CSMS Message: 03-000569

A PROBLEM WITH THE AUTOMATED LINE RELEASE SYSTEM FOR THE RAIL AUTOMATED
MANIFEST SYSTEM (AMS) HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED THAT HAS SERIOUS IMPACT ON
THE PROCESSING OF TRAINS. WHEN A BROKER OR AN IMPORTER (FILING THEIR
OWN ENTRIES) PARTICIPATES IN RAIL AUTOMATED LINE RELEASE, THE FILER IS
REQUESTED TO FILE TWO (2) BANKS OF ENTRY NUMBERS TO BE USED BY THE ACS
SYSTEM TO AUTOMATICALLY ASSIGN ENTRY NUMBERS TO SHIPMENTS BEING
RELEASED VIA RAIL AUTOMATED LINE RELEASE. THE REASON FOR THE REQUEST
FOR TWO BANKS OF ENTRY NUMBERS IS SO THERE WILL BE A BACK UP BANK OF
NUMBERS WHEN THE FIRST BANK RUNS OUT.

A PROBLEM HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE RAIL AMS SYSTEM THAT PREVENTS
PROPER PROCESSING OF RAIL LINE RELEASE ENTRIES WHEN A BROKER RUNS OUT
OF ENTRIES IN OUR LINE RELEASE SYSTEM. IF THE FILER IS OUT OF ENTRIES
IN THEIR BANK (OR BANKS) AND ONE OF THEIR SHIPMENTS HITS FOR LINE
RELEASE PROCESSING, THE RAIL LINE RELEASE PROCESS STOPS PROCESSING ON
THE ENTIRE TRAIN. THE SYSTEM CONTINUES TO INTERNALLY PULL NUMBERS FOR
THOSE BROKERS THAT HAVE ENTRIES IN THEIR BANKS, BUT IT DOES NOT POST
THESE ENTRY NUMBERS TO THE CONSIST NOR DOES IT NOTIFY THE BROKER WHICH
ENTRY NUMBERS WERE USED. SINCE THE ENTRY NUMBER AUTOMATICALLY ASSIGNED
IS NOT SHOWN ON THE CONSIST NOR ON THE NOTIFICATION TO THE BROKER, THE
BROKER IS REQUESTED TO FILE A CARGO RELEASE USING ANOTHER ENTRY NUMBER.
THIS CAUSES THE SHIPMENT TO NOW HAVE TWO ENTRY NUMBERS ASSIGNED TO THE
ONE SHIPMENT. WHEN THIS IS RECOGNIZED BY THE PORT, THE BROKER MUST
FORMALLY REQUEST DELETION OF ONE OF THE ENTRIES.

ONCE A NEW BANK OF ENTRY NUMBERS IS ADDED AND THE TRAIN IS RECONSISTED,
THE BILLS FOR THE FILERS THAT DID NOT HAVE ENTRIES WILL PROCESS, BUT
THE BILLS FOR FILERS THAT HAD ENTRY NUMBERS STILL IN THEIR BANK STILL
WILL NOT PROCESS DUE TO AN INTERNAL FLAG IN THE CUSTOMS SYSTEM THAT
IDENTIFIES THAT LINE RELEASE HAS ALREADY RUN ON THAT SHIPMENT.

CUSTOMS IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON A FIX WITHIN OUR SYSTEM TO SOLVE THIS
PROBLEM, BUT THERE IS NO DATE WHEN THIS FIX WILL BE PUT IN PLACE.
THE IMMEDIATE SOLUTION IS FOR ALL FILERS WHO PARTICIPATE IN RAIL LINE
RELEASE TO INSURE THAT THEY HAVE TWO (2) BANKS OF ENTRIES ON FILE WITH
CUSTOMS. THIS WILL INSURE THAT WHEN ONE BANK IS DEPLETED THE SYSTEM
WILL AUTOMATICALLY BEGIN TO USE THE NEXT BANK. THIS PRACTICE OF
MAINTAINING TWO BANKS SHOULD REMAIN IN PLACE EVEN AFTER THE TECHNICAL
FIX IS COMPLETED SINCE IT CAN NEVER BE DETERMINED EXACTLY WHEN A BROKER
WILL DEPLETE HIS ENTRY BANK.

FILERS CAUGHT IN THE TECHNICAL PROBLEM WILL HAVE TO USE BORDER CARGO
RELEASE (BCS) OR CARGO RELEASE FOR BILLS ON A TRAIN THAT APPEAR NOT
HAVE PROPERLY PROCESS THROUGH LINE RELEASE. WHEN IT IS REALIZED THAT
A NUMBER WAS ACTUALLY ASSIGNED BY THE LINE RELEASE SYSTEM, THE FILER
MUST IMMEDIATELY REQUEST DELETION OF ONE OF THE ENTRY NUMBERS.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT AL BUSIC AT (312) 983-1376 OR
DALE WILSON AT (703) 668-2301.