First Sale Logic in EZFTZ

Posted on 11/10/2008

In order to accommodate the first sale declaration requirement  that became effective on September 19th 2008, EZFTZ has modifed the interface to accept first sale flag in the inbound feed . Flexibility to key in first sale flag at invoice or invoice line item level has also been added for manual operations. According the requirements published on CSMS #08-000163  CBP 7501 form and ABI feed has been modfied to report first sale flag. Various broker feeds have been modified to transmit the first sale flag on the entries summaries to match broker's updated specification.

2009 User Conference Announced

Posted on 11/6/2008

ATTENTION EZFTZ CUSTOMERS: MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

The 2009 Annual User Conference will be held

February 28-March 1, 2009 

at the Crowne Plaza Atlanta Airport in Atlanta GA

MORE DETAILS TO COME!

LITE CHANGES TO E-ZONE BASIC

Posted on 11/1/2008

Rochester, NY ---  HOMEDATA (Rochester) INC., today announced its product formally known as EZFTZ LITE  will be moving over to Scott Neal's new company, e-Zone Software.   The software, now known as e-Zone Basic, will provide its current and prospective clientele better support time and new features to run their zone.

Developed back in 2006, EZFTZ LITE was created to provide small volume users an affordable application to file the e-214 as well as provide them with small inventory management capabiliies.

 Due to its popularity, HRI decided it would place its web-based e-214 module into a separate company in order to meet the needs of its current clientele and make way for development of the product.  Mr. Neal, who has been working with HRI to develop new features to E-Zone Basic will head the new company and provide all support to current and prospective customers.   New features he has been developing include the e-PTT for General Purpose Zone users, ABI queries, and transfers (i.e. 3461/7501, 7512).

"I have enjoyed my time working with EZFTZ to develop this great product for small to medium sized companies," stated Mr. Neal.  "This new transition will provide its customers enhanced support and more tools to operate their zone in one software solution."

Any interested parties are asked to contact Mr. Neal at:

e-Zone Software,
Attention: Scott Neal,
770 South Brea Blvd., Suite 211, Brea, CA 92821,
Tel: 714-674-0619,
Cell: 626-487-4807,
Fax: 310-507-0293,
E-mail: scott.neal@e-zonesoftware.com,
Web site: www.e-zonesoftware.com.

Lacey Act

Posted on 10/8/2008

Lacey Act

(10/08/2008)On May 22, 2008, the Lacey Act was amended to make it illegal to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase in interstate or foreign commerce, any plant—with limited exceptions—to be taken or traded in violation of domestic or international laws.

The Act extends the statute’s reach to include a broader range of plants and plant products, including timber deriving from illegally harvested plants. Illegal logging robs countries, destroys forests, and competes with the legal production and trade. This Act provides the legal authority to take action when products stemming from the practice of illegal logging enter the United States.

The Act now requires an import declaration for plants that includes the scientific name of any plant, a description of the value, quantity, and the name of the country from where the plant was taken. If a plant species or country of origin cannot be determined, the plant declaration must include a list of possible plant species found in the product or a list of possible countries from which the plant originated.

APHIS and the other Federal agencies involved in enforcing the provisions in the Act are working together to phase in enforcement of the declaration beginning April 2009.

Upcoming ACE Releases Delayed

Posted on 8/8/2008

U.S. Customs & Border Protection --The fall 2008 deployment of upcoming Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Rail and Sea Manifest (M1) capabilities will be delayed by a projected six to eight months due to problems discovered during testing the new software. 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has been working diligently to execute an ambitious ACE development schedule. Most recent efforts have focused on the testing of M1, which will allow vessel and rail carriers to use ACE when submitting advance cargo information.  The primary driver for the schedule delay is problems discovered during software testing.  Another contributing factor has been the addition of new requirements to the project.  Mindful of the critical role of these capabilities to both the government and the trade community, CBP is delaying their deployment to ensure they are thoroughly tested and functioning properly.  As a result of the M1 schedule slip, an additional four to six month delay is projected for the early 2009 deployment of initial ACE entry summary capabilities. 

CBP is in the process of determining the impact these delays will have on the entire ACE schedule.  CBP senior management has ordered an independent review of ACE to ensure that everything possible is being done to continue the successful deployment of new capabilities.  In the near future, a new ACE release schedule will be published.  This schedule will show that the Cargo Release portion of ACE has been moved to a higher priority.  The Cargo Release portion of ACE is critical to many of the participating government agencies CBP is working with as part of the International Trade Data System process. 

ACE remains a top priority for the Department of Homeland Security and CBP.  CBP is committed to delivering high quality capabilities to its employees and its partners in both government and the trade community. 

