The U.S. Postal Service will stop accepting mail addressed to military post offices in Iraq starting Nov. 17, as U.S. forces withdraw to meet an end of year deadline to leave the country. Military post offices in Iraq also will stop processing mail that day.
Mail arriving in Iraq after the service-member has left will be forwarded or returned to the sender, a DOD press release says. The U.S. Postal Service will delete ZIP codes for Iraq military post offices from the USPS database to prevent undeliverable mail from entering the postal system after Nov. 17, according to the release.
Intelligent Mail Package Barcode (IMpb) Implementation for Commercial Parcels: Today the Federal Register published the final rule which requires the use of an Intelligent Mail unique tracking barcode on all commercial parcels (except Standard Mail parcels) claiming presort or destination entry pricing.
The final rule encourages immediate use of an Intelligent Mail package barcode (IMpb) by providing end-to-end tracking and confirmation of delivery on all commercial parcels except Standard Mail and Package Services parcels. Some standards in this final rule are effective January 22, 2012, with an optional-use transitional period for specific requirements until July 2, 2012. Use of the IMpb becomes mandatory effective January 7, 2013.
Post Office Box (PO Box) fee groups to be merged due to Post Office mergers and allowing fee groups to be changed more than one level higher or lower at a time, in limited circumstances. Effective November 7, 2011.
Combined Mailings of Standard Mail and Periodicals Flats for mailers to combine Standard Mail flats and Periodicals flats within the same bundle, when placed on pallets and to combine bundles of Standard Mail flats and bundles of Periodicals flats on the same pallet.
Standard Mail service standards will apply to all Periodicals flats pieces entered in these combined mailings. The effective date is January 22, 2012.
Adult Signature Service is a new extra service that will provide a method for customers to obtain a signature (upon delivery) from an adult recipient who is 21 years of age or older.
This new extra service will be available beginning June 5, 2011, to commercial and online customers who use Express Mail, Priority Mail (including Critical Mail), Parcel Select Barcoded Nonpresort, and Parcel Select Regional Ground services.
Adult Signature service has two options:
- Adult Signature Required – requires the signature of someone who is 21 years of age or older at the recipient’s address.
- Adult Signature Restricted Delivery – requires the signature of a specific addressee (or authorized agent), who must be 21 years of age or older.
Standard Fee for Mailing Permit Imprints has changed from $185.00 to $190.00 annually.
NEW First-Class Mail Parcels subclass. Commercial Plus is a new pricing category which is designed for FCM Parcels that weigh between 13 and 16oz. Previously, these mailpieces were shipped as Priority pieces, but can now be sorted as FCM Parcel Commercial Plus.
As of April 17, all postage statement facsimiles dated prior to January 2011 are obsolete: Postage statement facsimiles dated January 2011 and April 2011 may be used to pay the postage prices effective on April 17, 2011. If the January 2011 statement is used, it must reflect the April 17 prices.
For new products implemented April 17 – or products subject to any new postage statement fields effective April 17 – only the April 2011 postage statement can be used.
Saturation and High Density Standard Mail Incentive Program Validation Process Update: When the Saturation and High Density Standard Mail Incentive Program application deadline was extended, the original date by which applicants must accept or dispute threshold volumes and permits (March 15, 2011) became invalid. As a result, the process is still ongoing.
Over the next 2 to 3 weeks, program applicants will receive a threshold and permit validation communication. Applicants who disagree with any portion of their USPS-calculated threshold must complete the threshold inquiry form and submit supporting evidence no later than the date that will be provided on the threshold and permit validation communication.
For questions about this process, contact the Saturation and High Density Standard Mail Incentive Program Office at SaturationHDIncentive@usps.gov.
Mailing Services Price Change Update – Plant-Verified Drop Shipment: Mailing Services prices will change on April 17, 2011. Relative to that change, plant-verified drop shipment (PVDS) mailings will be verified and accepted as follows:
- Current Prices: PVDS mailings verified and paid for before April 17, 2011, using the current prices, will be accepted at destination entry postal facilities through May 7, 2011, when presented with appropriate verification and payment documentation (PS Form 8125).
- New Prices: PVDS mailings may be verified and paid for beginning March 21, 2011, using the new prices, provided the shipments are not deposited at destination entry postal facilities until April 17, 2011, or later, when presented with appropriate verification and payment documentation (PS Form 8125).
Flats Sequencing System Presort Level ID Codes – As more mailers begin to adopt the optional Flats Sequencing System (FSS) bundle preparation standards, the Intelligent Mail barcode system needs a way to indicate that level of presort. Barcode ID 20, currently used for optional endorsement line (OEL) 5-digit and 5-digit scheme presorts, has been extended for use on flats prepared under the rules for optional FSS bundle preparation.
The barcode ID tables have been updated in the Barcode ID Table and Technical Resource Guide on RIBBS. Clarifying the use of Barcode ID 20 for FSS OEL will not affect systems using Barcode ID information, but rather enable the Intelligent Mail barcode system to reflect bundles prepared under the FSS optional preparation.
New Bundle Mail Strapping Options: Current standards require mailers to use a clear smooth strapping tightly secured around the bundle as a way of ensuring that address and presort information on bundles is visible and readable by the naked eye.
Recent testing shows that a new strapping with a transparency rating of at least 52% when tested using ASTM D1746 – 09, Standard Test Method for Transparency of Plastic Sheeting, methods meets all Postal Service readability requirements.
