[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 115 (Wednesday, June 15, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39094-39096]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-14184]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice: 9603]


 Pilot Test of DS-2031 Into International Trade Data System

AGENCY: Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific 
Affairs, Office of Marine Conservation (OES/OMC), Department of State.

ACTION: Notice of request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: OES/OMC announces a pilot test of the International Trade Data 
System (ITDS) involving the electronic submission of forms and/or data 
related to importations of shrimp and shrimp products using the Partner 
Government Agency (PGA) Message Set and Document Image System (DIS) 
components of the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE). The U.S. 
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and OES/OMC have developed a pilot 
plan to test and assess the electronic transmission of import data for 
shrimp and shrimp products. The pilot test will involve using the ACE, 
the OMC PGA Message Set, the DIS and the Automated Broker Interface 
(ABI) to transmit the data required for admissibility determinations 
for entries of shrimp and product of shrimp. ABI is the electronic data 
interchange that enables participants to file electronically required 
import data with CBP and transfers that data into ACE. Initially, under 
this test, OMC PGA Message Set data may be submitted only for formal 
and informal consumption entries (entry types 01 and 11), filed at 
certain ports.

DATES: The test will commence after July 25, 2016, and will continue 
until concluded by publication of a notice in the Federal Register 
ending the test. Participants should consult the following Web site for 
additional information regarding pilot status: https://www.cbp.gov/trade/ace/features (see the PGA Integration tab). Comments will be 
accepted through the duration of the test.

ADDRESSES: To submit comments concerning this test program, send an 
email to Josephine Baiamonte ([email protected]), Director, 
Business Transformation, ACE Business Office (ABO), Office of 
International Trade. In the subject line of the message, please use 
``Comment on PGA Message Set Test FRN''. Any party seeking to 
participate in the PGA Message Set test should contact their client 
representative. Interested parties without an assigned client 
representative should submit an email to Steven Zaccaro at 
[email protected] with the subject ``PGA Message Set Test 
FRN-Request to Participate''.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical questions related to ACE 
or ABI transmissions, contact your assigned client representative. 
Interested parties without an assigned client representative should 
direct their questions to Steven Zaccaro at 
[email protected]. For PGA related questions, contact Emi 
Wallace (CBP) at [email protected] and for OMC-related 
questions contact the Section 609 Program Manager at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

[[Page 39095]]

Background

I. The National Customs Automation Program (NCAP)

    NCAP was established in Subtitle B of Title VI--Customs 
Modernization, in the North American Free Trade Agreement 
Implementation Act (Pub. L. 103-182, 107 Stat. 2057, 2170, December 8, 
1993) (Customs Modernization Act). See 19 U.S.C. 1411. Through NCAP, 
the initial thrust of customs modernization was on trade compliance and 
the development of ACE, the planned successor to the Automated 
Commercial System (ACS). ACE is an automated and electronic system for 
commercial trade processing which is intended to streamline business 
processes, facilitate growth in trade, ensure cargo security, and 
foster participation in global commerce, while ensuring compliance with 
U.S. laws and regulations and reducing costs for CBP and all of its 
communities of interest. The ability to meet these objectives depends 
on successfully modernizing CBP's business functions and the 
information technology that supports those functions. CBP's 
modernization efforts are accomplished through phased releases of ACE 
component functionality designed to replace a specific legacy ACS 
function. Each release will begin with a test and will end with 
mandatory use of the new ACE feature, thus retiring the legacy ACS 
function. Each release builds on previous releases and sets the 
foundation for subsequent releases. ABI allows participants to 
electronically file required import data with CBP and transfers that 
data into ACE.

II. ITDS

    This test is in furtherance of the ITDS, which is statutorily 
authorized by section 405 of the Security and Accountability for Every 
(SAFE) Port Act of 2006, Public Law 109-347. The purpose of ITDS, as 
defined by section 4 of the SAFE Port Act of 2006, is to eliminate 
redundant information filing requirements, efficiently regulate the 
flow of commerce, and effectively enforce laws and regulations relating 
to international trade, by establishing a single portal system, 
operated by CBP, for the collection and distribution of standard 
electronic import and export data required by all participating Federal 
agencies.

III. PGA Message Set

    The PGA Message Set consists of the data needed to satisfy the PGA 
reporting requirements. For purposes of this test, the affected PGA is 
OMC. ACE enables the message set by acting as the ``single window'' for 
the one-time submission of trade-related data required by the PGAs to 
CBP. The data must be submitted at any time prior to the arrival of the 
merchandise on the conveyance transporting the cargo to the United 
States as part of an ACE Entry/Cargo Release or Entry Summary. The data 
will be validated and made available to the relevant PGAs involved in 
import, export, and transportation-related decision making. The data 
will be used to fulfill merchandise entry and entry summary 
requirements and will allow for earlier release decisions and more 
certainty for the importer in determining the logistics of cargo 
delivery. Also, by virtue of being electronic, the PGA Message Set will 
eliminate the necessity for the submission and subsequent handling of 
paper documents. All PGA Message Set participants are required to use a 
software program that has completed ACE certification testing for the 
PGA Message Set. Alternatively, test participants may transmit required 
PGA data using the DIS as ACE is ready to receive imaged copies of OMC 
forms and documents through the DIS. For information regarding the use 
of DIS, and for a list of PGA forms and documents which may be 
transmitted to ACE using DIS, please see http://www.cbp.gov/trade/ace/features and 80 FR 62082 (October 15, 2015). The PGA data elements 
comprising the test are generally those found in the current paper form 
(Department of State Form 2031, Shrimp Exporter's/Importer's 
Declaration, or DS-2031), which currently is required to accompany all 
shipments of shrimp and shrimp products into the United States pursuant 
to Section 609 of Public Law 101-162 (Sec. 609). These data elements 
are set forth in the supplemental Customs and Trade Automated Interface 
Requirements (CATAIR) guidelines for OMC. These technical 
specifications, including the CATAIR chapters, can be found at the 
following link: http://www.cbp.gov/trade/ace/catair. Test participants 
and interested parties should consult https://www.cbp.gov/trade/ace/features for the most up to date information pertaining to the test.

