d   UNITEDSTIJTES=----------------------------------­ POSTIJL SERVICE

December 12, 2018

MANAGERS, OPERATIONS SUPPORT (AREA)

SUBJECT :  Operations Policy for the Christmas Holiday, Tuesday, December 25, 2018 and the New Year's Day Holiday, Tuesday, January 1, 201.9.

This memorandum provides general operating policy and holiday planning guidance for the upcoming 2018 Christmas holiday and 2019 New Year's Day holiday.

Service levels for these holidays are displayed in Sections 125.22 and 313.24 of the Postal Operations Manual (POM). This memorandum also contains guidance for notifying the public of changes in service on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.

Delivery Operations

All functions should take action prior to the holidays and the holiday "eves" to assure that operations are in a current status.
Scheduling should be reviewed to ensure delivery operations is prepared for peak holiday parcel volumes including but not limited to:
Review scheduling of Parcel Overflow and Static AM/PM parcel runs where needed
Delivery territory is properly configured in Parcel Delivery Territory Assignment Tool (POAT) for Static Dynamic and Parcel Overflow
Supervisors have access and are trained/prepared to run Parcel Overflow, Dynamic, and Static Dynamic software programs
Newly hired personnel (ARC's, CCA's, RCA's) understand proper scanning procedures
Delivery Units are prepared for holiday transportation , including EARLY parcel volumes including drop shipments and other package mailers

Sunday, December 23 and Sunday December 30:

Delivery Operations: Normal (Sunday) service levels will be provided in delivery and collection operations including Sunday/Holiday Priority Mail Express and Sunday/Holiday Same Day Package Delivery (hub and spoke structure). Area and District offices should verify compliance to the Sunday Staffing SOP and utilize their LOCs* and HCUs to manage hub offices. EAS must use Delivery Management Systems (OMS) when available to confirm proper scanning and
delivery of Sunday parcels has been completed at all hub locations. All delivery units should take action prior to this date to confirm that units are in a current status.  Offices that service
Amazon Fresh and are part of the Network Priority Pilot should follow established delivery process for each.

Monday, December 24 and Monday, December 31:

Delivery Operations:  Normal (Monday) service levels will be provided in delivery and collection operations .  Parcel Overflow or Static Routing must be in place for AM/PM parcel runs where volume necessitates and to ensure routes are ready upon carrier arrival to eliminate costly

waiting time. Supervisors must review carrier loading for efficiencies and provide guidance for craft personnel as needed. Area and District LOC Operations should be staffed to cover your expected hours of delivery and be utilized to assist managers with performance and communication.  There will be no Night Owl drops, for both Monday December 24 and Monday, December 31, for Tuesday delivery.

Collection Operations:

Normal service levels will be provided in collections . There will be no changes to normal schedule collection times.

Christmas Holiday, "Widely Observed", Tuesday, December 25, 2018 and New Year's Day Holiday, "Widely Observed." Tuesday, January 1, 2019:

There will be no regular delivery (except for Holiday Premium Priority Mail Express).

Wednesday. December 26. 2018 and Wednesday. January 2, 2019:

Return to normal service levels. Postmasters/Managers and supervisors should plan for extremely heavy package volume for delivery after the holiday.
Supervisors must monitor PVS/HCR/Drop Shipment arrival times and clerk productivities to ensure timely completion of distribution operations.
Parcel Overflow and Static Routing must be in place for AM/PM parcel runs where volume necessitates and routes must be ready upon carrier arrival to eliminate costly waiting time.
Supervisors must review carrier loading for efficiencies and provide guidance for craft personnel as needed.
Area and District LOC Operations should be staffed to cover your expected hours of delivery and be utilized to assist managers with performance and communication.
Night Owls will resume Tuesday night (Dec 25 and Jan 1) into Wednesday morning.

Retail Operations

Ensure that  all offices  post  informational  notices as outlined below.   Also,  provide this information to k:>cal media resources with a request that the  information be published or broadcast to the  community  on  multiple occasions  prior to  December 24.

Saturday, December 22 and Saturday, December 29: Retail locations are open and operating  under their  regular  business  hours. Staffing  may be adjusted  according  to local  demand.

Monday, December 24 (Christmas Eve): Retail locations are open but have the option to reduce the retail lobby hours and close at 12 noon based on local demand . No authorized changes to collection times. All collection boxes should be picked up as scheduled.

Tuesday, December 25 (Christmas Day) and Tuesday, January 1, 2019
(New Year's Day):  No retail service is available, except from facilities normally open on these holidays.  PO Box access for customers to the maximum extent possible should be provided at each facility.

Monday, December 31 (New Year's Eve): Retail k:>cations are open and operating under their regular business hours. Staffing may be adjusted according to local demand.

