[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 62 (Thursday, March 30, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17002-17003]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-7801]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Customs Service


Continuation of the National Customs Automation Program Prototype

AGENCY: U.S. Customs Service, Department of the Treasury.

ACTION: General notice.

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SUMMARY: This document announces that funding has been made available 
to Customs for the continued operation of the National Customs 
Automation Program Prototype (NCAP/P). Consequently, notwithstanding 
publication of a recent notice announcing a scheduled termination of 
the NCAP/P due to a cessation of funding, funds have been made 
available and therefore the NCAP/P has remained in operation. The NCAP/
P will continue to operate for the previously approved participants as 
long as funding remains available. Customs is no longer accepting new 
applications for participation in     NCAP/P.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Fleming, U.S. Customs Service, 
at (202) 927-1049, or Virginia Noordewier, U.S. Customs Service, at 
(202) 927-3296.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The vision of the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) is to 
establish a Trade Compliance Process that achieves high levels of 
compliance and reduces the cycle time required for imports to clear 
Customs. The National Customs Automation Program Prototype (NCAP/P) is 
the prototype for the first implementation of this automated process.
    On March 27, 1997, Customs published a notice in the Federal 
Register (62 FR 14731) announcing its intention to implement the NCAP/P 
on a test basis; on August 21, 1998, Customs published in the Federal 
Register (63 FR 44949) a notice which modified the test with updated 
procedures and which replaced the previous notice. On October 15, 1998, 
Customs also published in the Federal Register (63 FR 55426) a notice 
announcing the proposed expansion of the prototype to five additional 
ports of entry.
    The NCAP/P plan called for a four-stage implementation of new cargo 
processing features over a period of up to three years. The NCAP/P 
commenced on April 27, 1998, with the implementation of the cargo 
release stage. On October 13, 1998, Customs implemented the second 
stage which provided for cargo release with examination. On February 
10, 2000, Customs published a notice in the Federal Register (65 FR 
6688) advising the public that, due to the cessation of necessary 
funding, the NCAP/P would conclude 30 days after publication of the 
notice and that, from that day

[[Page 17003]]

forward, NCAP/P participants must revert to non-NCAP/P processing for 
all cargo shipments.
    Following publication of the February 10, 2000, notice and prior to 
the scheduled termination date (March 13, 2000), funds became available 
for the continued operation of NCAP/P at its current locations through 
September 30, 2000. Each NCAP/P participant was individually advised by 
Customs that, due to this new availability of funds, the NCAP/P would 
not conclude as stated in the February 10, 2000, notice. The purpose of 
this notice is to advise the general public of the continued operation 
of the prototype.

Continuation of NCAP/P

    For the reasons stated above, the NCAP/P has remained in operation 
at its current locations and will continue to operate for previously 
approved participants through September 30, 2000, or for any longer 
period during which funds for the operation of NCAP/P are available. 
Customs is not accepting new applications for participation in the 
NCAP/P.

    Dated: March 24, 2000.
 Robert J. McNamara,
Acting Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field Operations.
[FR Doc. 00-7801 Filed 3-29-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4820-02-P