Administrative Activities -- The meeting was called to order at 1:00pm by Jim Bonham, Chairman and the attendees introduced themselves. The agenda was passed out and quickly run through. The minutes from the 12-18-98 meeting were reviewed. Skip Potter moved that the minutes be approved, the motion was seconded and was passed unanimously.

Summary of Third ACEC Meeting -- Chairman Bonham gave a summary of the third ACEC meeting that was held on November 17 at the Westin O-hare in Chicago, Illinois. It was recognized that the ACEC was now officially one year old.

Organization of the ACEC -- Voting rules established at the July 30 meeting were one vote for each association and the association vote would be either by member or association representative. The voting rules were not changed. Since Mike Long is no longer with SEMA, Alan Dicker will be the new representative from SEMA. The committee appointed Craig Young as ACEC liaison to the PTDA EC committee so that PTDA will know what the ACEC is working on. However, PTDA will not become a member of ACEC since they are not an aftermarket association. Skip Potter will share information with the Trim Parts group on ACEC. Edward Kuo will participate as AECE liaison with the Hard Parts group (NEMA) that is developing EC standards.

Certification of Standards - APAA Catalog Standards certification -- A resolution for the ACEC certification of the EDI 832E document was presented Greg Adams and is attached to these minutes. Discussion concerning certification included the following topics:

The 832E version be accepted for ACEC certification not the make/model tables.

Version 4010 of 832E is Y2K compliant

Version 4020 is in the rough draft stage and will enhance version 4010, but the 832E document being certified is for version 4010.

Minimal comments or change suggestions were received on the 832E document when made available for such to all ACEC members.

The cost of the 832E is $0.00. APAA does charge for their supporting tables. The cost for the tables for charter members is a negotiated, non-disclosed amount, qualifying members are charged $2,000 and the general public is charged $2500.00.

Additional tables could be processed by the 832E such as Mitchell's; and heavy duty or specialty market tables if they are developed. The 832E currently could recognize up to three additional ACEC recognized tables.

The certification of the 832E includes only the design for the auto and light truck industry.

It was determined that the 832E is a "living document" that would change and encompass future developments.

By ACEC certifying the 832E EDI standard, reference to APAA ownership will be changed to ACEC certified.

It was motioned by Skip Potter, seconded, and unanimously approved to accept the ACEC certification of the APAA X.12 832E version 4010.

A press release will be drafted by Scott Luckett and approved by the ACEC via e-mail prior to release announcing the certification of the EDI Standards. The press release will be placed on ACEC web site, sent to electronic commerce magazines, and submitted to each association for distribution to their membership base. The contact reference in the press release should be listed by the originating association, in this case APAA.

Certification of Standards - AWDA Bar-Coding Guidelines -- Jim Bonham presented a review of the 1996 AWDA Bar-Coding Guidelines and discussion concerning certification included the following topics:

There was a concern that the guidelines would accommodate the EAN (15-digit) system. The guidelines refer to the EAN and they will be revised as UPC makes changes to their bar code standards.

The submitted Bar Code Guidelines were developed as a North American standard.

Jim Bonham representing AWDA will be responsible for the press release, promotion, updating, and the information contact for the press release.

It was motioned by Skip Potter, seconded, and unanimously approved to certify the January 1996 AWDA Bar-Coding Guidelines.

ACEC WorkGroups -- It was suggested that work groups be formed within ACEC for similar projects between the different associations. The council decided that no specific work groups would be formed. However, it was suggested that an effort be made to have ACEC members attend similar associations committee meetings. A few of the upcoming committee meetings are:

• APAA and AWDA committee meetings on 5/14/99
• AISA board & committee meetings coming up on 4/23/99
• SEMA has Detroit Tech Talks - no date given.

It was further suggested that a Technology calendar including these technology committee meetings be published by either web site and/or e-mail. It was also noted that the associations do not charge for committee meeting attendance. The cost would be travel and lodging to the participants. MEMA accepted the responsibility of developing the technology calendar on the ACEC web site.

The ownership of the Collaborative Planning Forecasting and Replenishment project will be transferred from AWDA to APAA, since the CPFR initiative is based on retail rather than the traditional aftermarket.

The CFS EC Committee who is developing the product synchronization project will work with APAA to combine their efforts at the APAA meeting in San Antonio in May. MEMA will investigate pushing e-mail to ACEC members to inform them about upcoming meetings and work group accomplishments. CFS will begin work on a heavy-duty table definition at their April meetings in Atlanta.

Project Inventory Updates-- Review of the status of the ACEC Project Inventory. Notes of the project inventory discussion are summarized below. Also see the attached spreadsheet, which has been revised.

Electronic Cataloging
832 E will be revised as Version 4020 by the middle of the year. This is an enhancement only of 4010. New codes to be added version 4020. Napa and Carquest have joined the APAA committee, but do not officially support the standard. The note under comments regarding Carquest & NAPA supporting the standard should be removed. The 832E is certified by the ACEC. Public comment will be made on additions to the standards and tables to be added. The Mitchell tables will be added to spread sheet. APAA will try to reconcile Mitchell with APAA. The Mitchell tables are officially named: VCD tables (Vehicle Certification Database). A discussion took place regarding tables that could be developed for different sub sets of the aftermarket and how the 832E could read those tables.

