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 Status Report on Major Crown Projects

eManifest

Description

One of the strategies that the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) employs in managing the border is the use of advance information to identify and stop high-risk people and goods before they arrive in Canada. Having successfully implemented the marine and air components of the Advance Commercial Information initiative, the CBSA is now in Phase III, which is known as eManifest.

eManifest is a key priority under the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America. Under eManifest, carriers, freight forwarders and importers will transmit real-time and concurrent advance commercial and crew information to the Agency. eManifest will contribute to a key Agency strategy — to "push the border out" — and position the CBSA to obtain the information necessary to identify and interdict threats before their arrival in Canada. This next phase of the Advance Commercial Information initiative solidifies the Agency's commitment to provide CBSA officers with electronic pre-arrival cargo information so that they have the right information at the right time to identify health, safety and security threats related to commercial goods before the goods arrive in Canada.

eManifest will feature the following:

• reporting using electronic data interchange;

• an Internet portal;

• automated risk assessment;

• an enhanced client notification system;

• a data warehouse and associated business intelligence tools; and

• compliance management and management information reporting.

Project Phase

eManifest is currently in the analysis and design phase. The following eManifest readiness activities have been completed or are nearing completion:

• information technology prerequisites; and

• Synchronous Technology and Application Release configuration and independent service delivery.

Preliminary project approval was granted on October 5, 2006, and effective project approval was granted on November 29, 2007.

Leading and Participating Departments and Agencies

Lead department or agency	Canada Border Services Agency
Contracting authority	Canada Revenue Agency and Public Works and Government Services Canada
Participating departments and agencies	n/a

Prime and Major Subcontractor(s)

Prime contractor	n/a
Major subcontractor(s)	n/a

Major Milestones

Project start date: October 2006.
Estimated date of completion: Fall 2014. This date has been revised to take into account the requirement for full implementation by project stakeholders and the CBSA.

Major Milestones

Ref. #	Major Milestone	Date
1	eManifest readiness — Information technology prerequisites and Phase I deployment of the Synchronous Technology and Application Release configuration and independent service delivery.	Implemented November 2007
2	eManifest readiness — Automated in-transit pilot project (Phase I): Enhancements to support linkages between the existing commercial systems; and Enhancements to the notification system to advise trade chain partners when information has been received.	Implemented June 2008
3	Electronic reporting for rail (Phase I)	Implemented March 2009
4	Electronic data interchange reporting in highway mode Internet portal for highway mode Development of eManifest compliance management and client support program	Spring 2010
5	Electronic reporting for rail (Phase II)	Fall 2010
6	Electronic data interchange reporting for secondary cargo Internet portal for secondary cargo Enhanced notification system	Summer 2011
7	Electronic data interchange reporting for importer admissibility data eManifest compliance management and client support program Internet portal for importers/brokers Enhanced notification system Passage for all modes	Spring 2012
8	Risk assessment for all modes Business intelligence data warehouse	Summer 2012
9	Electronic data interchange reporting for marine/air crew Risk assessment for marine/air retrofits Passage for highway mode retrofit	Winter 2012

Progress Report and Explanations of Variances

In 2008–09, the following eManifest activities were accomplished:

• Progress was made in the development and deployment of various project components and readiness activities.

• Investments in information technology infrastructure were made to enable the CBSA to simultaneously deliver on several initiatives. The level of systems integration within the CBSA has been reduced so that each line of business will be able to develop, test and implement new software and applications independently.

• Two system releases occurred in 2008–09. These preparatory releases are foundational requirements for future builds. In addition, progress was made to develop the Internet portal to be used by the trade community and to plan and prepare for the future implementation of other infrastructure components, including the electronic reporting of highway information by carriers, a data warehouse and business intelligence tool sets.

• eManifest readiness — automated in-transit pilot project (Phase I):

  • enhancements were implemented that support linkages between the CBSA's and U.S. Customs and Border Protection's existing commercial systems;

  • to accompany the system upgrades, the CBSA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection have agreed to work cooperatively to communicate information related to in-transit cargo shipments; and

  • upgrades were made to the CBSA's notification system that advises trade chain partners when information has been received.

As a result of the above-referenced activities, the CBSA will receive cargo and conveyance data related to Canadian goods moving in transit via the United States in electronic format from trade chain members and exit notifications from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

• The CBSA implemented Phase I of a two-phased approach to update the CBSA's business system to allow for multiple message standards from the rail importing community.

• On March 30, 2009, Bill S-2, An Act to amend the Customs Act, was heard at the Senate Standing Committee on National Security and Defence. On March 31, 2009, the Committee's report was tabled in the Senate.

• Given the size and scope of eManifest, a strong emphasis on professional project management and the use of appropriate tools for the project environment was deemed critical to ensure its success. The project schedule was officially approved and a baseline was established to help track and monitor the progress of key deliverables moving forward.

• The Electronic Commerce Client Requirements Document for highway carriers was distributed to the trade community for discussion and finalization.

