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Agent Compliance Evaluation (ACE)

Agent Compliance Evaluation (ACE), evaluates a magazine subscription sales agent’s ability to support the audit process, providing publishers with added assurance that an ABC-member subscription agent has the potential to execute ABC-compliant programs. The service examines and tests such areas as record-keeping systems, transaction processing, sub-agent orders, and internal controls, measured against ABC rules, policies, and practices.

Quick Facts

• ABC evaluates agents' normal operating practices, including order processing and financial and operating environments, for the capability to generally execute ABC-compliant programs. ACE attempts to qualitatively answer the question, "Does the agent have the necessary infrastructure in place to produce ABC-compliant programs?"
• Completion of ACE does not indicate an agent’s future ABC compliance on individual programs. Agents should still review individual programs with ABC prior to their execution.
• ACE participation is voluntary.
• Eligibility: Agent must be an ABC associate member.
• Publicity: No public ABC document indicating pass/fail or certification is issued to the agent. Agents that successfully complete their compliance evaluation are listed on ABC’s Web site that identifies the agent and indicates the ‘as at’ date of the evaluation.
• ABC reserves the right to retract or withdraw its opinion at any time if it believes the agent’s operating environment and/or internal control process have changed to an extent that indicates the potential for the agent to no longer be processing subscription orders in a generally acceptable fashion. If so, the agent will be removed from the Web site listing.
• ACE will consider circulation programs executed by the agent as well as orders processed on behalf of sub-agents.
• Cost: A flat rate of $15,000 is due in advance for the service.

For an outline of the program, view How ACE is Conducted: Program Summary.

Contact Information

• Current members should contact manager, marketing and sales, at (847) 879-8406.
• Agents that would like to become an ABC member should contact at (847) 879-8240.