80 FR 45548 - International Trade Data System Test-Voluntary Pilot Project

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 146 (July 30, 2015)

Along with more than a dozen other agencies, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) will participate in a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) pilot test of the International Trade Data System (ITDS) for processing import-related forms and data using the Partner Government Agency (PGA) Message Set and the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE). Industry participation in the pilot program is entirely voluntary. The pilot test will allow participating importers to submit forms and information to CBP through ACE for the purpose of obtaining CBP release and receipt. CBP will validate that information, and electronically transmit entry and release information to agencies (including ATF) for purposes of satisfying CBP's certification requirements. The pilot program seeks to streamline this part of the import process. Interested parties should regularly check the following Web site to confirm the list of participating ports: http://www.cbp.gov/document/guidance/list- aceitds-pga-message-set-pilot-ports. Information on ATF's rules and regulations, and answers to commonly asked questions, can be found on the agency's Web site: http://www.atf.gov.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 146 (Thursday, July 30, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45548-45549]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-18664]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives

[Docket No. ATF 2015R-15]


International Trade Data System Test--Voluntary Pilot Project

AGENCY: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), 
Department of Justice.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Along with more than a dozen other agencies, the Bureau of 
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) will participate in a 
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) pilot test of the 
International Trade Data System (ITDS) for processing import-related 
forms and data using the Partner Government Agency (PGA) Message Set 
and the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE). Industry participation 
in the pilot program is entirely voluntary.
    The pilot test will allow participating importers to submit forms 
and information to CBP through ACE for the purpose of obtaining CBP 
release and

[[Page 45549]]

receipt. CBP will validate that information, and electronically 
transmit entry and release information to agencies (including ATF) for 
purposes of satisfying CBP's certification requirements. The pilot 
program seeks to streamline this part of the import process. Interested 
parties should regularly check the following Web site to confirm the 
list of participating ports: http://www.cbp.gov/document/guidance/list-aceitds-pga-message-set-pilot-ports. Information on ATF's rules and 
regulations, and answers to commonly asked questions, can be found on 
the agency's Web site: http://www.atf.gov.

DATES: Interested parties may submit electronic or written requests to 
participate in the pilot program throughout the duration of the pilot. 
This pilot will begin no earlier than August 19, 2015, and will 
continue until concluded by publication of a notice ending it. Requests 
to participate in the pilot program should be submitted to William E. 
Majors, whose contact information can be found below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William E. Majors, Chief, Firearms and 
Explosives Imports Branch, Firearms and Explosives Services Division, 
Enforcement Programs and Services; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms 
and Explosives; U.S. Department of Justice; 244 Needy Road, 
Martinsburg, WV 25401; telephone: (304) 616-4589; fax: (304) 616-4551; 
email: [email protected]. For technical questions regarding ACE or 
ABI transmissions, or the PGA message set data transmission, please 
contact your assigned CBP client representative. Interested parties 
without an assigned client representative should submit an email to 
Steven Zaccaro at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: ATF intends to join CBP's pilot program no 
earlier than August 19, 2015. Like other agencies, it encourages the 
voluntary participation of U.S. importers. Importers or their licensed 
customs broker who wish to participate in this test must have the 
capability to file the relevant data through the ACE using a software 
program that has completed ACE certification testing for the PGA 
message set. Instead of using the existing process, participating U.S. 
importers will use the PGA Message Set to send pertinent information 
through ACE for CBP release and receipt. These data elements include 
Agency Program Codes, Category Type Codes, ATF Category Code, Type 
Codes, and Exemption Codes. CBP will validate that information, and 
electronically transmit entry and release information to ATF for 
purposes of satisfying CBP's certification requirements.
    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, 
however, the submitter's participation in this or any of the previous 
ACE tests is not confidential and upon a written Freedom of Information 
Act request, the name(s) of an approved participant(s) will be 
disclosed by CBP in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552.
    A list of participating ports is available at http://www.cbp.gov/document/guidance/list-aceitds-pga-message-set-pilot-ports. Interested 
parties should regularly check the Web site for updates to the list of 
ports where this pilot is effective. This pilot program will begin no 
earlier than August 19, 2015, and will continue until concluded by 
publication of a notice ending it. Interested parties may submit 
requests to participate through the duration of the program.

Thomas E. Brandon,
Acting Director.
[FR Doc. 2015-18664 Filed 7-29-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4410-FY-P