[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 123 (Monday, June 28, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36094-36095]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-14560]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Bureau of Customs and Border Protection


Conclusion of Paperless Drawback Prototype

AGENCY: Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security.

ACTION: General notice.

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SUMMARY: This document announces that U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection (CBP) will be concluding its Paperless Drawback Prototype. 
The prototype, which tests the feasibility of filing paperless drawback 
claims using the Automated Broker Interface of CBP's Automated 
Commercial System, was announced in a Federal Register document 
published on September 27, 2002. In that document, CBP announced its 
intent to run the prototype for approximately one year and evaluate the 
test program at the end of that period. Based on its evaluation, CBP 
has determined that processing of paperless drawback claims cannot be 
successfully accomplished under current automated systems and the 
Paperless Drawback Prototype should not be continued for that reason.

DATES: The Paperless Drawback Prototype will conclude on June 28, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sherri Lee Hoffman, Entry and Drawback 
Management Branch, Telephone: (202) 927-0300, E-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    In a document published in the Federal Register (67 FR 61197) on 
September 27, 2002, CBP announced its plan to conduct a prototype to 
test the feasibility of filing paperless drawback claims using the 
Automated Broker Interface of CBP's Automated Commercial System. The 
test program was scheduled to run for approximately one year, with a 
final evaluation to take place at the end of that period.
    In a subsequent announcement in the Federal Register (68 FR 18994), 
dated

[[Page 36095]]

April 17, 2003, CBP reopened the prototype's application period to 
encourage greater participation in the test program. As a result, 
commencement of the prototype was delayed until June 18, 2003.
    Based on its evaluation of the Paperless Drawback Prototype, CBP 
has concluded that processing of paperless drawback claims cannot be 
successfully accomplished under current automated systems. In this 
regard, it is noted that certain types of drawback claims cannot be 
processed without the filing of paper documentation (i.e., drawback 
claims involving NAFTA merchandise, merchandise processing fees, harbor 
maintenance fees, single entry bonds, etc.). Although CBP notified 
approved participants in writing that drawback claims requiring paper 
documentation would not be accepted for purposes of the Paperless 
Drawback Prototype, many such claims were nonetheless submitted to CBP 
under the auspices of the test program. In these instances, CBP was 
able to redirect the submissions as paper drawback claims. It is 
anticipated, however, that an expansion of the Paperless Drawback 
Prototype would make this problem difficult to contain and would result 
in unnecessary delays in the processing of drawback claims.
    For this reason, CBP is of the view that the Paperless Drawback 
Prototype should be discontinued. CBP will conclude the Paperless 
Drawback Prototype effective upon the date of publication of this 
document in the Federal Register.

    Dated: June 22, 2004.
William S. Heffelfinger III,
Acting Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field Operations.
[FR Doc. 04-14560 Filed 6-25-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4820-02-P