Air Cargo Advance Screening Pilot
Strategic Plan

March 2012
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Transportation Security Administration

Air Cargo Advance Screening Strategic PlanIntroduction
In October 2010, authorities discovered two U.S.-bound packages from Yemen containing viable
bombs capable of bringing down aircraft. Forensic experts said the two bombs were designed todetonate in mid-air over Chicago, and attributed this plot to Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula(AQAP).

In response to this attempted terrorist attack, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and theTransportation Security Administration (TSA) have enhanced air cargo supply chain security andimplemented programs to jointly target air cargo shipments inbound to the United States throughthe Air Cargo Advance Screening (ACAS) pilot project.
ACAS allows CBP and TSA to receive advance security
filing cargo data as a means to target cargo shipments
inbound to the United States that may be high risk andrequire additional physical screening under theappropriate regulatory framework and protocols.
ACAS enables express carriers, passenger air carriers,
freight forwarders, and all-cargo air carriers to send andreceive advance security filing data and related action messages for all air cargo through CBP’s
Automated Targeting System (ATS), based on three ACAS filing options:Two-Part Carrier Filing – Air carrier transmits advance shipment data for security
filing while subsequently transmitting post-departure Automated Manifest System(AMS) data in accordance with Trade Act requirements.

Forwarder and Carrier Dual Filing – Freight forwarder may transmit House Air
Waybill (AWB) data directly to CBP to meet pre-loading targeting and manifest
requirements; forwarder and carrier receive ACAS responses prior to consolidationand delivery to air carriers. Air carriers accept forwarder cargo for transport after
confirming successful ACAS transmission, and perform required screening.

Single Filing of ACAS and AMS data – Air carriers transmit the AMS manifest toCBP prior to loading of cargo, and perform all required screening. The pre-loading
AMS manifest transmission would be used by CBP to satisfy both ACAS and AMS
requirements.
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Implementation of a two-way electronic messaging capability will further allow CBP and TSA toautomate the ACAS referral process to request additional data, refer a shipment for screening, orin the case of a serious unmitigated threat, deliver a Do Not Load instruction.

Background
CBP and TSA view the primary threat to passenger aircraft posed by cargo to be in theintroduction of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) contained in cargo shipments. Whilepassenger aircraft have been considered the primary target, the October 2010 Yemen incident
demonstrated that all-cargo aircraft are also a significant target of IED attack.
In November 2010, following the AQAP bomb plot, CBPand TSA began meeting with various trade partners andgovernment stakeholders to better understand individual
business practices and to collectively develop a mechanism
to collect cargo data as soon as possible in the supply chain.
The integrated express carrier companies voluntarily
partnered with CBP and TSA to explore ways to increase
air cargo security by implementing targeting in the preloading air cargo environment. These efforts became known as the ACAS pilot project which,initiated with UPS, FedEx, DHL, and TNT, tested the collection of cargo data, refined targeting
procedures and rules, and streamlined joint response procedures and screening protocols at nonU.S. locations.
The success of the ACAS pilot project in the express carrier phase laid the framework for theexpansion of the program in late 2011 to include passenger air carriers and freight forwarders.
TSA and CBP are expanding the pilot to incorporate heavy all-cargo air carriers.
CBP and TSA are encouraged by the progressachieved in this initial phase of the pilot, but
additional work remains before the full efficacy ofACAS can be determined. Several challenges affectthe full implementation of ACAS across the broadspectrum of the air cargo industry: informationtechnology requirements; industry systemcommunications; industry operational challenges;
and variations in business models between integrated
express carriers, passenger air carriers, and all-cargo
air carriers. CBP and TSA are actively working in partnership with industry to address thesechallenges.

