ACE Simplified Entry Pilot to Use "Best Available" Data, Exclude OGA Entries for Now, Etc.
According to CBP officials, the upcoming ACE Simplified Entry Pilot, at this point, will exclude entries that have other government agency (OGA) requirements, such as Food and Drug Administration or Fish and Wildlife Service requirements, etc. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials also state that Simplified Entry will seek "best available" data that can be updated later. In addition, the submission of an ISF will still be required for the ocean mode, but the submission of ISF-like data will be voluntary for other modes.
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According to CBP officials and minutes from the October 4, 2011 COAC meeting:
Best available data sought. The approach taken in the Simplified Entry process is to allow people to file data as soon as it’s available and provide any information which becomes available or changes to CBP later.
Working on PGA integration. Entries subject to Participating Government Agency requirements will not at this point be included in the Simplified Entry Pilot. Once they are integrated, CBP expects PGAs to accept preliminary data from entry filers with subsequent updates to be provided as information becomes available, rather than giving PGAs information that is very precise and complete as with today’s cargo release filing. CBP is in discussions with PGAs regarding their integration into Simplified Entry. (OGAs may need more time to get used to the idea of working with “best available” data.)
Earlier release decision. If CBP and OGAs can receive data filed by the importer early in the process, rather than waiting for data which the carrier files, those agencies can make an earlier decision on release. This earlier decision allows the importer and broker to make transportation arrangements to facilitate agencies’ needs for examination. This will save industry money and increase predictability.
(CBP states that the basic idea is to receive data both from the carrier and from the importer or broker, but to separate the two sources of data.)
Future aggregated monthly summary. A consolidated entry summary is under consideration, which would be an aggregated statement filed once a month for all shipments which occurred in the preceding month. This would be built on the importers’ current accounting or inventory systems.
The aggregated summary is moving in the direction of account-based processing. It will allow corrections to be made in a more consolidated way, cutting down on the time CBP spends processing them. The aggregated summary proposal also allows for line level liquidation, to resolve liability earlier and more specifically. Data matching will be essentially eliminated to avoid unnecessary reconciliation work. The need to reconcile entry data with entry summary data will also be eliminated. The aggregated entry summary will be piloted after the simplified entry pilot.
ISF. In Simplified Entry, the Importer Security Filing (ISF) would still be required in the ocean mode, but in the other modes (air, rail, truck), submission of ISF-like data would be voluntary.
(See ITT's Online Archives 11111517 for summary of draft CATAIR Chapter/Message Set Links for Simplified Entry. See ITT's Online Archives 11111016 for summary of the 3461 data vs. the Simplified Entry data. See ITT's Online Archives 11110918 for detailed summary of CBP's announcement of its test of ACE Simplified Entry starting December 31, 2011.)