If an office plans to close at 12 noon on Christmas Eve,adhere to the following:

Facilities Data Base(FDB) -Contact your  District RetailSpecialist to enter and edit hours of operations
Special Holiday Notice - Display signage by December 3at the retail bbby entrance, inthe retail bbby   self, in other public lobbies (such as the PO Box section) and inaffected Business Mail Entry Units.
PO Box access -Service should still be available to customers between 12
noon and the regular closing time.
Parcel Pick Up (i.e., Dutch Door) - Ensure that service is available during regular business hours even if the office closes at 12 noon.
Holiday Closing Door Cling - Ensure that the current holiday closing "door cling" Point of Purchase (POP) signage is properly displayed. Offices with glass doors should center the door cling inside the main customer entrance
door at eye level. Offices with wooden doors should affix the door cling on the exterior. Additional door cling signage can be ordered by contacting the Point of Purchase Hotline at 1-800-332-0317.
Contract  Postal Units (CPUs) - Communicate  information about the early closing policy to CPUs and Approved  Shippers. Some CPUs may offer service during the holiday period;  therefore , Post Offices should advise customers (to the extent possible) of the bcations and hours of operah:>n for CPUs and any other alternate locations where retail sel'\Ce will be available.

All offices should carefully review their staffing plans for this holiday and make adjustments as necessary to meet the needs of their communities. For planning purposes, Post Offices should use recent retail sales trend information and mail volumes while adjusting for bcal circumstances.

Please ensure that Self Service Kiosks (SSKs) are fully stocked, and that mailing supplies (boxes, Priority Mail labels, etc.) are available for customers.  Make arrangements for dispatch of packages received through lobby deposit points, including SSKs. Facilities with staffing on this holiday should accommodate requests for drop shipment appointments.

Offices should ensure that the current holiday closing "door cling" signage is properly displayed. Offices with glass doors should center the door cling inside the main customer entrance door at eye level. Offices with wooden doors should affix the door cling on the exterior. Additional door cling signage can be ordered by contacting the Point of Purchase Hotline at 1-800-332-0317.

Information about the early closing policy should also be communicated to Contract Postal Units (CPUs) and Approved Shippers. Some CPUs may offer service during the holiday period.
Therefore, post offices should advise customers (to the extent possible) of the locations and hours of operation for CPUs, and any other alternate locations where retail service will be available.

Christmas Holiday, "Widely Observed", Tuesday, December 25, 2018 and the New Year's Day Holiday (observed), "Widely Observed," Tuesday, January 1, 2019:

No retail service will be available, except from those facilities normally open on these holidays. Post offices should provide post office box access for customers to the maximum extent possible at each facility.

Wednesday, December 26, 2018 and Wednesday, January 2, 2019:
Retail managers and supervisors should use recent sales trend information and adjust for local circumstances. Adjust staffing where local circumstances offer opportunities to capture savings.

Processing Operations: This Christmas and New Year's holiday presents an opportunity to consolidate and compress plant operations to generate savings while maintaining service performance levels.  In order to take advantage of the savings opportunity, please adhere to the following guidelines:

Do Not Mix First Class with Priority

Use the variance tools and the Run Plan Generator (RPG) for staffing operations.

Advance Green & Orange Standard mail for Monday delivery.

Sites cancelling on Tuesday will be determined locally I by Area as well as decisions for Wednesday early collection plans. (See below instructions relative to processing and dispatching Commercial Mailings).

Inhibit Delivery Point Sequence (DPS) sort program regeneration prior to the holiday and re-establish  afterwards.

Recommend processing First Pass (918) on Monday afternoon/evening.  Finalization will be Tuesday prior to Second Pass (919).

Ensure only one DPS run on Wednesday morning (no double runs of DPS on Wednesday).

Utilize an RPG model for DPS processing on Monday and Tuesday that ensures an early DPS dispatch for Wednesday delivery.

Ensure on-time or early clearance of FC SPRs on Monday to avoid surface volume rolling over to Tuesday and Wednesday.

Evaluate the processing of Outgoing Priority on the day of the holiday to avoid late clearance on Wednesday.  (Sites not processing Priority on the holiday must create an early collection plan to start outgoing operations earlier)

Assign SWYB to avoid VAP issues to THS. Processing and Dispatch of Commercial Mailings Specific planning activities should include:
Coordination with Business Mail Entry Unit (BMEU) Managers.

Coordination with Detached Mail Units.

Coordination with Business Service Network Managers.

Notifying Commercial Mailers of BMEU holiday hours and assurance that mail which is entered will be processed and dispatched.

Adjusting Operating Plans and RPGs to include the anticipated Commercial Mail volumes.

Ensuring that all processed mail is dispatched on scheduled transportation on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

Plant managers must commit that Parcel Return Service (PRS-569xx) operations will be staffed and all returns sorted and available to PRS partners as agreed.

