CSMS Message: 99-000462

Title:IMPORTANT INFO: RECONCILIATION
Date:1999-06-17
To:abi
Links:previous, next

TO : ALL ABI BROKERS.

FROM : DON LUTHER

SUBJECT : IMPORTANT INFO: RECONCILIATION

DATE : 06/16/1999

***** INFORMATION FOR RECONCILIATION PARTICIPANTS: *****

TERMINATION OF SURETY BOND TERMINATES RECONCILIATION FLAGGING

THIS IS TO INFORM RECONCILIATION PARTICIPANTS OF PROBLEMS TH
MAY ARISE WHEN CHANGING SURETY COMPANIES, BOND COVERAGE AMOUNT
OR BOND EXPIRATION DATES.

A VALID TYPE 1 CONTINUOUS BOND IS REQUIRED FOR PARTICIPATION
THE RECONCILIATION PROTOYTPE. TO ENSURE THAT THIS REQUIREMENT
SATISFIED, CUSTOMS AUTOMATED COMMERICAL SYSTEM REQUIRES THE BO
TO BE RECORDED IN THE SYSTEM IN ORDER TO ALLOW FLAGGING.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE PORTION OF ACS THAT IS USED FOR RECORDING BO
STATUS WAS DESIGNED LONG AGO, WITHOUT FULLY ANTICIPATING T
RECONCILIATION PROTOTYPE'S SPECIFIC NEEDS.

THE RESULT IS THAT AS SOON AS A BOND IS *SCHEDULED* TO TERMINA
IN ACS, THE FLAGGING CAPABILITY IS TURNED OFF. EVEN IF THE BO
IS SCHEDULED TO TERMINATE TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE, THE DATE WH
THE TERMINATION DATE IS INPUT IS THE DATE THE FLAGGING
STOPPED. THE INPUT OF THE TERMINATION DATE IS THE ONLY SYST
EVENT THAT CAN BE USED TO MONITOR BOND COVERAGE F
RECONCILIATION PARTICIPANTS, SO THERE IS CURRENTLY NO WAY
ADMINISTER THESE CHANGES ANY DIFFERENTLY.

WHEN ENTRIES FOR IMPORTERS IN THIS SITUATION ARE FILED, WI
FLAGGING ATTEMPTED, THE FILER WILL GET THE "NOT A RECONCILIATI
IMPORTER" MESSAGE.

FOR BLANKET FLAGGING, THE RESULT IS NOT AS APPARENT. THERE IS
NOTIFICATION TO CUSTOMS, THE IMPORTER, OR THE FILER, THAT ENTRI
ARE NO LONGER BEING FLAGGED FOR RECONCILIATION.

IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE INCONVENIENCE FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED, T
RECONCILIATION TEAM RECOMMENDS THAT:

1. IMPORTERS AND BROKERS BE AWARE OF TRANSITIONS IN BOND STATU

2. THE NEW BOND BE SECURED IN ADVANCE, TO MINIMIZE "DOWNTIME"

3. THE RECONCILIATION BOND RIDER FOR THE NEW BOND BE SECURED
AT THE SAME TIME THE NEW BOND IS OBTAINED

4. FILERS COMMUNICATE WITH THE BOND DESK AND BE AWARE OF THE
INPUT OF BOND TERMINATION DATE.

THE RECONCILIATION TEAM NOW PERIODICALLY RUNS A REPORT TO FI
IMPORTERS WHOSE FLAGGING CAPABILITY HAS BEEN TERMINATED BY AC
AND WILL NOTIFY THE POINT OF CONTACT WE HAVE ON FILE.

AS SOON AS THE NEW BOND IS VALID AND INPUT INTO ACS, AND T
RECONCILIATION TEAM RECEIVES FAXED COPY OF THE NEW RID
1 (REFERENCING BOND NUMBER OF THE NEW BOND), WE WILL IMMEDIATELY
REINSTATE THE IMPORTER'S ABILITY TO FLAG ENTRIES.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS MESSAGE, OR THE RECONCILIATI
PROTOTYPE IN GENERAL, PLEASE CONTACT SHARI MCCANN AT (20
927-1106 OR DON LUTHER AT (202) 927-0915. INFORMATION ON T
PROTOTYPE IS ALSO AVAILABLE VIA THE INTERNET AT
WWW.CUSTOMS.GOV/RECON