| Title: | IMPORTANT INFO: RECONCILIATION |
|---|---|
| Date: | 1999-06-18 |
| To: | abi |
| Links: | previous, next |
TO : ALL ABI BROKERS.
FROM : DON LUTHER
SUBJECT : IMPORTANT INFO: RECONCILIATION - CORRECTED VERSION
DATE : 06/17/1999
***** INFORMATION FOR RECONCILIATION PARTICIPANTS: *****
TERMINATION OF SURETY BOND TERMINATES RECONCILIATION FLAGGING
THIS IS TO INFORM RECONCILIATION PARTICIPANTS OF PROBLEMS THAT
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 IS
SATISFIED, CUSTOMS AUTOMATED COMMERICAL SYSTEM REQUIRES THE BOND
TO BE RECORDED IN THE SYSTEM IN ORDER TO ALLOW FLAGGING.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE PORTION OF ACS THAT IS USED FOR RECORDING BOND
STATUS WAS DESIGNED LONG AGO, WITHOUT FULLY ANTICIPATING THE
RECONCILIATION PROTOTYPE'S SPECIFIC NEEDS.
THE RESULT IS THAT AS SOON AS A BOND IS "SCHEDULED" TO TERMINATE
IN ACS, THE FLAGGING CAPABILITY IS TURNED OFF. EVEN IF THE BOND
IS SCHEDULED TO TERMINATE TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE, THE DATE WHEN
THE TERMINATION DATE IS INPUT IS THE DATE THE FLAGGING IS
STOPPED. THE INPUT OF THE TERMINATION DATE IS THE ONLY SYSTEM
EVENT THAT CAN BE USED TO MONITOR BOND COVERAGE FOR
RECONCILIATION PARTICIPANTS, SO THERE IS CURRENTLY NO WAY TO
ADMINISTER THESE CHANGES ANY DIFFERENTLY.
WHEN ENTRIES FOR IMPORTERS IN THIS SITUATION ARE FILED, WITH
FLAGGING ATTEMPTED, THE FILER WILL GET THE "NOT A RECONCILIATION
IMPORTER" MESSAGE.
FOR BLANKET FLAGGING, THE RESULT IS NOT AS APPARENT. THERE IS NO
NOTIFICATION TO CUSTOMS, THE IMPORTER, OR THE FILER, THAT ENTRIES
ARE NO LONGER BEING FLAGGED FOR RECONCILIATION.
IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE INCONVENIENCE FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED, THE
RECONCILIATION TEAM RECOMMENDS THAT:
1. IMPORTERS AND BROKERS BE AWARE OF TRANSITIONS IN BOND STATUS
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 FIND
IMPORTERS WHOSE FLAGGING CAPABILITY HAS BEEN TERMINATED BY ACCIDENT
AND WILL NOTIFY THE POINT OF CONTACT WE HAVE ON FILE.
AS SOON AS THE NEW BOND IS VALID AND INPUT INTO ACS, AND THE
RECONCILIATION TEAM RECEIVES A FAXED COPY OF THE NEW RIDER
(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 RECONCILIATION
PROTOTYPE IN GENERAL, PLEASE CONTACT SHARI MCCANN AT (202-927-
1106 OR DON LUTHER AT (202) 927-0915. INFORMATION ON THE
PROTOTYPE IS ALSO AVAILABLE VIA THE INTERNET AT
WWW.CUSTOMS.GOV/RECON