IV. The OMC Test

    This ITDS test is in furtherance of key CBP ITDS initiatives as 
provided in SAFE Port Act of 2006. The goal is to establish ACE as the 
``single window'' for the Government and trade community by automating 
and enhancing the interaction between international trade partners, 
CBP, and PGAs by facilitating electronic collection, processing, 
sharing, and review of trade data and documents required by Federal 
agencies during the cargo import and export process. Processing trade 
data through ITDS and ACE will significantly increase efficiency and 
reduce costs over the manual, paper-based interactions that are 
currently in place. The PGA Message Set and DIS will improve 
communication between OMC and entry filers regarding imports and, for 
eligible entries, will allow test participants to submit the required 
data once, resulting in quicker processing. During this test, pilot 
participants will collaborate with CBP and OMC to examine the 
effectiveness of the ``single window'' capability. Under this test, 
OMC-required data will be transmitted electronically through ACE 
utilizing the PGA Message Set and DIS for any merchandise or 
combination thereof covered by any of these programs. For approved 
participants, the pilot test may include all modes of transport at the 
selected port(s). The import filing process for OMC will require the 
submission of specifically designated data/information. Both the 
designated PGA Message Set and DIS will be utilized to collect the 
specified information that is required by OMC in implementing Section 
609. The PGA Message Set data will be submitted to the CBP ACE system 
through the use of ABI at the time of the filing in addition to the CBP 
required import Entry or Entry Summary data. Scanned copies of specific 
documents required will be submitted at the time of filing to the CBP 
DIS, either through uploading the file copies to the ABI system or by 
sending them to the DIS as email attachments. Examples of the kind of 
data that will be submitted as part of the PGA Message set are the name 
of the harvesting nation, the method of harvest, and the identity of 
the exporter, importer or ultimate consignee, and the net weight in 
kilograms. Examples of the types of scanned images that will be 
submitted to the DIS are DS-2031 forms requiring information about and 
the signature of a Responsible Government Official of the harvesting 
nation or economy. For information regarding products regulated by 
Section 609 and data, information, and DS-2031 form required by OMC, 
see the implementation guidelines for OMC at: http://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/documents/OMC%20PGA%20Message%20Set%20Guidelines.pdf.

V. Test Participation Criteria and Participation Procedure

    Any party seeking to participate in this test must provide CBP, in 
their request to participate, their filer code

[[Page 39096]]

and the port(s) at which they are interested in filing the appropriate 
PGA Message Set and DIS information. Requests to participate in this 
test will be accepted throughout the duration of the test without 
limitation as to number of participants. To be eligible for this pilot, 
the applicant must be a self-filing importer who has the ability to 
file ACE Entry Summaries certified for cargo release and ACE cargo 
release or a broker who has the ability to file ACE Entry Summaries 
certified for cargo release and ACE cargo release; and the applicant 
files entries for shrimp or shrimp products. All PGA Message Set 
participants are required to use a software program that has completed 
ACE certification testing for the PGA Message Set. The PGA Message Set 
data and DIS submissions are not limited by entry type except by the 
ACE Mandatory Use Dates which can be found at https://www.cbp.gov/trade/automated/ace-mandatory-use-dates.

VI. Anticipated Process Changes

    The current paper process for the DS-2031 will eventually be 
replaced by the submittal of data and scanned document images through a 
combination of the PGA Message Set and DIS. This test covers 
communication and coordination among the agencies and those who file 
the DS-2031 for the importation of shrimp and shrimp products. The 
agencies will also be testing new operational processes in real time 
with actual ACE filings in the production environment that include test 
messages of errors in filing and release status updates to the port and 
to the filer. Entry data submissions will be subject to validation 
edits and any applicable PGA business rules programmed into ACE. Once 
entry data has cleared the initial stage of validation edits and PGA 
business rules, the filer will receive messages, automatically 
generated or manually initiated by, thus keeping the filer informed as 
to the status of the shipment from the time of entry data submission 
until the time of release. Once all of the PGAs have concluded their 
review of the shipment and have unset any remaining holds, CBP will 
send one U.S. government release message to the filer to indicate that 
the filer has fulfilled all U.S. government filing requirements for the 
shipment.

VII. Confidentiality

    All data submitted and entered into ACE is subject to the Trade 
Secrets Act (18 U.S.C. 1905) and is considered confidential, except to 
the extent as otherwise provided by law. As stated in previous notices, 
participation in this or any of the previous ACE tests is not 
confidential and the name(s) of an approved participant(s) may be 
disclosed by CBP.

    Dated: June 9, 2016.
William Gibbons-Fly,
 Director, Office of Marine Conservation, Bureau of Oceans and 
International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. 2016-14184 Filed 6-14-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-09-P