see also: on the web:   CBP Modernization Website

ACE is the technology powerhouse for the International Trade Data System (ITDS), which will provide a “single window” for submitting trade information to federal agencies that share the responsibility of facilitating international trade and securing America’s supply chain.

“ACE facilitates data sharing between government agencies, enabling us to secure America’s borders and enhance the safety and security of all Americans by ensuring that legitimate safe products cross our borders,” said Louis Samenfink, executive director of the Cargo Systems Program Office.

By obtaining shipment information electronically through ACE rather than paper-based shipment documentation, FSIS is able to act faster to detect, detain and remove from commerce potentially dangerous agricultural products that do not comply with U.S. standards for health, quality and labeling. Between Fiscal Year (FY) 2005 and FY 2006, ACE allowed FSIS to increase the amount of ineligible product detected, detained and removed from commerce nearly 30 fold from 97,000 to 2.87 million pounds. The exponential increase in seizures of ineligible products continued in FY 2007 with 2.04 million pounds of ineligible product. During the first eight months of FY 2008, ACE has facilitated the control of 3.00 million pounds of ineligible product from commerce via the FSIS Import Tracking System.

Before ACE, CPSC had limited access to import data results on unsafe products and relied on a paper-based process in which import volumes created a “needle-in-a-haystack” enforcement scenario. After learning about ACE, CPSC immediately sought access to the system to better enforce its consumer protection mission. “We used to have to rely on what the importer was telling us during an inspection. Now we can verify this with the information in ACE to make sure the two match,” explained Carol Cave, CPSC import surveillance director.

CPSC also uses ACE to research company-specific import history. Recently, CPSC researched a company importing all-terrain vehicles with known consumer safety hazards. CPSC created an “Import Alert” that was shared with CBP’s Federal Agency Enforcement Branch and provided information to a specific port. Upon arrival of the suspect shipment, CPSC was notified to investigate and recommend course of action (e.g., denial of entry). Through the use of shared communication via ACE, CPSC was able to take immediate action in securing the safety of American citizens.

“ACE gives APHIS information in 1-2 minutes that would have previously taken several hours sifting through paperwork,” explains Cornelia Mueller, operations manager, APHIS. ACE has also helped APHIS identify potentially dangerous shipments prior to port arrival and facilitated timely collaboration with CBP. Looking to the future, APHIS will continue close communication with CBP through the use of ACE.

Information sharing is key for all government agencies, which is why AMS is looking forward to a promising future using ACE. With a mission of ensuring the U.S. economy facilitates the efficient fair marketing of agricultural products, having the right information in a timely manner is of utmost importance to AMS. ACE allows AMS to have instant access to data that was previously faxed or e-mailed. ACE also gives AMS strong confidence that the information they are receiving is 100 percent complete and accurate.

These agencies have one thing in common, ACE, which has streamlined business operations and improved information sharing. CBP and the ITDS Board of Directors identify where Participating Government Agencies (PGAs), such as FSIS, CSPC, APHIS and AMS, can be integrated with ACE to enhance information sharing and define agency requirements for the ACE capabilities being developed. Currently, there are 45 PGAs actively engaged in ACE/ITDS. As a result of ongoing training efforts, there are now more than 377 ACE Secure Data Portal end users from 25 PGAs. CBP is working aggressively to ensure that all agencies that can benefit from ITDS are added to the current PGA roster.

For further information on ACE, e-mail CBP.CBPCSPO@dhs.gov or visit the CBP Modernization Web site. ( CBP Modernization Website )