Census to Begin 2-Year Program to Update AESDirect Interface; Discusses FTR Rule Changes to AES
The Census Bureau is embarking on a two-year effort to improve the AESDirect interface, said Paul Newman, chief of the Census’ Automated Export System Branch, at the Update 2012 Conference on Export Controls and Policy. The update, a joint effort between the Foreign Trade Division, Census’ Human Factors and Usability Research Team, and the AESDirect Contractor, will result in “improved usability, accessibility, and overall experience for our 47,000 AESDirect filers,” he said.
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Census has improved the AESDirect back-end used by Census, but with that effort completed it is now undertaking a project to improve the filer experience as well, Newman said. Usability reviews will be held throughout the two-year development cycle, and external focus groups consisting of current export filers will provide further evaluation throughout major development milestones, he said.
Specifically, Newman said the following functions will be added to the AESDirect interface:
- A single web-based system with a single sign-on incorporating the functionalities of all current AESDirect program applications (e.g., AESPCLink, AESWebLink, AESDirect VPN Service)
- Save partial or complete EEI
- Print complete or custom EEI
- Dynamic feedback of errors or incomplete fields through on-screen notifications during input of EEI (so that the filer doesn’t have to wait until after filing to be notified of errors)
- Improved Help Text for guidance on field requirements
- Improved navigation and look and feel
- Live chat help and online feedback form
Census, BIS Also Discuss Some Changes to AES in the Upcoming FTR Rule
Census and BIS also discussed the changes to the AES that will be brought about by the upcoming final rule to amend the Foreign Trade Regulations. In his review of the upcoming changes to AES from the FTR final rule, Omari Wooden of Census confirmed that country of origin, transportation reference number (TRN), and equipment & seal number will not be required as was proposed. License value, ultimate consignee type, and shipment reference number will all be added or revised, he said.
Gerry Horner, Acting Director of BIS’ Office of Technology Evaluation, said ultimate consignee type will allow filers to select “Direct Consumer,” “Government Entity,” “Other,” and “Unknown” as options for the field. The identification of ultimate consignee in AES would allow BIS to more efficiently monitor use of the Strategic Trade Authorization license exception (which is only allowed for government end-use), he said. For example, filers who select “unknown” for the field would be targeted for an end-use check, he said. Horner also said to look for continuing work from BIS to allow for exact matches between BIS licenses and license exceptions and EEI in AES, which would help in ensuring the end-user country is entered into AES instead of the intermediate consignee.
(See ITT’s Online Archives 12061331 for summary of the June 12 Regulations and Procedure Technical Advisory Committee meeting, at which the FTR revisions were discussed. See also ITT’s Online Archives 11030426 for table with links to ITT’s nine-part summary of the proposed FTR rule. The proposals have undergone some changes since publication of the rule.)