CBP's Notice Opening ACE Portal Test to All Brokers and Importers also Opened Participation in Periodic Payment
On September 8, 2004, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a general notice entitled: ACE: Open Application Period for Participation in a National Customs Automation Program Test for Importers and Brokers.
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The notice stated that it is inviting eligible Customs brokers to participate in the National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) Test for the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Secure Data Portal (ACE Portal).
Accordiing to CBP sources, the notice also indicated that all eligible importers may apply to participate in the ACE Portal test.
CBP stated that priority would be given to the first 1,100 applications received. CBP sources add that "any and all" eligible importers and Customs brokers may now become ACE accounts and participate in the ACE Portal. (See ITT's Online Archives or 09/09/04 news, 04090905 for BP summary of September 8, 2004 general notice.)
Periodic Monthly Statement Now Open to All Qualifying Importers, Importers/Brokers
According to CBP sources, the September 8, 2004 general notice also signified that the testing phase of ACE Release 3 (Periodic Monthly Statement) has been completed and that this release is now operational and open to all eligible importers, or importers and their Customs brokers.
Sources state that an importer that wants to participate in Periodic Monthly Statement must first be an ACE importer account and add the applicable rider to their bond.
In addition, such importers may use any Customs broker that is an ACE broker account. (A Customs broker will no longer need to be designated specifically as the broker by an ACE importer account participating in Periodic Monthly Statement.)
In addition, sources state that Customs brokers that become ACE broker accounts cannot participate in Periodic Monthly Statement for an importer that is not itself an ACE importer account authorized for Periodic Monthly Statement (e.g. has the bond rider).
Sources state that Customs brokers can only use Periodic Monthly Statement for an importer that is not an ACE importer account authorized for periodic payment if the Customs broker is the ACE importer account (with the bond rider) for the entries in question.
Sources add that the responsibility for periodic payment rests on the Importer of Record, noting that "it is all about the bond rider."
(Regarding CBP notices prior to the September 8, 2004 notice, CBP states in the September 8th notice (which lists the information that ACE importer account and broker account applications must contain) that all requirements and aspects of the test discussed in previous notices (see below for links) are hereby incorporated by reference into this notice and continue to be applicable.)
CBP's General Notice on Open Application Period for Importers and Brokers (FR Pub 09/08/04), available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-20319.pdf
CBP General Notice on NCAP Test of Periodic Monthly Statement and Establishment of Broker Accounts in ACE Portal (FR Pub 02/04/04), available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-2254.pdf
CBP's General Notice reopening application period for NCAP Test of ACE Account Portal (FR Pub 06/18/02), available at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2002_register&docid=02-15337-filed.pdf
CBP's General Notice on NCAP Test of ACE Account Portal (FR Pub 05/01/02), available at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2002_register&docid=02-10777-filed.pdf