Postal Affairs Blog

The Proposed New Standards for Intelligent Mail Barcodes information has been published. The proposal includes revised mailing standards.

In order to transition to Intelligent Mail by May 2009, it is important that the USPS  receive comments to the Federal Register Notice as soon as possible.  Feel free to comment early, and comment more than once before the May 30, 2008 cut-off date.

For an easy way to review the Notice and submit your feedback, you can once again use our Intelligent Mail Feedback page by clicking here

Let me know if you have any questions about the notice, and I will try to help.  Much more to come this week from MTAC,

Best wishes,
Lisa

I will be in Washington DC next week for the MTAC Mailer’s Technical Advisory Committee meetings, as well as the General Sessions on Wednesday and Thursday.  Be sure to look for an update on all the news from MTAC next week. 
Best wishes,
Lisa

In April 16, 2008 the USPS released an Advance Federal Register notice regarding Intelligent Mail.

Here is a summary of the highlights of that document -

IMB Benefits

• ACS Address Change Service
• Confirm®
• Tracking

Additional visibility will improve service and efficiency, and add value to the mail

Full Service
When mail owners elect to use their own 6-digit or 9-digit Mailer ID and unique serial numbers for mailpieces, mail preparers would be required to honor that numbering.

Full Service Benefits

• free start-the-clock information
• free address correction information
• May 2009 lowest prices available

NO new containerization standards or FAST appointment requirements for Origin and First Class Mail at this time.

Business Reply Mail®, Courtesy Reply Mail™, Meter Reply Mail, and Permit Reply Mail will need to be in the Intelligent Mail format and include a Mailer ID and BRM Service Type ID as of May 2010.

Parcels and Not Flat-Machinable pieces are NOT included in the current Intelligent Mail package. Standards for IM for these categories will come in the future.

Rules for optional endorsement lines (OELs) and pressure-sensitive bundle labels
Top piece of a presort bundle of flats must either:
1) Include an OEL, with the information also in the barcode or
2) Contain a pressure-sensitive bundle label

Mailer ID uniqueness

• Serial number ID in combination with the Mailer ID and Service Type ID will be required for mailpiece uniqueness
• When mailers separate trays and containers by price category on mailings less than 10,000 pieces, mailpieces may have the same serial number on all pieces.

Mailing Documentation Exactly Matching Physical Mail Preparation

• In most cases, presort software will be used to enable the physical mail to match the nesting presented in the electronic documentation
• In cases such as MLOCR environment, where an exact match is challenging but the total number of pieces to each destination matches the documentation, a postage payment system agreement will govern the relationship between physical mail and electronic documentation.

Postage Statement Wizard®
Enables electronic submission of postage statements, which would meet the requirement for Full Service mailings of less than 10,000 pieces that do not require accompanying documentation such as permit imprint mailings of identical-weight pieces separated by price category, or mailings will exact postage affixed.

Free address correction notices
Notices will be provided for correctly formatted mailpieces (in a Full Service mailing) that have the
appropriate ancillary service request (either Address Service Requested or Change Service Requested) in their mailer profile and embedded in Intelligent Mail barcodes.

Intelligent Mail Tray Labels

• 10/24 label can be used before May 2009
• Option to migrate to the 24-digit label starting in May 2009

New Optional Pallet and container label alternate format

• Designed to be affixed to the outside of shrinkwrap or plastic
• At least 4 inches high by 7 inches long
• All pallet placard formats will require THREE sides of the pallet be labeled

USPS Resource References

• Barcode placement standards DMM 202.5, 302.4, and 708.4
• IMB with Confirm Service DMM 503.13.3
• OneCode ACS™ DMM 507.4.2
• FAQs ribbs.usps.gov/Onecodesolution
• A Guide to Electronic Documentation and Appointments for Full Service Mailings will be available online by the end of April 2008

The Advance copy of the Federal Register Notice with final Intelligent Mail information has been posted
http://pe.usps.com/FederalRegisterNotices.asp

Official notification came from the USPS today, via the DMM Advisory.  I will be reviewing the document with great interest this afternoon, stop back  later this week for detailed information. 

We will be giving you the opportunity to comment as well,

Best wishes,
Lisa

Customers and friends, we’ve just posted a system for exchanging website links. 

Click here to access a webpage that will give you different choices of sample code for posting on your webpage.  Once you’ve linked to us, drop a note to the address listed on the page, and we will reciprocate with a link on our partners page. 

We’re hoping to build a network of qualified mailers and shippers in order to help support and promote our common interests.

Travel next week, back on Wednesday.  Watch for comments on the Federal Register final IMB rules, I think they will be out on Monday,

Best wishes,
Lisa

Jeffery Peoples, Window Book’s Owner and President, was in Las Vegas this week for the IDEAlliance Print Distribution Conference.  In addition to the conference, several Mail.dat Editorial Committee meetings were held (which I attended via telecon).  Work has already begun in earnest on the 09-1 Mail.dat specification that will be implemented next year. 

One of the newsworthy items coming out of the conference was word from the USPS representatives in attendance that the Federal Register notice with the final IMB information will be coming out by the end of next week.  Pricing level information is critical to mailers considering investing in the Intelligent Mail vision.

I will be at USPS HQ next week.  I’ll keep you informed as to any developments that are available to be made public as soon as possible.

Best wishes,
Lisa

From a DMM Advisory sent by the USPS today:

An advance copy of the Federal Register notice changing the address standards for flat-size mail is now available on Postal Explorer. The new standards are effective on March 29, 2009, and require mailers to place the delivery address in the top half of all Periodicals, Standard Mail, Bound Printed Matter, Media Mail, and Library Mail flat-size pieces mailed at automation, presorted, or carrier route prices. Additional formatting standards apply to all commercial flats.

The advance notice can be accessed here: 
http://pe.usps.com/FederalRegisterNotices.asp

These new addressing standards are one of the steps necessary in preparation for the FSS Flats Sequencing System equipment to be rolled out.  Mailers need to be aware of these changes so that they can be implemented into flats design in the future.

Best wishes,
Lisa

The Postal Regulatory Commission has launched a new informatve webstie here http://www.prc.gov

The new design will make navigation and information access easier.  More timely information can be found in two new sections, Newsroom and Breaking News.  There is information pertinent for all mailers and mail consumers at this resource.  Bookmark this one!

Best wishes,
Lisa

Quebecor World Logistics posted a news brief yesterday regarding the threat of a trucking industry event starting next week.  Read the full article here.  This was also picked up by PostCom, as so much of the mail volume is dependent on truck transportation. 

It is an unfortunate situation for everyone involved.  Mailers need to be aware of the potential transportation disruption in planning their critical mail transport in the coming weeks.

Best wishes for better days ahead,
Lisa