Combined Mailings of Standard Mail and Periodicals Flats: This final rule adopts revised standards to provide a new option for mailers to combine Standard Mail flats and Periodicals flats within the same bundle, when placed on pallets, and to combine bundles of Standard Mail flats and bundles of Periodicals flats on the same pallet. The effective date is June 6, 2011.
New Customs Declarations Label Requirements: This final rule adopts revised standards to require all mailpieces containing goods that enter the Customs Territory of the United States (the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico – CTUS) from outside the CTUS to bear a customs declaration label. Additionally, updated standards for items weighing 16 ounces or more when sent to, from, between, and, in some circumstances, within certain U.S. territories, possessions and Freely Associated States. The effective date is June 6, 2011.
Shortpaid and Unpaid Information-Based Indicia (IBI) Postage and Shortpaid Express Mail Postage, Revised Proposal: This revised proposed rule establishes new procedures to manage shortpaid Express Mail and a new process to detect mailpieces with shortpaid and unpaid IBI postage. Customers are encouraged to comment on or before March 24, 2011.
Enhancing Parcel Competitiveness with Product Reclassification and New Extra Service: February 24, 2011 Two filings at the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) are a part of continuing efforts to enhance parcel offerings in the highly competitive shipping marketplace. One filing moves Commercial First-Class Mail Parcels – which are largely used for lightweight merchandise fulfillment – from the market-dominant product list, and adds Lightweight Commercial Parcels to the competitive product list. This move does not affect retail single-piece First-Class Mail Parcels. Also filed to introduce Adult Signature service, allowing Express Mail, Priority Mail and Parcel Select commercial and online shippers to request the verified signature of an adult upon delivery.
New Service Type Identifiers (STIDs) for Reply Mail: Based upon mailer requests, the Postal Service has established a new Service Type Identifier (STID) to distinguish Courtesy Reply Mail from other First-Class Mail pieces. Currently, Service Type Identifier (STID) 700 is used for First-Class Mail Basic Service or non-automation mailings without CONFIRM, as well as Courtesy Reply Mail (CRM), Permit Reply Mail (PRM), and Metered Reply Mail (MRM) without CONFIRM. The new STID for Courtesy Reply Mail is 703. Usage of the new STID 703 for CRM is not mandatory and mailers who have previously used STID 700 to produce CRM may exhaust their inventory without penalty.
When CRM mailers replenish their stock, they may change the STID from 700 to 703 at that time. The Postal Service has also issued additional STIDs for Reply Mail. The updated STID Table can be found in the Intelligent Mail Barcode Technical Resource Guide here. The Postal Service recognizes the business process cycle associated with generating mail stock, including software development. Mailers are encouraged to use the new STIDs in future planning. Mailers may continue using STID 700 for CRM, MRM, and PRM during the transition from STID 700 to new STID values for Reply Mail. The Postal Service will continue to process reply mailpieces encoded with the old STIDs.
2011 Mailing Services Price Change Update: The Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) has determined that the Mailing Services price change for implement on April 17, 2011 complies with statutory requirements. The new prices can be viewed online here. Click on the link in the left blue navigation frame under *New* April 17, 2011 Pricing Information.
New Mailing Standards for Domestic Mailing Services: On January 27, 2011 the Federal Registerpublished the final rule to revise domestic pricing and eligibility standards associated with the April 17, 2011 Mailing Services price change. Revisions include the introduction of commercial base and commercial plus pricing for First-Class Mail parcels. They also will implement changes previously proposed to eliminate the sale of Standard Mail (including nonprofit) stamped envelopes. Further, with this final rule, the Postal Service revises the standards for determining single-piece weights for flats mailed at Bound Printed Matter, Media Mail and Library Mail prices.
Postal Service Relaxes Upcoming Requirements for Automation Prices: The USPS has decided that automation discounts for mail with POSTNET barcodes will continue to be offered beyond May 2011. Mailers also may continue to use the POSTNET barcode for reply mail (such as Business Reply Mail (BRM), QBRM and Permit Reply Mail) and PLANET Code for Confirm Service. The relaxing of requirements beyond the planned May POSTNET retirement timeframe allows for an easier transition to the full use of the IMb while continuing to receive automation discounts.
Mailing Services Prices to Change April 17, 2011: Today, USPS notified the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) that they will change prices for Mailing Services products, which include First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, Periodicals, Package Services and Extra Services. The new prices take effect on April 17, 2011, almost two years since the Postal Service last raised prices for Mailing Services products. Based on a price cap calculated by the PRC using Consumer Price Index (CPI) data, they will increase prices by an average of 1.741% across each Mailing Services class of mail.
December 28, 2010: Notice of the IMb Services Weekly Update.
December 28, 2010: Notice that the Shipping Services prices and products effective January 2, 2011 can now be found in the revised Notice 123.
December 22, 2010: Notice of the IMb Services Weekly Update.
December 17, 2010: Letter to MTAC from MTAC Co-Chair, Steve Kearney.
December 16, 2010: Reminder that the optional preparation of flat-sized mailpieces in Flats Sequencing System (FSS) zones begins January 2nd.
December 15, 2010: Notice of deadline extension to apply for new incentive programs.
December 10, 2010: Notice of the IMb Services Weekly Update.
December 8, 2010: Summary of the December DMM revisions.
December 3, 2010: Notice that the Postal Service will immediately begin accepting Priority Mail commercial plus cubic mailings using the modified measurement approach without customers having to request an exception for early adoption.
December 3, 2010: Notice that the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) issued an order which found that the Shipping Services price change we announced last month complies with statutory requirements.
December 1, 2010: Notice that three new Federal Register notices have been published and are posted on Postal Explorer.
