[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 138 (Tuesday, July 19, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42721-42722]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-18089]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

U.S. Customs and Border Protection


Automated Commercial Environment (ACE): Announcement of a New 
Start Date for the National Customs Automation Program Test of 
Automated Manifest Capabilities for Ocean and Rail Carriers

AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, DHS.

ACTION: General notice.

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SUMMARY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is announcing that 
the National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) test concerning the 
transmission of required advance ocean and rail data through the 
Automated Commercial Environment is scheduled to begin no earlier than 
August 1, 2011. CBP previously announced that this test would begin no 
earlier than December 22, 2010. This notice advises the public of the 
updated timeline for the test and announces that applications are still 
being accepted.

DATES: The test will commence no earlier than August 1, 2011 and will 
run for no less than 90 days. CBP is currently accepting applications 
to participate and will continue to accept applications throughout the 
duration of the test. Selected applicants will be notified by CBP and 
will then undergo a certification process prior to beginning the test. 
Comments concerning this notice and all aspects of the announced test 
may be submitted at any time during the test period.

ADDRESSES: Applications to participate in the test should be sent to 
Susan Maskell at [email protected]. Please describe in the body of 
the e-mail any past electronic data interchange (EDI) history with CBP. 
Written comments concerning program and policy issues should be sent to 
[email protected]. Please indicate in the subject line whether 
the comment relates to ocean carriers, rail carriers, or both.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Interested parties should direct any 
questions to their assigned Client Representative. Interested parties 
without an assigned Client Representative should direct their questions 
to the Client Representative Branch at 571-468-5500.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Certain ocean and rail data is required to be transmitted in 
advance of arrival through a CBP-approved electronic data interchange 
(EDI).The data includes the advance cargo information required by 
section 343 of the Trade Act of 2002, as amended by the Maritime 
Transportation Security Act of 2002 (See 68 FR 68140, December 5, 
2003), and the advance data ocean carriers are required to provide 
pursuant to the importer security filing and additional carrier 
requirements interim final rule, commonly known as 10+2 (See 73 FR 
71730, November 25, 2008).\1\ Currently, the Automated Commercial 
System (ACS) is the CBP-approved EDI through which this required data 
must be transmitted.
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    \1\ For specific information about the requirements to provide 
advance cargo information to CBP, please see the following sections 
of title 19 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR): 4.7 Inward 
foreign manifest; production on demand; contents and form; advance 
filing of cargo declaration; 4.7a Inward manifest; information 
required; alternative forms; 4.7c Vessel stow plan; 4.7d Container 
status messages, 123.91 Electronic information for rail cargo 
required in advance of arrival; and part 149 Importer Security 
Filing.
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New Start Date for NCAP Test

    On October 20, 2010, CBP issued a Federal Register notice 
announcing a National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) test to allow 
ocean and rail data to be transmitted through the Automated Commercial 
Environment (ACE) and scheduled the test to commence no earlier than 
December 22, 2010. See 75 FR 64737. Due to programming delays, the test 
will begin no earlier than August 1, 2011.
    For complete information on the test, including specifics on 
eligibility criteria, test procedures, and the application process, 
which is still ongoing, please refer to the October 20, 2010 notice.

[[Page 42722]]

Next Steps

    After the successful completion of the test, CBP plans to publish a 
document in the Federal Register announcing that ACE will be the only 
CBP-approved EDI for transmitting required advance ocean and rail data. 
CBP plans to provide an appropriate transitional period to allow all 
affected users adequate time to transition to ACE.

    Dated: July 13, 2011.
Thomas Winkowski,
Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field Operations.
[FR Doc. 2011-18089 Filed 7-18-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-14-P