2012-12175. Agency Information Collection Activities: Application To Use the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE)

AGENCY:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION:

30-Day notice and request for comments; Extension of an existing information collection.

SUMMARY:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) of the Department of Homeland Security will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act: Application to Use the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE). This is a proposed extension of an information collection that was previously approved. CBP is proposing that this information collection be extended with no change to the burden hours. This document is published to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. This information collection was previously published in the Federal Register (77 FR 14535) on March 12, 2012, allowing for a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.10.

DATES:

Written comments should be received on or before June 20, 2012.

ADDRESSES:

Interested persons are invited to submit written comments on this information collection to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget. Comments should be addressed to the OMB Desk Officer for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security, and sent via electronic mail to [e-mail] or faxed to [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information should be directed to Tracey Denning, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Regulations and Rulings, Office of International Trade, 799 9th Street NW., 5th Floor, Washington, DC 20229-1177, at 202-325-0265.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

CBP invites the general public and affected Federal agencies to submit written comments and suggestions on proposed and/or continuing information collection requests pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act (Pub. L. 104-13). Your comments should address one of the following four points:

(1) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency/component, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agencies/components estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(4) Minimize the burden of the collections of information on those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological techniques or other forms of information.

Title: Application to Use ACE.

OMB Number: 1651-0105.

Form Number: None.

Abstract: The Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) is a trade processing system that will eventually replace the Automated Commercial System (ACS), the current import system for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operations. ACE supports government agencies and the trade community with border-related missions with respect to moving goods across the border efficiently and securely. Once ACE is fully implemented, all related CBP trade functions and the trade community will be supported from a single common user interface. The CBP transition to ACE began in October 2003 with the launch of the ACE Secure Data Portal, a customized web page that provides a single, user-friendly gateway to access CBP information via the internet for CBP, the trade community and participating Government agencies. In order to participate in the various ACE pilots, companies and/or individuals are required to submit basic information to CBP such as: Their name, their employer identification number (EIN) or social security number, standard carrier alpha code (SCAC), and a statement certifying their capability to connect to the internet. The application for the ACE Secure Data Portal is accessible at: http://www.cbp.gov/​linkhandler/​cgov/​trade/​automated/​modernization/​ace_​app_​info/​ace_​portal_​app.ctt/​ace_​portal_​app.pdf.

Action: CBP proposes to extend the expiration date of this information collection with no change to the burden hours or to the information collected.

Type of Review: Extension (without change).

Affected Public: Businesses.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 21,000.

Estimated Time per Response: 20 minutes.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 6,930.

Dated: May 15, 2012.

Tracey Denning,

Agency Clearance Officer, U.S. Customs and Border Protection.