SUBJECT: Standard Guidelines for Processing Commercial Cargo at Air, Land and Seaport Environments During System Outages/Downtime
During ACE system outages ACE Cargo Release the following downtime procedures should be utilized to process and release cargo arriving at ports of entry. Compliance with these downtime procedures will ensure trade is minimally impacted during scheduled and/or unscheduled computer outages.
Prior to implementing “Downtime” procedures to release cargo, the ACE Operations Dashboard at http://acedashboard-staging.usds.gov/ should be reviewed to confirm operational status. The dashboard will provide the ACE portal operating status as: Green/System Operational, Yellow/System Slow, and Red/System Down. This information will assist the officer in determining what kind of remedy, if any, should be implemented to release cargo.
Downtime procedure options in each operational environment are provided below. Please note that when a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) related system issue presents itself in all environments, a Cargo Systems Messaging System (CSMS) message will be posted with the current contingency plan, the effects it has on the processing of the entry, and the options available on how to handle the current issue.
Land Border
Truck:
- Drivers will provide broker initiated downtime letters to CBP Officers for each shipment when the outage is due to a broker system outage rather than a CBP system outage. At a minimum the downtime letter should provide the drivers name, DOB, vehicle plate number, and ACE trip number.
- Officers will review the ACE manifest and accompanying documentation for sufficiency. If a completed CBP 3461 is available and ACE Cargo Release is operational at the port, the officer may elect to enter the data into ACE Cargo Release manually, and process the release accordingly, time permitting,
- When practical and absent any adverse factors, the driver may elect to voluntarily return to Canada or Mexico. Trucks should not be turned around simple for not having an entry/release package.
Rail:
- In addition to the rail consist, Rail Operators will provide Broker initiated downtime letters to CBP Officers for each shipment when the outage is due to a Broker system outage rather than a CBP system outage. At a minimum the downtime letter should provide the Importers name, address, Carrier, and ACE trip number.
- Officers will review manifest and accompanying documentation for sufficiency. If a completed CBP 3461 is available and ACE Cargo Release is operational at the port the officer may elect to enter the data into ACE Cargo Release manually, and process the release accordingly, workload permitting.
AIRPORT
- Terminal Operators will provide Broker initiated downtime letters to CBP Officers for each shipment when the outage is due to a Broker system outage rather than a CBP system outage. At a minimum the downtime letter should provide the Importers name, address, Carrier, and ACE trip number.
- If a completed CBP 3461 is available and ACE Cargo Release is operational, the officer may elect to enter the data into Ace Cargo Release manually and process the release accordingly, workload permitting.
SEAPORT
- Terminal Operators will provide Broker initiated downtime letters to CBP Officers for each shipment when the outage is due to a Broker system outage rather than a CBP system outage. At a minimum the downtime letter should provide the Importers name, address, Carrier, and ACE trip number.
- Review of the ACE manifest and accompanying documentation for sufficiency. If a completed CBP 3461 is available and ACE Cargo Release is operational, the officer may elect to enter the data into Ace Cargo Release manually and process the release accordingly, workload permitting.
Please direct any questions regarding this notice to CBP Chief Denise Emmer at (504) 670-2052.