Plant managers must ensure that Integrated Operating Plans (IOPs) between the BMEUs and Operations are updated to ensure timely induction, processing and dispatch of mail presented to the BMEU prior to and on holidays.  BMEU managers must ensure that all staff at both the BMEUs and the Detached Mail Units are familiar with and execute their operations in accordance with the IOP. Local collection and cancellation plans must be coordinated with associate offices and must support achievement of 24-hour clock indicators. Managers and supervisors must plan for anticipated increased volumes after the holiday. It is vital to ensure all mail is finalized, prepared for assignment, and dispatched on the appropriate transportation network.

Plants must make plans to assure that destinating two and three-day volumes are processed to meet service goals before and after the holiday. All missorted, missent, return-to-sender and Postal Automated Redirection System volumes must be identified, finalized, prepared for assignment and dispatched on the appropriate transportation network on Monday. The 24-hour clock indicators for the Managed Mail Program on hand will be useful in monitoring the success of this plan.

Reductions in FAST holiday constraints or facility closures will not be approved; every site must maintain appointment availability. Plants need to ensure timely acceptance of drop shipments. Please ensure that the local FAST facility coordinator contact information is current. The FAST Help Desk will be authorized to contact local Plant Managers directly to resolve urgent acceptance issues.

Network Distribution Centers (NDCs) also have an opportunity to consolidate and compress operations to generate savings while maintaining service performance levels.  NDCs must utilize the RPG tool to staff operations .  Tier 2 NDCs must ensure that all outgoing volume from Monday retail receipts are finalized and dispatched on the appropriate network transportation on the following day.

All NDCs must ensure destinating parcel volume received between 16:00 Monday and 16:00 Tuesday is available for delivery Wednesday morning. NDCs must schedule drop shipment acceptance hours to ensure timely induction, processing and dispatch of mail.

If there is a need to deviate from this guidance, please work through the appropriate office for an exception.

International Service Center Operations

This widely-observed holiday presents an opportunity to consolidate and compress plant operations to generate savings as long as conditions are current. If delays exist within the ISC, this is an opportunity to ensure staffing is scheduled to clear all delayed volumes and maintain service performance levels. Please adhere to the following guidelines:
Use the Run Plan Generator (RPG) to staff operations

Clear any delayed volumes and advance mail where possible

Coordinate with Customs & Border Protection (CBP) to provide sufficient staffing to avoid backlogs

Ensure Customs belts are staffed sufficiently to maximize efficiency

Work with Area and District to ensure adequate offload plans for inbound ePacket volumes

Ensure on-time clearance of FC SPRs to avoid surface volumes rolling over

Ensure processing and dispatch of Priority to avoid exceeding lift

Logistics Operations

Air Transportation Network

FedEx will not operate on the Christmas holiday (observed), Tuesday , December 25 or the New Year's Day holiday (observed), Tuesday, January 1, 2019. Normal operations will resume with the FedEx day-turn on the Wednesday after the holidays, December 26 and January 2, 2019.

Widely Observed Holidays	
Holiday	Day of Week	Date	Day (x1)   Night (x67)	Comments	

Night-tum aircraft will return to destination on Wednesday morning
No Day/Night-tum on Christmas Day	
Day before	Monday	12/24/2018		
Christmas Day	Tuesday	12/25/2018		
Day after	Wednesday	12/26/2018		

Night-tum aircraft will return to destination
YES
on Wednesday morning
No Day/Night-tum on New Year's Day
YES	
Day before	Monday	12/31/2018		
New Years Day	Tuesday	1/1/2019		
Day after	Wednesday	1/2/2019			

UPS will not operate on Tuesday, December 25 or Tuesday, January 1, 2019 (reference Logistics Ordering Agreement).  Normal operations will resume on Wednesday, December 26 and Wednesday, January 2, 2019.

Information to facilitate USPS compliance with the TSA canine screening program for the holiday period will be issued via e-mail to the Manager, Distribution Networks at each Area office.

Surface Transportation Network

The Surface Transfer Centers (STCs) will operate on a holiday schedule as shown on the Network Operations "Surface Operations" website at:

http://blue .usps .gov/network   operations/stcs . htm

http ://blue .usps .gov/networ k   operations/

Dispatch Procedures

To avoid transportation delays, manage mail volume flow before, during, and after the Christmas and New Year's Day holidays, please plan accordingly :

Maximize utilization of available surface and commercial air during the holiday periods. Schedule service responsive surface transportation , where feasible, to advance First-Class Mail (FCM) volume into the network and avoid overflow.

Ensure all volume accepted from mailers is dispatched on service responsive surface transportation if there is an opportunity to divert volume to ground.

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Please disseminate these policies and procedures to the appropriate personnel in your area. Your immediate attention to these details and dispatch procedures is appreciated.   Thank you for your assistance.

Robert Cintron Vice President
Network Operations  Management

cc:	Ms. Brennan Mr. Williams
Vice Presidents, Area Operations
Managers, Delivery Programs Support (Area) Managers, In-Plant Support (Area)
Manager, Business Service Network

Vice President
Delivery and Retail Operations