[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 231 (Thursday, November 30, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71356-71357]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-30467]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Customs Service


Extension of General Program Test: Quota Preprocessing

AGENCY: Customs Service, Treasury.

ACTION: General notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces that the testing period for the quota 
preprocessing program, which allows for the electronic processing of 
quota-class apparel merchandise, is being extended through the year 
2002. The test is being extended at the ports where quota preprocessing 
is currently being tested, but not being expanded to other ports at 
this time because of programming changes that have yet to be made to 
the Automated Commercial System. When the programming changes are 
completed, Customs will expand the program to all ports. Public 
comments concerning any aspect of the test are solicited.

DATES: The test is extended from January 1, 2001, until December 31, 
2002, with evaluations of the test occurring periodically. Applications 
to participate in the test and comments concerning the test will 
continue to be accepted throughout the testing period.

[[Page 71357]]


ADDRESSES: Written comments regarding this notice or any aspect of this 
test should be addressed to Lori Bowers, U.S. Customs Service, QWG Team 
Leader, 1000 Second Ave., Suite 2100, Seattle, WA 98104-1020 or may be 
sent via e-mail to [email protected]. Applications should 
be sent to the prototype coordinator at any of the four following 
port(s) where the applicant wishes to submit quota entries for 
preprocessing:
    (1) Nancy Petagna, Port of Los Angeles, 300 S. Ferry St., Terminal 
Island, CA 90731;
    (2) Tony Piscitelli, Los Angeles International Airport, 11099 S. La 
Cienaga Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90045;
    (3) Barry Goldberg, JFK Airport, JFK Building 77, Jamaica, NY 
11430; and
    (4) John Lava, Ports of New York/Newark, 6 World Trade Center, New 
York, NY 10048.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lori Bowers (206) 553-0452 or Cynthia 
Porter (202) 927-5399.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 24, 1998, Customs published a 
general notice in the Federal Register (63 FR 39929) announcing the 
limited testing, pursuant to the provisions of Sec. 101.9(a) of the 
Customs Regulations (19 CFR 101.9(a)), of a new operational procedure 
regarding the electronic processing of quota-class apparel merchandise. 
The new procedure was designed to allow certain quota entries 
(merchandise classifiable in chapters 61 and 62 of the Harmonized 
Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS)) to be processed prior to 
carrier arrival, thus, reducing the quota processing time. The test was 
to be conducted at only four ports located in New York/Newark and Los 
Angeles and was to commence no earlier than August 24, 1998, and run 
for approximately six months. The notice informed the public of the new 
procedure and eligibility requirements for participation in the test, 
and solicited comments concerning any aspect of the test. The initial 
testing of the quota preprocessing program did not begin until 
September 15, 1998. The six-month time period of the original test 
expired on March 14, 1999.
    On March 25, 1999, Customs published a general notice in the 
Federal Register (64 FR 14499) announcing that the testing period for 
the quota preprocessing program was being extended through the 
remainder of 1999. The testing was extended so that Customs could 
further evaluate the program's effectiveness and determine whether the 
program should be expanded to other ports. Again, the notice informed 
the public of the eligibility requirements for participation in the 
test, and solicited comments concerning any aspect of the test.
    On January 6, 2000, Customs published another general notice in the 
Federal Register (65 FR 806) announcing that the testing period for the 
quota preprocessing program was being extended through the year 2000. 
The testing was extended at the ports where the test was already 
underway, but not expanded to other ports, so that programming changes 
could be made to the Automated Commercial System (ACS) which would have 
an impact on the expansion. At that time, the changes were scheduled to 
begin in March of 2000.
    For budgetary reasons, the ACS programming changes could not be 
made as scheduled. Thus, the testing of the quota preprocessing program 
must continue until Customs can evaluate the electronic feasibility of 
expanding the program to all ports.
    Accordingly, this document announces that Customs is extending the 
test of the quota preprocessing prototype at the ports where testing is 
already underway until the end of 2002. Those ports are: the port of 
Los Angeles (Port code: 2704); the port of New York/Newark (Port codes: 
1001/4601); JFK Airport (Port code: 4701); and Los Angeles 
International Airport (Port code: 2720). Anyone interested in 
participating in the test should refer to the test notice published in 
the July 24, 1998 Federal Register for eligibility and application 
information. Any expansion of the parameters of the test will be the 
subject of a future Federal Register notice.

    Dated: November 27, 2000.
Bonni G. Tischler,
Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field Operations.
[FR Doc. 00-30467 Filed 11-29-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4820-02-P