• The CBSA regularly met with external stakeholders through the eManifest Stakeholder Partnership Network and other consultative forums on the design, development, implementation and communication of eManifest. The CBSA also held significant consultations with the trade community, through the eManifest Stakeholder Partnership Network, on eManifest design and development issues, including the following:

  • policy decisions;

  • importer admissibility data requirements;

  • shipment information requirements;

  • the Electronic Commerce Client Requirements Document for highway carriers; and

  • the eManifest portal prototype.

Explanation of variances:

• Effective project approval was granted to the Agency in November 2007.

• Agency reference levels still reflect preliminary project approval funding amounts. This has resulted in carry-forward variances to reflect effective project approval project plans.

• Expenditures were less than expected in 2008–09 due to re-planning of certain activities of the project, which has resulted in a carry forward into 2009–10.

• The project plan has been revised to align to available fiscal year budgets.

Industrial Benefits

Because eManifest will help provide CBSA officers with the right information at the right time, Canadian industry will benefit from more certainty at the border and from streamlined release processes. This will enable both industry and the CBSA to manage commercial import volumes more effectively. In addition, eManifest functionality will enable the seamless movement of goods through secure international trade-supply chains. With improved controls along the international trade-supply chains, the CBSA can more efficiently allocate resources to ensure that integrated border services further national security and safety priorities, while continuing to facilitate the free flow of low-risk people and goods.

Air Cargo Security

Description

The primary objective of the Air Cargo Security initiative is to develop a comprehensive air cargo security regime in Canada that will mitigate the risks associated with the introduction of explosives in cargo or mail and the use of cargo aircraft as weapons. Through design and pilot testing, supply-chain programs to identify low-risk cargo will be developed and procedures will be identified to screen high-risk and targeted cargo.

Project Phase

Phase 1: completed by Transport Canada.
Phases 2 and 3: project development and pilot testing was completed on March 31, 2009.

Note: Some milestones have completion dates after March 31, 2009, due to delays in completing one or more constituent deliverables for a number of reasons. Members of the steering committee, including the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, were provided with updates on these delays as they were identified. All dates shown in the Major Milestones table are the most recent dates of completion and are extracted from the latest version of the baseline master schedule for the project.

Leading and Participating Departments and Agencies

Lead department or agency	Transport Canada
Contracting authority	Public Works and Government Services Canada and the Canada Revenue Agency
Participating departments and agencies	Canada Border Services Agency

Prime and Major Subcontractor(s)

Prime contractor	n/a
Major subcontractor(s)	n/a

Major Milestones

Start date: September 1, 2006.
Projected date of completion: March 31, 2009.

• The project definition will lay the groundwork for future enhancements leading to a measured and balanced Canadian approach to align the Air Cargo Security initiative with international standards.

• The project will explore ways to further protect aviation security and those working in the air cargo supply chain while ensuring the efficient flow of goods both domestically and internationally.

• The milestones listed below are aimed at ensuring the project is progressing in an approved manner as per the approved project plan.

Major Milestones

Ref. #	Major Milestone	Date
1	Report to the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat on project management plans and controls submitted.	July 7, 2007
2	Design, development and evaluation security standards completed.	March 31, 2008
3	Definition of the operating environment, characteristics and screening models for "break bulk" air cargo screening completed.	October 31, 2007
4	Commercial off-the-shelf Secure Supply Chain Management System prototype populated.	December 31, 2007
5	Initial evaluations of screening technologies in controlled environment completed.	February 29, 2008
6	Interim report on project progress submitted to the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.	March 31, 2008
7	Piloting of the Secure Supply Chain Management System prototype completed.	June 2, 2008
8	Report on the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America commitments for air cargo security completed.	June 30, 2009
9	Evaluation of security assessments and plans for the project completed.	July 31, 2008
10	Assessment of potential program enhancements for the CBSA that could be derived from the Secure Supply Chain Management System completed.	May 29, 2009
11	Recommendations for air cargo screening for the Air Cargo Security initiative completed.	August 31, 2008
12	Interoperability analysis between Transport Canada and the CBSA completed.	September 30, 2008
13	Supply-chain system regulatory and compliance program requirements drafted.	May 31, 2009
14	Final recommendations for the Air Cargo Security initiative completed.	June 18, 2009
15	Close out of phases 2 and 3.	March 31, 2009 (some work has been carried into 2009–10)

Progress Report and Explanations of Variances

• The CBSA is accountable for completing milestone 10.

• The report has been written and is being reviewed for final approval.

• Transport Canada is responsible for milestones 1 through 15 except for milestone 10.

• Some milestones have completion dates after March 31, 2009, due to delays in completing one or more constituent deliverables for a number of reasons. Members of the steering committee, including the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, were provided with updates on these delays as they were identified. All dates shown in the Major Milestones table are the most recent dates of completion and are extracted from the latest version of the baseline master schedule for the project.

Industrial Benefits (Business Goals)

• Protect the Canadian public and those working in the air cargo supply chain.

• Streamline trade through risk management.

• Promote the movement of goods both domestically and internationally through effective trade supply chains.

• Improve the ability of the CBSA to detect high-risk cargo.

• Improve controls and make better and more efficient allocations of CBSA resources.

• Ensure the efficient flow of goods that contributes to Canada's economic prosperity.

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