Menlo Worldwide Trade Services has
announced that a major milestone had been reached with the
successful completion of the first Entry Summary for the
Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) system’s Periodic
Monthly Statement (PMS) test program.
The ACE computer system is designed to replace the
currently used Automated Commercial System (ACS), an outmoded
system that has been used for the past 26 years to expedite
the processing of import entries. The ACS system handles 500
million to 600 million entry processing and database access
transactions a day.
Recently, 41 importers were selected to begin testing the
new ACE system on a limited basis. The first test involved
filing entries under the ACE system’s PMS program, a feature
that allows importers to use a single, consolidated window to
process trade transactions, including the payment of duties,
taxes and fees. Three of these selected importers chose to
test this ACE function through Menlo Worldwide Trade Services.
On Tuesday June 29th, Menlo Worldwide Trade Services became
the first company ever to file an entry in the ACE system.
The new ACE system uses a coordinated approach to
analytically target passengers, equipment, and cargo,
employing integrated business processes and advanced
technology to provide the federal government with a
systematic, unified approach to border enforcement. It
provides federal agencies with the right information at the
right time enabling them to take appropriate action on
suspicious people and shipments.
Without ACE access, US Customs & Border Protection
(CBP) officers are forced to rely on seven different computer
screens and frequently review paper forms to decide whether to
allow cargo to enter the country or to detain it for further
review. Multiple databases are used by more than 20 separate
government agencies with border responsibilities, each
requiring different documents at point of entry and time of
export. More than 100 agencies have regulations affecting
imports and exports, with most of these agencies utilising
paper forms. It is an awkward, inefficient, non-integrated
picture.
“Menlo Worldwide Trade Services takes great pride in this
accomplishment, which was jointly completed with our
technology partner, TradePoint Systems. As a long-time
participant in CBP technology initiatives, Menlo Worldwide
Trade Services is pleased to continue our leadership position
with the first successful transmission of an Entry Summary for
the Periodic Monthly Statement (PMS) test,” said Ted Iwaszkiw,
vice president, Menlo Worldwide Trade Services.
According to Iwaszkiw: “This milestone in the ACE
development process is of particular importance as CBP and
other global customs authorities seek to implement new
regulatory and security initiatives while maintaining the free
flow of international commerce. Implementation of the ACE
program is expected to result in significant gains in
efficiency for our customers, the trade community and CBP.”
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