Aaron Baker
Member
For anyone who is registered as an eForms user, you've probably recently received (like I have) the eForms update newsletter that the ATF sends out. I was reading it, and it makes me wonder if the left hand knows what the right hand is doing.
First, the great news is that they've made significant progress in reducing the backlog of tax stamp applications. They went from a peak backlog of 81,076 applications on 2/25/14 to 37,195 on 1/14/15. In less than a year, a 54% reduction in their backlog. It certainly seems like the ATF actually cares about the NFA branch providing good customer service. Bear in mind that they've been receiving a larger than ever number of submissions each month, so they're reducing backlog while also handling an increased load of applications. And they surely know that if they can reduce the backlog completely, that will just encourage MORE tax stamp applications. (I certainly believe that if the wait time is 30 days instead of 8 months, more people will buy suppressors.)
But the reason for this thread is that they are also projecting that they will have the Form 4 back on eForms by the end of 2015. They've cleared a new vendor to work on creating a better system for eForm Form 4 processing, including support for batch processing (which allegedly brought the old system down in the first place). They have an industry group to advise them on what features are needed in the new system. Seems pretty awesome.
Except that if they pass new regulations requiring fingerprints, photographs and LEO signoff for trusts, then no one will be able to actually use eForms for Form 4 once they've paid all this money to set up a more robust system.
So, of course, this is all speculation, but does anyone else think that this might be a sign that they aren't going to enact the proposed regulations, or is this just a case of the NFA Branch spending a bunch of money to provide better service to its end users while the ATF administration works on taking away their customer base?
Surely the administration side of things wouldn't budget money for a system that won't be useful once they pass new regulations?
Aaron
First, the great news is that they've made significant progress in reducing the backlog of tax stamp applications. They went from a peak backlog of 81,076 applications on 2/25/14 to 37,195 on 1/14/15. In less than a year, a 54% reduction in their backlog. It certainly seems like the ATF actually cares about the NFA branch providing good customer service. Bear in mind that they've been receiving a larger than ever number of submissions each month, so they're reducing backlog while also handling an increased load of applications. And they surely know that if they can reduce the backlog completely, that will just encourage MORE tax stamp applications. (I certainly believe that if the wait time is 30 days instead of 8 months, more people will buy suppressors.)
But the reason for this thread is that they are also projecting that they will have the Form 4 back on eForms by the end of 2015. They've cleared a new vendor to work on creating a better system for eForm Form 4 processing, including support for batch processing (which allegedly brought the old system down in the first place). They have an industry group to advise them on what features are needed in the new system. Seems pretty awesome.
Except that if they pass new regulations requiring fingerprints, photographs and LEO signoff for trusts, then no one will be able to actually use eForms for Form 4 once they've paid all this money to set up a more robust system.
So, of course, this is all speculation, but does anyone else think that this might be a sign that they aren't going to enact the proposed regulations, or is this just a case of the NFA Branch spending a bunch of money to provide better service to its end users while the ATF administration works on taking away their customer base?
Surely the administration side of things wouldn't budget money for a system that won't be useful once they pass new regulations?
Aaron