Fleet Electronic Cataloging
The Heavy Duty Market has 5 separate ways to look up parts. A need for graphics in the heavy-duty market is mandatory. CFS working on a standardized approach to tables that will accommodate those companies that have their own look up tables. ACEC purposed that a "White Paper" be drawn up by CFS on their needs with input from APAA and SEMA. It was suggested that conversion to XML files would allow for graphics within the data files. The issue is how to handle pictures using a binary file. With XML the binary file can be imbedded of documents. Midland is working on a pilot using the XML technology. The VMRS system was discussed. TMC currently controls this system. CFS will be trying to push for standardization within this system. TMC making progress with VRMS. Fleets are pushing it. Workable as it is. The CFS table update in the 832 for the heavy-duty market will probably require extra segments for heavy duty. Further revisions will be required.

Specialty Products Cataloging
Specialty Products Cataloging - The majority of discussion was included under the Fleet Electronic Cataloging discussion.

Electronic Price Updates
Profile systems will work with APAA on the defined fields. Ed Heon will go to the meeting in San Antonio. There are 137 fields defined in the APAA standards, but few comments have been received. APAA needs to get comments back from ACEC associations. Inland to send a representative May 13 and AIA and DCI will attend. DCI only wants the top 100 companies to participate in their project. Standardize the format to be used by anyone. Cummins does pricing using the 832 and Jim Bonham will send it to all ACEC members.

Supply Chain Management
Inquiry Special Order Process
MEMA Direct Connect II has been released. Inland Brake said that they stopped using the Direct Connect II system because it was not working. They are looking at converting to XML for their event driven data. Auto Wares is currently using the Direct Connect II system. NAPA has come out with their own which follows X12 systems named JOEI.
Stock Order Process
X12 EDI Transactions X12 4010 format should be ready by June-July, 1999

UN/EDIFACT EDI Transactions
Thought expressed that EDIFACT will be phased out within the next 10 years and data will be converted to XML.
Supplier Assisted Inventory Replenishment
Jim Bonham recommended that APAA take over direction of this project is more on the retail side than the traditional aftermarket. There are a variety of system providers and the ACEC will not endorse a provider solution, but only standards to be used in the process. The APAA EC committee is also looking at other industries such as the CPFR project.
Electronic Warehouse Management
Now that the 1996 AWDA Bar-Coding Guidelines are certified the AWDA IAT committee will continue to work on updates to Bar Code Standards. Promotion of the use of the ACEC certified bar code standards to AWDA members. An ACEC member suggested that a letter from AWDA president to membership would help to promote the usage of the guidelines.

Internet based EC
Encryption is needed to make Internet usage credible. Standards need to be developed that will allow information to be moved from one source to another as quickly as possible.

Internet Information Services
The ASIA EC Committee name should be changed to ASIA technology committee The ASIA Technology committee will be meeting in April 1999 and will discuss uses of Aftermarket On-line as well as EC other topics.

Year 2000 Awareness
It was decided that it was not feasible to sponsor a Y2K test day. It was suggested that the specifics of the law, which was passed recently limiting liability for Y2K compliance, be published on the ACEC web site for association members. SEMA has either sent out recently or will be sending out soon a Y2K survey to their members. MEMA survey results showed that either companies were very concerned or not concerned at all. Dave Bennett indicated that his research showed that the mid to large companies that have invested in Y2K compliance would be ok. The small companies that will not or cannot invest the resources are going to be hit hard. Estimates are that approximately 40% of European companies will fail due to Y2K and around 20% of American companies are expected to fail.

VMRS
VMRS 2000 is available. Purchase price is $150.00. Can handle up to 14,000 codes. Numbers are set up as: __ __ __ - __ __ __ - __ __ __ (assembly - sub assembly - part) Several companies are placing VMRS on products currently. Vendors use cross-reference lists in the data definition. The tables are not ready to certify yet. Who is using it Big Fleets Ryder.

Shop Integration
This project has been added to the project inventory at the request of the ASIA Technology committee. A definition of what is needed should be developed. It includes a process to get information from test equipment to get a part and look up all the information to describe the vehicle and grab the data.

XML
The ASIA Technology Committee will meet April to discuss the Internet and XML. A European software was mentioned, by the name of Asanetwork, which has been used as a pilot for XML technology. Many different types of connections such as Internet, Intranet and VPN may be needed to make this technology work. CFS will work on XML. MISG is developing an Internet product. Net source has a product.

ACEC Chat Site
ACEC members want a list serve that would push discussion group information via e-mail to them. Chris of MEMA will investigate this concept. The group wanted to change the Web address to aceconline.org. Chris Gardner of MEMA will look into the name change.

Next Meeting
The next meeting will be on June 17 at 8:30am at Gates in Denver, Colorado.

Meeting Attendees - The 16 meeting attendees included: