GAO says ACE ‘key functions’ in use, despite some issues

The Government Accountability Office recommended that U.S. Customs and Border Protection work with partner government agencies to finalize an Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) work plan.    Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) filers report issues with the system, including limits on messaging and file size that can make it difficult to work within the system, but most “key functions” of ACE are now in use and yielding benefits, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) said in a report published Wednesday.
   The GAO recommended that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in collaboration with partner agencies, finalize an interagency approach for post-core management of ACE, including processes to prioritize ACE enhancements and share ACE development and operations and maintenance (O&M) costs, including costs “of suggested enhancements among partner agencies that may benefit.”
   The GAO also recommended that CBP prescribe time frames to implement the ACE post-core processes.
   In a letter responding to the GAO’s draft report, Jim Crumpacker, director of the Department of Homeland Security’s GAO-Office of Inspector General Liaison Office, agreed with the GAO’s single recommendation.
   CBP’s response also stated the agency’s Office of Trade would continue to work with Border Interagency Executive Council (BIEC) senior leadership to finalize a cost-sharing plan and “prioritization process” for all ACE/Single Window enhancements, including O&M costs.
   The BIEC Principals Single Window Sustainment Decision Memorandum was issued Dec. 4, and CBP on Dec. 22 received partner government agency (PGA) responses to that document.
   In the responses, PGAs accepted O&M definitions and a “pay as you go model,” among other things, CBP wrote in its full response to the draft GAO report.
   “A draft cost sharing and prioritization process plan has been distributed to the BIEC principals for review and comment, and discussed at length on Jan. 30, 2018, during a BIEC principals meeting,” CBP wrote. “As a result of this meeting, the BIEC plan is now being refined and finalized.”
   The estimated completion date for the plan is Oct. 31.