CBP announced modifications to the National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) test regarding the simplified entry functionality in the Automated Commercial Environment. It modified the test's participant selection criteria to reflect that the C-TPAT status of an importer for whom a customs broker files a Simplified Entry is no longer an eligibility criterion. The test is no longer limited to nine participants and CBP is accepting applications from interested parties wishing to participate in the test. Prior unsuccessful applicants must reapply to be considered, it said.

CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related issues:

CBP will test giving new authority to directors of the established Centers for Excellence and Expertise (CEEs), it said in a Federal Register notice Aug. 28. The pilot program will allow the CEE directors to have similar authority as port directors as a step towards achieve uniformity in the treatment at ports of entry for certain industries.

CBP's ACEopedia for August 2012 describes a "New ACE Development Strategy." The new "Agile-like" strategy allows for the additions of smaller functionalities to ACE and has been used in deploying Simplified Entry (SE), the Document Image System (DIS) and Participating Government Agency (PGA) Interoperability, said CBP. The new strategy was the biggest change between the new ACEopedia and previous versions. The new ACEopedia doesn't mention the departure of Cindy Allen, the current head of the ACE Business Office.

CBP posted a record of changes since Aug. 8 to the ACE ABI CATAIR (Customs and Trade Automated Interface Requirements). The only changes were to the In-Bond chapter. The change log is (here). The full CATAIR is (here). The In-Bond chapter is (here).

International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for July 30-Aug. 3 in case they were missed last week.

CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related issues:

Messaging responses for Importer Security Filing (ISF) stand alone messages in the X12 format have been inconsistent, said CBP in a CSMS message. CBP posted the 355 and 350 messages for ISF transactions to clarify this messaging, it said. There is a format change from ACS. ACS response messages were in X12 4010 format and these response messages in ACE will be in X.12 5040 format. This only applies to stand alone ISF messages in ACE. Currently, 350 response messages for ISF stand alone transmissions are being returned in 5040 format and 355 messages are being returned in 4010 format. On September 5, 2012 CBP will be transitioning the 355 messages from 4010 to 5040 format. For those already processing ISF responses from ACE, the only change in the message itself is the change from 4010 to 5040. The entire body of the message will remain the same.

CBP posted two updated sets of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), one for policy questions and another for technical questions, on the ongoing Simplified Entry pilot. CBP will being its evaluation of the pilot, which began in May, it said in the policy FAQ. Under Simplified Entry, an importer can file an entry far in advance of a shipment and receive a release indication on its cargo much earlier than under the current entry process.

Brenda Smith will replace Cynthia Allen as head of the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Business Office, after Allen leaves for a position at DHL next month, said industry and government officials. Brenda Smith is now the executive director of trade policy and programs in the CBP Office of International Trade. John Leonard, director of textile and apparel policy at CBP, will replace Smith, said CBP.