CSMS Message: 99-000245

******** ATTENTION ********* ATTENTION ********* ATTENTION *******

TO: ABI PARTICIPANTS

PLEASE REFER THIS INFORMATION TO YOUR TECHNICAL SUPPORT STAFF OR YOUR
SOFTWARE VENDOR

AT THE U.S. CUSTOMS DATA CENTER, WE ARE MIGRATING TO A NEW SOLUTION FOR
PROCESSING ABI DATA FROM THE RJE INPUT POINT TO DELIVERING THE ABI DATA
TO THE APPLICATIONS FOR PROCESSING. THIS SOFTWARE SOLUTION IS A MECHANISM
THAT HAS BEEN IN THE CUSTOMS PRODUCTION APPLICATION WORLD FOR SEVERAL
YEARS. WE WILL MIGRATE ALL THE PRODUCTION ABI USERS TO THIS NEW FRONT-
END SOFTWARE PROCESS WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH.

THE NEW FRONT-END SOFTWARE PROVIDES THE FOLLOWING FEATURES:

1. ESTABLISHES THE PLATFORM REQUIRED TO ENABLE MQ SERIES AND STILL
SUPPORT THE RJE USERS,

2. PROVIDES A TRANSPARENT CHANGE TO THE TRADE WITH A SEAMLESS MIGRATION
PATH AND,

3. IS Y2K CERTIFIED.

CURRENTLY, A HANDFUL OF USERS' ABI TRANSACTIONS HAVE BEEN PROCESSING
THROUGH THE NEW FRONT-END FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS. ON APRIL 12,
1999, TWO MORE PARTICIPANTS WILL BE SWITCHED TO THE NEW FRONT-END.

ON APRIL 16, AT 6:00 AM (EASTERM TIME) WE PLAN TO MIGRATE THE NEXT SET OF
USERS. OUR ENTIRE SUPPORT STAFF WILL BE VERY ATTENTIVE TO THE NEW ABI
FRONT-END SYSTEM AND WILL RESPOND IMMEDIATELY TO ANY ISSUES THAT MIGHT
ARISE. PLEASE REPORT ANY PROBLEMS TO YOUR ABI CLIENT REPRESENTATIVE
IMMEDIATELY.