access via the ACE portal. Full operational capability for this release is dependent upon the successful completion of e-Manifest: Ocean and Rail.

Cargo Release - will provide for collection of additional data elements to support PGA as well as CBP. Full operational capability for this release is dependent upon the successful completion of e-Manifest: Ocean and Rail.

PSC, Imaging - will implement some of the remaining basic entry summary transactions such as post-summary corrections (PSC). It will also implement document image capture. CBP expects full operational capability by the first quarters of FY 2011.

ACE Funding and Contract Expire in 2011

One trade source noted that the current ACE project funding stream and contracts run out in 2011 and that for the period that follows, CBP would be expected to more strongly link the ACE contract and funding request mechanisms to the development of specific functionality.

(On April 27, 2001, CBP awarded its ACE contract. The contract provided for an initial performance period of five years and allowed CBP to extend the contract for an additional five years.)

Several Smaller ITDS Projects Could be Completed with Existing Funds

At the February 25, 2010 COAC meeting, a Treasury official stated that the ITDS Board of Directors has compiled a list of easy and inexpensive steps that it believes can be taken to quickly advance ITDS.

The Treasury official noted that ITDS has $30 million in funding available to spend, and that the following information technology projects could probably be completed for a "couple of million dollars":

Electronic filing and RLF - immediately add data elements required by other agencies to the major import reporting messages (e.g., manifest, entry, entry summary). This will allow PGAs to work with data now and allow electronic instead of paper filing of PGA data, which would allow expanded use of remote location filing.

Automated data moves - move large amounts of data using an automated, secure method. This would enable low cost, secure automated system exchanges so PGAs can use data now. This would establish specifications that PGAs can build to.

CERTS enhancements - modify existing CBP data systems to auto-populate the Cargo Enforcement Reports and Tracking System (CERTS) with both new and existing data elements. This would provide efficiency of process, accountability, transparency of inspection results for CBP/PGAs and promote enforcement.

FTZs - complete FTZ account structure within ACE to allow for zone site information to be included. This would enhance tracking and enforcement efforts of PGAs concerned with FTZ sites.

System requirements - completion of business and system requirements. This will enable agencies to build to specification and ensures that knowledge developed by CBP and PGAs is not lost.

Also included in the ITDS Board of Director's list of concrete steps that could be taken to advance ITDS are the following "policy development projects:"

Product Information for Risk Management - harmonize product-specific PGA codes (e.g., Global Trade Item Number). This would improve PGA jurisdiction and risk determinations and reduce the filing burden on importers.

Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS) - alternate entity identifier for all parties to an import/export transaction. This would create a unique standard (non-redundant) for all business entities and reduce the filing burden on importers.

The amount of funding required for these two policy development projects was not discussed by the Treasury official at the February 25, 2010 COAC meeting.

¹Fiscal year 2011 is from October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011.

ITDS project list from February 25, 2010 COAC meeting available at http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/trade/trade_outreach/coac/meetings/02252010_meeting/itds_summary.ctt/itds_summary.pdf