PRC approves USPS’s Standard Mail Pricing Initiative (Summer Sale)

9 Apr 2010 | No Comments | posted by admin | in News

The Postal Regulatory Commission has approved the U.S. Postal Service’s plan to conduct a Standard Mail Pricing Initiative (also known as the “Summer Sale”) this summer. This is a followup to last summer’s inaugural program.
Here’s what the program looks like:

  • Incentive period: July 1 to Sept. 30, 2010.
  • Products: All Standard Mail letters and flats. 
  • Control months: June and October. 
  • Rebate amount: 30% off applicable rate above baseline. 
  • Baseline: Same Period Last Year (SPLY) + 5% (i.e. 105% of what you actually mailed in the July to Sept. 2009 period) 
  • Control: Downward adjustment if June or October volume is below baseline (prevents shifting of volume into incentive period) 
  • Qualification: Customers must have mailed more than 350,000 Standard Mail pieces in the baseline period of July 1 to Sept. 30, 2009. This covers about 3,525 customers, or 67% of Standard Mailers.

Mail service providers (the printers and preparers that physically execute mail and give it to the USPS) are not eligible to aggregate volume on behalf of their customers.

PS Form 8125 — Plant-Verified Drop Shipment (PVDS) Verification and Clearance

9 Apr 2010 | No Comments | posted by admin | in DMM Advisory

We have realigned our business mail acceptance processes to be more consistent throughout our vast network. A significant effort was centered on the correct completion of PS Form 8125, Plant-Verified Drop Shipment (PVDS) Verification and Clearance. PS Form 8125 assures that the contents presented at a destination entry office match what was accepted at an origin entry office.

We have thousands of suppliers who bring drop shipments to our facilities, additionally bringing non-postal forms, such as bills of lading, and request a USPS® signature. These non-postal forms are not uniform in content or appearance. It is critical that PS Form 8125 be used as the only documentation evidencing receipt of mail by the Postal Service™ for destination entry drop shipments. It is the only form for destination entry mailings familiar to all mailers and every business mail entry facility.

To maintain nationwide consistency, USPS policy is to accept PS Form 8125 as the only form that postal employees may sign to acknowledge receipt of destination entry shipments. If mailers require a signed receipt, they may submit a second copy of the PS Form 8125, which will be signed by the USPS employee and returned to the driver after the drop shipment has been received. For mailers who use electronic processes such as eVS® where hard copy forms are not required, a separate process will be established.

 As postal employees continue to implement standardized business mail acceptance processes, we appreciate the support of the mailing community. It’s important that mailers and the Postal Service continue to work together and support consistency nationwide.

April DMM Update

5 Apr 2010 | No Comments | posted by admin | in DMM Advisory

Postal Explorer (pe.usps.com) is your source for up-to-date mailing standards. The Domestic Mail Manual is fully searchable on Postal Explorer and features fly-out menus, cross-reference links, and an extensive subject index. Today we updated our mailing standards to capture the following changes:

New Optional Designs for Letter-Sized Booklets

We revised 201.3.0 to provide 10 new design options for letter-size booklets.

Express Mail Open and Distribute and Priority Mail Open and Distribute Changes and Updates
We revised 705.16.0 to improve efficiencies in processing and to control costs for Express Mail Open and Distribute and Priority Mail Open and Distribute.

Updated Size and Weight Limits for Items Mailed to Department of State Addresses
We revised 703.3.2.3 to update the size and weight limits for items mailed specifically to Department of State addresses.

Parcel Return Service Mailer ID Clearance
We revised 507.13.4.4h2 which gives mailers the option to change the label format by reducing the required clearance space between the Parcel Return Service Mailer Identification (ID) characters and the edges of the printed box from 3/16 inch to 1/16 inch.

Extension of Not Flat-Machinable Prices and Eligibility of Mailpieces Specifically Approved as Automation Flats
We revised 301.3.3 to extend automation flats eligibility of pieces approved via the Pricing and Classification Service Center (PCSC) beyond May 2010. We also extended the timeframe for the Not Flat-Machinable (NFM) category of Standard Mail.

Deposit of APO, FPO, DPO, and U.S. Territory Mailpieces Bearing a Customs Declaration—Update
We revised 503.9.2.4, 503.10.2.3, 608.2.0, and 703.2.0 to authorize additional deposit options for items that bear a customs declaration when mailed to APO, FPO, DPO destinations, and to U.S. territory, possessions and Freely Associated States.

Labeling List Changes
We revised Labeling List(s) L001, L002, L005, L007, L008, L009, L011, L201, L606, and L607 to reflect changes in mail processing operations.