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Air Cargo Advance Screening Strategic Plan
Collecting Pre-Loading Advance Information
Identifying high-risk shipments as early as possible in the air cargo supply chain provides CBP
and TSA targeters an opportunity to conduct a comprehensive review of cargo data without
unduly impacting the flow of commerce into the United States. A comprehensive data-driven
program that leverages historical shipping
information, government certifications (e.g.
Authorized Economic Operator (AEO), CustomsTrade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT)), as
well as intelligence reporting, will allow CBP andTSA to make more informed decisions on inboundinternational air cargo. Submitting pre-loading data
directly supports risk-based decision making todetermine the appropriate level of screening forparticular cargo shipments internationally.
CBP and TSA envision implementing an automated, data-driven international inbound “TrustedShipper” concept utilizing pre-loading advance information based on criteria outlined in theexisting air cargo Security Directives/Emergency Amendments (SDs/EAs) for passenger and allcargo air carriers transporting cargo inbound to the U.S. Presently, this data includes a sub-set ofTrade Act filing data to include: shipper name and address, consignee name and address, cargo
description, weight, and piece count.
Over time, TSA will integrate these criteria into its Standard Security Programs (SSPs) for
passenger and all-cargo air carriers, and CBP would incorporate the criteria into its AutomatedTargeting Systems (ATS). Integration with ATS will enable the “Trusted Shipper” concept tomove from a system that requires the air carrier to determine whether a particular shipper is''trusted,'' to an automated data-driven "trusted shipper" determination made by CBP and TSA.
This system will also allow the input of specific intelligence-based information to determine
shipper status and the associated levels of required screening. Based on these criteria, a shipper's
status as ''trusted” will determine the type of screening procedures to be applied to that shipper's
air cargo shipments.
This “Trusted Shipper” concept would include
criteria for shippers, as well as air cargoshipments.
A "trusted shipper" is currently defined in TSA’sSD/EAs. In the future data-driven environment,
the determination of “trusted shipper” or “trustedshipment” will be based on the same criteria plus
the historical data residing in CBP’s ATS.

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Enhancing Risk-Based Targeting
Using advance shipment information submitted through ATS, CBP and TSA analyze
international inbound air cargo shipper and shipment information against intelligence and otheravailable historical data, and applying risk-based targeting algorithms to assist CBP and TSA
officers to identify shipments, prior to loading, that may pose an elevated risk to aviation. Suchshipments can then be segregated for enhanced screening measures outlined in TSA Security
Programs, or may otherwise be prohibited from being transported onboard aircraft bound for theUnited States.
Streamline Customs Entry Requirements
CBP is also proposing a Simplified Entry pilot in parallel with ACAS. This pilot will leverage
the use of additional data received through current trade filings, conceptually providing enhanced
analysis of additional shipment information, with possible improvements in the processing ofboth ACAS shipment verification before loading, and release of import shipments upon receiptof the wheels-up message.
Harmonization of International Air Cargo Security Standards
Terrorism is a global security challenge. Other countries and regions are faced with similar
threats to aviation from air cargo, which underscores the need for a global solution. A criticalstep to achieving this global solution is international cooperation on standards for data collectionthat promote a uniform approach to reduce the cost impact of multiple international air cargo
regulatory regimes. CBP and TSA are proposing the use of ACAS as a model to the international
community as an effective way to increase air cargo security by implementing baseline thresholdtargeting in the pre-loading air cargo environment
without unduly burdening air carriers. If this effort issuccessful, it is anticipated that advance datacollection and submission will expand to other areasof the globe, thereby further enhancing security
worldwide.
Additionally, the United States has engaged theUniversal Postal Union (UPU) on mail arriving to theU.S. onboard passenger aircraft. The U.S. offered aresolution to expand the use of electronic datainterchange (EDI) for postal shipments, which wasunanimously adopted and endorsed by the UPU
Congress. There has been significant progress on thepostal side in exchanging customs data, anddeveloping standard messages and system interfaces.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and theUnited States Postal Service (USPS) and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) areworking actively with Canada Post, Deutsche Post (Germany), and Royal Mail (U.K.) on pilot
exchanges and are also working with other UPU groups on these efforts.

5ACAS Implementation
CBP and TSA have developed the following phased
approach to expand ACAS to include passenger aircarriers, freight forwarders, and all-cargo air carriers.
CBP and TSA will continue to work with industry toseek voluntary participants in the ongoing pilot whileworking concurrently toward implementation ofmandatory standards for ACAS usage. The endeavors
should take approximately 28 months total toconclude. The implementation of the pilot’s notional
phases is contingent upon the industry’s resource
availability to operationalize ACAS datatransmission, screening, and response protocols:
Phase I: Initial Expansion to Passenger Air Carriers and Freight Forwarders and Amend
TSA SSPs Expansion of ACAS pilot program to include freight forwarders, and passenger aircarriers, in the initial phase of the carrier/forwarder pilot.
 This phase will be guided by lessons learned from the integrated express carrier stageof ACAS operations.
 Phase I will be the most comprehensive phase, as industry pilot participants help todetermine the appropriate and attainable advance data filing options.
 CBP and TSA will measure progress by tracking and reporting data transmission,along with the date and carrier/forwarder.
 Initiate passenger air carrier phase of ACAS pilot to work through ATS challenges.
 Initial expansion includes domestic and foreign passenger air carriers and freightforwarders.
Phase II: Expansion to Additional Passenger Air Carriers and Freight Forwarders
 Expansion of ACAS pilot program to include additional freight forwarders andpassenger air carriers.
 CBP/TSA will measure progress by tracking and reporting data transmission.
 Initiate heavy all-cargo air carrier phase of ACAS Pilot to work through ATSchallenges.
Phase III: Incorporating Trusted Shipper Concept
into ATS Manage ongoing program implementation andwork towards a data-driven “Trusted Shipper” concept.
 Coordinate with CBP C-TPAT, Targeting &Analysis Systems Program Office (TASPO), and TSA
to outline a framework to combine the C-TPAT /“Trusted Shipper” benefits into ACAS.
Phase IV: Expansion to6

