CBP Releases its March 31, 2004 Quarterly Report to Congress on ACE
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has recently posted to its Web site its quarterly report on the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) entitled Report to Congress: the Automated Commercial Environment. This report is dated March 31, 2004 and covers the period from January 1, 2004 through March 31, 2004.
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CBP states that this report provides a "snapshot" of current ACE program status, highlighting recent accomplishments, challenges, and near-term milestones through June 30, 2004.
This is Part I of a multi-part series of summaries of CBP's March 31, 2004 report and provides highlights of the status of CBP's efforts to resolve outstanding audit recommendations made by the General Accounting Office (GAO). See future issues of ITT for additional summaries.
CBP Reports on its Progress on GAO Recommendations
CBP states in its March 31, 2004 report that it has closed (i.e., resolved) GAO's recommendations that it (1) develop and implement process controls for Software Acquisition Capability Maturity Model (SA-CMM) Level 2 Key Process Areas and Level 3 Acquisition Risk Management and report quarterly on progress; and (b) certify that the Enterprise Architecture has been sufficiently extended, before building each ACE release.
CBP also states that it is working aggressively to address the GAO recommendations that remain open. One of the open GAO recommendations on which CBP is working is related to the use of ACE infrastructure for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), highlights of which are provided below:
Open GAO Recommendation - Address Use of ACE Infrastructure to Support Other Homeland Security Applications
GAO has recommended that CBP take appropriate steps to have future ACE expenditure plans specifically address proposals or plans to extend or use ACE infrastructure to support other homeland security applications. In its March 31, 2004 report, CBP responds to GAO's recommendation by noting that:
Modernization Office is closely coordinating with DHS counterparts. CBP states that its Modernization Office is closely coordinating with DHS counterparts to ensure appropriate program integration, plan for future environments, share resources and lessons learned, and leverage economies of scale on infrastructure investment.
Proposed new advisory committee. In order to support CBP modernization, CBP states that its Modernization Office is also developing a plan for a proposed advisory committee, comprised of government officials and private industry experts.
Inclusion of DHS representatives in reviews, etc. CBP states that its Modernization Office has also included DHS representatives in program management reviews and the development of program expenditure plans.
Outreach with TSA, etc. Additionally, CBP states that it is conducting outreach with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection Directorate to determine how they can be involved in ACE development.
Modernization Office meeting with US-VISIT program offices. CBP also states that the leadership from its Modernization Office and US-VISIT program offices met in mid-February 2004 to discuss lessons learned, best practices, and opportunities for collaboration.
CBP's March 31, 2004 quarterly report (CBPMO-RPRT-010) is available at