CSMS Message: 97-000338

THIS IS AN INFORMATIONAL MESSAGE TO INFORM ABI FILERS AND SOFTWARE
VENDORS OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE NATIONAL CUSTOMS AUTOMATION
PROGRAM (NCAP) TEST OF ELECTRONIC FILING OF PROTESTS.

IN COOPERATION WITH VOLUNTEERS FROM THE IMPORTING, BROKERAGE, LEGAL,
AND SURETY COMMUNITIES, THE U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE INITIATED ITS NCAP
TEST OF ELECTRONIC FILING OF PROTESTS, PETITIONS, AND NAFTA INTERVEN-
TIONS IN MAY, 1996 AT SEVEN PORT LOCATIONS.

SINCE JANUARY, 1997 CUSTOMS HAS EXPANDED THE NUMBER OF TEST PORTS
TO FOURTEEN: BUFFALO, NEW YORK CITY, PHILADELPHIA, BALTIMORE,
CHARLESTON, SC, NEW ORLEANS, EL PASO, LAREDO, LOS ANGELES, LOS ANGELES
INT'L AIRPORT, SEATTLE, CHICAGO, MIAMI, HOUSTON, AND DALLAS.

THIS TEST HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT THE IMPORTER, BROKER, ATTORNEY OR
SURETY CAN FILE, AMEND, AND SUBMIT SERVICE REQUESTS FOR THE PROTEST
AND RECEIVE NOTIFICATION OF CUSTOMS DECISION ELECTRONICALLY USING THE
AUTOMATED BROKER INTERFACE (ABI) SYSTEM. THIS NEW ABI CAPABILITY
ALLOWS THE PARTICIPANT TO FILE PROTESTS FROM ANY REMOTE LOCATION TO
ANY OF THE TEST PORTS. IT OFFERS BENEFIT TO THE PARTICIPANTS BY
PROVIDING AUTOMATIC NOTFICATION OF ALL CHANGES IN THE PROCESSING STATUS
OF THE PROTEST FROM TIME OF FILING TO TIME OF DECISION.

TEST PARTICIPANTS ARE: ALL FREIGHT INT'L, BARTHCO INT'L, BDP INT'L,
CIRCLE INT'L, CJ INT'L, EPSON-AMERICA, EXPEDITORS INT'L OF WASHINGTON,
AJ FRITZ COMPANIES, GRUNFELD DESIDERIO LEBOWITZ AND SILVERMAN,
EDMUND MACIOROWSKI, ROGERS & BROWN, RUDOLPH MILES GROUP, STEIN SHOSTAK
SHOSTAK AND O'HARA, MATTEL TOYS, INC., AND WASHINGTON INT'L INSURANCE.

WRITTEN INQUIRIES OR COMMENTS REGARDING ANY ASPECT OF THIS TEST
SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE CHIEF, COMMERCIAL COMPLIANCE BRANCH, U.S.
CUSTOMS SERVICE, 1301 CONSTITUTION AVENUE, N.W. ROOM 1313, WASHINGTON,
DC 20229-0001. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FOR OPERATIONAL OR
POLICY ISSUES: NEIL SHANNON (202) 927-0300. FOR PROTEST SYSTEM OR
AUTOMATION ISSUES: STEVE LINNEMANN (202) 927-0436 OR YOUR ABI CLIENT
REPRESENTATIVE.