Customs Border & Protection Announces In Roads for Greater Participation in ACE by Trade Community

Issue 024, August 9, 2007

On August 26, 2007, United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will implement new Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) functionality that will expand the types of trade entities that can become ACE Secure Data Portal accounts. Additional enhancements include an expansion on the amount of reference material available through ACE and an improvement of operational and report functionality for existing account types, i.e. importers, brokers, and international truck carriers. Attached is an information notice related to your industry sector that we would like you to distribute to your members so that they can take advantage of this new functionality.

ACE is the U.S. trade processing system designed to enhance our nation’s border security and facilitate legitimate trade. ACE will eventually replace the Automated Commercial System (ACS) as the cargo processing system of record for CBP. Previous ACE functionality already implemented by CBP includes the establishment of the ACE portal accounts, providing the trade community with a national view of their transactions, Periodic Monthly Statement, providing the trade the opportunity to pay their duties and fees on a monthly basis; and e-Manifest Trucks, providing truck carriers the ability to file an electronic manifest.

Please also note that CBP has created similar information notices, for each of the following additional new or enhanced account types:

• Importer Broker
• Carrier (all modes)
• Facility Operator (CBP bonded warehouse, container freight station, or centralized examination station)
• Cartman (CBP licensed)
• Lighterman (CBP licensed)
• Foreign Trade Zone operator
• Service Provider (software provider, service bureaus/center, port authority, third party manifest preparer, and surety agent)
• Surety

On August 26, 2007 or thereafter, current ACE Portal account types (importers, brokers, and truck carriers) will be able to take advantage of the new functionality and request any additional portal account views. Interested parties who currently do not have an ACE Portal account and who are interested in applying can find application information on cbp.gov/ACE: Modernization Information Systems at:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/about/modernization/ace_app_info/

Please contact Anita Brown at Anita.Brown@associates.dhs.gov if you have any questions or if you would like to receive any of the information notices listed above. We thank you in advance for your cooperation in this effort to fully inform the trade community of these important enhancements.