Please refer any questions to the Cargo Systems Program Office at cbpcspo@cbp.dhs.gov.

EZFTZ Expands!

Posted on 8/1/2008

ROCHESTER, NY – HOMEDATA (Rochester) INC., producer of inventory control software for importers across the nation, has expanded into an additional Rochester office hiring programmers and web developers in the local community.

“This is a really exciting time for us,” said President Philip Ewing who is also the Co-founder along with his wife Rosa.  “Were not only able to serve more companies across the nation through the development of our products but we are also able to provide more employment opportunities and seek new talent in the local community.”

After HOMEDATA’s inception back in 1992, their software known as EZFTZ has been helping Fortune 500 company’s track well over $27 Billion of merchandise through their Foreign Trade Zones.  These secure, access-restricted areas within the United States but considered outside U.S. Customs Territory allow importers to attain several benefits in their supply chain as merchandise may be imported into a Zone without formal Customs entry procedures or paying import duties.   

Local companies, Eastman Kodak and Xerox, are users of Monroe County’s Foreign Trade Zone 141 and use EZFTZ software to track their merchandise.  Other clients of EZFTZ include Mercedes, Sony, BMW, Skechers, and Reebok,

With the company clientele steadily growing and new development in the works, HOMEDATA will continue to seek local programmers and web developers.

“We hire across the country but we would really like to continue to grow locally and provide opportunities to the Rochester community,” Mr. Ewing stated.

Ray Shaw Joins EZFTZ

Posted on 7/1/2008

Rochester, NY -- EZFTZ is proud to announce the hiring of Mr. Ray Shaw who will serve as the Vice President of Business Development for the leading software provider.  Immediate Past Chairman of the NAFTZ, Ray is one of the most highly experienced leaders in the FTZ industry; with over 22 years as a consultant and 15 years in private industry.

“Over the course of my consulting career, I have worked on a number of projects with EZFTZ and was always impressed by the professional, straightforward, and candid approach to customer service,” stated Mr. Shaw.  “I am thrilled to now be a part of EZFTZ.”

Prior to joining EZFTZ, Mr. Shaw preformed a wide range of wide range of foreign trade zone consulting projects including opportunity identification and implementation strategy, cost/benefit analyses and project management advisory services for clients. In addition, Ray has represented clients during various types of Customs Regulatory Audit activities including general importer audits, compliance assessment reviews, Focused Assessments, FTZ audits, Duty Drawback audits, and NAFTA verification reviews.   

A licensed U.S. Customs Broker, he has held several key positions throughout the trade industry, serving as a supervisor for the C.J. Tower Customhouse Brokerage firm, management positions at United Technologies and NCR Corporation and was an executive as Ernst & Young LLP and Arthur Andersen LLP.                

Adding to his experience and role in the international trade community, Ray is an active member of the CBP Trade Support Network’s (“TSN”) Revenue committee and the Trade Co-chair of the Entry FTZ subcommittee providing trade input concerning the implementation of the new Automated Commercial Environment (“ACE”).  He is a past Chairman of the National Council on International Trade Development (“NCITD”) Drawback Committee.  He was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to serve on the North Texas District Export Council and is a past President of the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce Southwest Chapter                 

At EZFTZ, Ray will play a vital role in the sales and marketing efforts of the company. He will continue to educate potential FTZ users on zone savings and implementing their zone through the use of EZFTZ software.

Clint LIttlefield Joins EZFTZ

Posted on 4/14/2008

Rochester, NY, April 14, 2008 --  After a 40 year career with Customs and Border Protection, former port director Clinton Littlefield has joined EZFTZ staff as Trade Compliance Director.

 Mr. Littlefield is well known in the industry for his trade knowledge and presentation skills.   During his career with CBP, Littlefield's duties included direct and policy supervision of both setting up and admistrating more than 100 zone sites.  These sites included everything from auto subzones, to oil subzones to small general  purpose zones tracking only one part.  His last duty station in the Cleveland Are Port included overall supervision and approval of 84 zone sites scattered across four states.

 Mr. Littlefield will play an important role in the leading software provider's overal compliance goals.  He will be assiting both FTZ and trade organizations in improving their overall trade compliance through EZFTZ. 

" Through my experience,  I believe I can help EZFTZ Clients better communicate wih CBP and understand the issues that effect their zone.  I am thrilled to join a 'Class A Organization' that is interested in helping FTZ users stay compliant and do the right thing with all their Customs matters."stated Littlefield.

Mr. Littlefield currently resides 40 miles outside the Cleveland Area where he continues to teach Customs Compliace at several Ohio Universities.  He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.