U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted a February 2012 user guide on Post Summary Corrections (PSC) of entry summaries in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE). Importer-authorized ACE entry summary filers can submit a PSC for an existing ACE entry summary type 01 and 03 entry summary, which replaces the existing summary with a new version that will be processed through existing validations, including Census warnings. If a PSC is filed by someone other than the original filer, the original filer will not get a courtesy notice of liquidation via ABI (unless the filing occurs under NILS). Only the original entry filer or most recent PSC filer will be able to view the specific entry summary that was corrected. However, output records are split into "semi-private" (limited information, not the current owner) and "private/owner" information. Note that the filing of PSCs is considered 'customs business.' Post-Summary Corrections User Guide is available here.
Automated Commercial Environment (ACE)
The Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) is the CBP's electronic system through which the international trade community reports imports and exports and the government determines admissibility.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a 183 page list of all active Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) User Requirements of the Trade Support Network that are pending CBP review. Most of these active user requirements cover ACE Accounts, Entry, and Multi-Modal Manifest (MMM), however there are also Export and Revenue user requirements, among others. CBP has also posted a 300+ page list of all active (pending CBP review) and completed ACE user requirements of the TSN, called the User Requirement Tracking Matrix (URTM) here. The 183 page list no longer appears to be on CBP's website, but is available by emailing documents@brokerpower.com
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted its draft agenda and 22 other documents for the upcoming Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of Customs and Border Protection (COAC) meeting on February 21, 2012, which include presentations, draft recommendations, and other documents on the role of the Broker, Simplified Entry, Bonds, the Global Supply Chain, and other topics.
On February 13, 2012, the President submitted to Congress his fiscal year 2013 budget proposal. According to the Office of Management and Budget, his FY 2013 budget proposes cuts and consolidations across the Federal government and includes more than $7.5 billion in administrative savings. The following are highlights from the President's budget proposal and annex, a DHS budget document, and other agency information.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted the following user guides for the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE):
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted an updated version of its February 2012 "Trade Transformation" document, which includes a modified flow diagram of the Simplified Entry process in the air cargo environment from pre-departure to arrival. The diagram has removed the CBP messaging icons and descriptors and instead more fully describes CBP's interaction with and messaging to filers and carriers throughout the Simplified Entry (SE) process. The updated version also no longer lists the locations for current and planned Centers of Excellence and Expertise.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a short, summarized timeline of ACE trade functionality that spans the years 2003 through 2012 and beyond.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted an updated version of its "Trade Transformation" document on CBP's "BEST" trade plan for 21st century trade. This document has been updated, in part, to provide a flow diagram of the Simplified Entry process in the air cargo environment which depicts filer and carrier actions and CBP's corresponding messaging from pre-departure to arrival. The updated document also provides a general overview and expected next steps for CBP's Simplified Entry initiative.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted the following user guides on the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE):
During a recent trade event1, CBP’s Acting Assistant and Deputy Commissioners discussed Acting Commissioner Aguilar's vision for the agency and the trade community in the face of current and future budget cuts. Officials state that CBP will continue to push its mission by reducing transaction costs and transforming the organization. CBP will do this by transitioning from "regulators" to "enablers" of trade. CBP will also need to harmonize its policies and regulations with its ACE efforts, address revenue-loss issues in the AD/CV collection system, and reset the penalty/mitigation process so that it is more efficient.