CBP Discusses its Own ITDS Concept of Operations

(CBP defines a ConOps is a high level description of business processes and needs, the basic building block of an information technology projects. CBP states its ITDS ConOps documents the future vision of ACE CBP interagency cargo processing from beginning to end including manifest, entry, and post entry operations; it also demonstrates CBP’s commitment to the “Single Window Concept” for the international trade community. CBP notes that its previous ConOps (prepared in 2004) only looked at CBP’s processes, while the new ConOps documents the future vision of ACE and how CBP and Participating Government Agency (PGA) processes are interrelated.)

CBP Has Completed First Phase of ConOps

CBP created a Task Force, under the direction of the Office of International Trade, which was directed to complete an ITDS ConOps. The first phase of the ITDS ConOps was completed on December 31, 2009. CBP sources have previously started that the first phase was approved by CBP’s Executive Steering Committee in January 2010.

CBP Working with FDA and Five Other PGAs on Second Phase

CBP has previously stated that this first phase resulted in a very high level document with lots of blanks, which CBP is trying to fill in during the second phase. In the second phase, CBP is working with six key admissibility agencies (including the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Food and Drug Administration, and Environmental Protection Agency) to do gap analysis between their approved ConOps and CBP’s ConOps and coordinate any necessary changes.

ConOps Reflects Cargo Process Changes

During the webinar, CBP outlined certain cargo process changes envisioned in its ITDS ConOps, highlights of which include:

Manifest and conveyance:

• Processes for all modes of transportation modeled on Ocean/Rail Manifest (M1) functions and business rules.
• ACE will accept electronic notice of conveyance arrival
• Recognition of an expedited entry process

Entry and Release:

• Critical HTS flags will be maintained by PGAs
• Release may be contingent upon multiple agencies but CBP retains “final release” authority
• Status notifications of agencies holding merchandise and agencies that will have further interest after CBP release will be sent by ACE to the trade
• Carrier and broker notified of release at the same time
• Automated entry correction/deletion process is correlated with entry summary processing

Post Release:

• Automation of PGA re-delivery process to track merchandise refused entry
• Post summary corrections (to be delivered with release A2.3.1b)
• PGAs may send request for information and receive the responses from the filer/importer through ACE
• Revised electronic drawback process requires passage of drawback reform legislation
• CBP will record protest decisions in ACE

Re-broadcast of Webinar, Copy of Presentation to be Available on CBP Web Site

CBP stated that its webinar, as well as the PowerPoint presentation from the webinar, would be available on CBP’s Web site. (As of the morning of April 19, 2010, neither the webinar, nor the presentation, had been posted.)

(See ITT’s Online Archives or 03/05/10 news, (Ref: 10030505), for BP summary of CBP’s FY 2011 budget request having $75 million less for ACE and plans for ACE to enter an operation and maintenance steady state.

See ITT’s Online Archives or 03/24/10 news, (Ref: 10032410), for BP summary of the discussion of CBP’s ITDS ConOps at the February 2010 COAC meeting.

See ITT’s Online Archives or 11/06/09 news, (Ref: 09110605), for BP summary of the ITDS annual report.

See ITT’s Online Archives or 04/12/10 news, (Ref: 10041205), for BP summary of the ACE program update portion of CBP’s webinar.)