Remaining High Cargo
Volume Passenger Air Carriers andFreight Forwarders
 Expansion of ACAS pilot program to include remaining passenger air carriers andfreight forwarders with higher volumes of cargo.

Phase V: Expansion to Small/Medium Cargo Volume Passenger Air Carriers and Freight
Forwarders
 Expansion of ACAS pilot program to include all remaining smaller passenger aircarriers (carriers with a limited number of flights into the United States) and small
and medium freight forwarders.
 It is expected that private industry may develop a web portal to streamline
communication between CBP and smaller passenger air carriers and freight
forwarders to facilitate pre-loading ACAS transmissions.
 This will further assist ACAS messaging responses back to the passenger air
carrier/freight forwarder.
Phase VI: Expansion to Heavy All-Cargo Carriers
 Expansion of ACAS pilot program to include heavy all-cargo air carriers – GlobalImplementation.
Goals and Measures:
The following are Goals and Measures to track and report on milestones of the ACAS Program: Establish a Tiered Implementation Plan by Country
 Establish an Implementation Timeline
 Develop and track data transmissions by date and carrier
 Establish electronic messaging between CBP and carriers
 Collect and communicate operational impacts by trade participants
 CBP draft a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for data submissions
 TSA issue revised security programs to implement risk-based tiered screening
protocols7

Future ACAS Rulemaking
ACAS is currently a pilot project and rulemaking will
be required to trigger mandatory submissions of data.
DHS recognizes the importance of public participationin the design of this rulemaking process. Consistentwith Executive Order 13563, CBP recognizes that therulemaking process should not only protect the publichealth and welfare but also promote economic growth,
innovation, competiveness, and job creation. CBP will
actively engage the public during the drafting process with a goal of making certain the NPRM is
informed and improved by public comment. TSA may not implement formal rulemaking, butwill issue SSI security programs to regulate industry screening procedures and incorporate theusage of ACAS procedures.

Conclusions
CBP and TSA remain committed to supporting a
supply chain system that is able to deliver the goods
necessary to our way of life in a secure and expedited
manner. We will continue to identify, assess, andprioritize efforts to manage risks to the homelandthrough layered defenses, enhanced informationsharing, and instituting an ability to readily adapt to thechanging security and operational environment. ACAS
serves to support this risk management approach byproviding an additional layer of security to enhance thesecure and efficient flow of air cargo into the UnitedStates. ACAS, through pre-loading data collection andpartnership with the international community, will implement enhanced targeting and dynamic
response protocols to enhance air cargo security.
The “Trusted Shipper” concept is an essential element in enabling passenger carriers to attain
100 percent screening of inbound cargo without disruption to the global air cargo supply chain.
The concept, currently implemented as standards in TSA security directives that require aircarrier determinations, may in the future be implemented through ACAS to provide anautomated, data-driven, neutral platform for the determination of “trusted” shipper/shipment
status. Automated segmentation of these shipments will more readily enable industry to apply
appropriate tiered screening protocols, assisting both passenger carriers and all-cargo carriers inprocessing “non-trusted” shipments for additional screening measures outlined in the appropriate
security program.

8Program Points of Contact:
Chris KennallyDirector, Cargo Control
Office of Field Operations
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
202-344-2476
James E. McLaughlin
Director, Cargo Targeting
Targeting and Analysis Systems Program Office
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
571-468-2540
Warren Miller
Manager
Air Cargo Policy and Strategic Information Management
Transportation Security Administration
571-227-1339

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