BIS's Update 2005 Begins With SNAP-R Demonstration
Greetings to all of those that were lucky enough to get a spot at Bureau of Industry and Security's Update 2005. I look forward to seeing you there. For those of you that were not able to attend, I will be providing updates on the major initiatives and news announced during the conference. In addition, I encourage you to check out Scott Gearrity's Export Control Blog, as Scott will be liveblogging from Update.
At this afternoon's opening session, the BIS Export Control Automated Support System (ECASS) Program Team provided an update on the long-promised redesign of the Simplified Network Application Process (SNAP) for the electronic filing of export license applications and classifications. The BIS staff had some bad news and good news on the status of the SNAP redesign.
The bad news is that exporters will have to continue filing license applications and classifications on the current version of SNAP for some time to come. Right now, BIS expects to roll out the final version of SNAP-R (the new and improved version of SNAP) in late 2006 or early 2007. BIS has developed a SNAP-R prototype that will be used in a limited pilot program in 2006. However, because BIS is also engaging in a five-year project to update its 20+ year old internal ECASS system, BIS won't be able to roll out the new version of SNAP until it is sure that it will cooexist with the new version of ECASS, known as ECASS-R.
The good news is that the new version of SNAP looks promising. Most importantly, SNAP-R will allow license applicants to submit PDF versions of supporting documentation, technical specifications and letters of explanation along with their license application or classification request. This will be a major improvement from the current system, since the licensing officers will have the capability to review supporting documents submitted by an application on their own computer screen, rather than having to track down the paper copies that applicants submitted separately.
Update: BIS hopes to have SNAP-R ready for use by exporters by next year's Update (October 2006).
|posted by Douglas N. Jacobson| Permalink 
