CBP Releases Q and A on DIS, Says Future Notices to Come Announcing New Document Availability
CBP's ACE team is continuing to work with the International Trade Data System (ITDS) and Office of Field Operations (OFO) to determine which forms will be added for use within the Document Image System (DIS), which is now in the first phase of a pilot. CBP released a series of questions and answers on the program. Phase 1 of DIS include documents for Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and National Marine Fisheries Service/ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NMFS/NOAA). CBP hasn't said when the next phase will start.
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In the future, there are participating government agency (PGA) forms that may be excluded due to statutory requirements, said CBP. Pilot projects allow CBP and participants to avoid some requirements that are typically necessary, though some agencies are required by statute to give CBP certain information, something CBP can't get around in a pilot phase. Additional notices in the Federal Register will announce the next series of documents that will be made available when CBP is ready to receive those forms, it said.
Request for Specific Document to Come in UC Message CBP said filers could receive a UC for the entire entry summary package, for specific documents, or for an Electronic Invoice if the filer is operational for Automated Invoice Interface (AII). The trade could also receive a CBP Form 28 or 29 requesting the information. Filers can't submit additional documents if it knows CBP will ask for such documents associated with an ACE Entry Summary and must wait for an Action ID Number. For the purposes of PGA forms that are associated to ACE Entry Summaries certified for cargo release, the trade may submit the required documents without a prior request by CBP or the PGA (unsolicited documents). In this case all imaged documents must be submitted when ACE Entry Summaries that are certified for release are filed, said CBP.
Advantages of using DIS include:
- Initiation of single window submissions from the Trade to CBP and PGAs,
- Nationwide visibility for CBP and PGAs to trade-submitted documents,
- Central repository for documents submitted by the trade, and
- Reduction in time and cost surrounding paper processes.
(See ITT's Online Archives 12040548 for Details of the First Phase of CBP DIS Test for Importers and Brokers.)