2012 Annual Report to Congress
& Comprehensive Statement

Online Resources for Mailers

Prices, Zone Charts, Postage Statements

Domestic Prices and Fees
Domestic prices are available in PDF (read-only) and HTML format.

Postal Explorer at http://postcalc.usps.com/
Default is HTML version
"Go To PDF Version" for PDF files
Downloadable Pricing Files
Select desired Domestic, International or Business Price Calculators

International Prices and Fees
General mailing information and international prices for most international services are available in PDF (read-only) and HTML.

Postal Explorer at http://ircalc.usps.com/
Price Calculators [left column]
International Mail

Business Price Calculators
Interactive Domestic and International price calculators are available for modeling or estimating postage costs. The business price calculator computes rates for all Periodicals mail and includes a printable price log.

Postal Explorer at http://dbcalc.usps.com/
Price Calculators [left column]
"Domestic"
"International"
"Business"

Postal Zone Chart
Interactive zone charts are available for computing postage on zone-rated mail such as Priority Mail and Parcel Post.

Postal Explorer at http://postcalc.usps.gov/Zonecharts/
"Zone Charts" [left column]

Postage Statement Wizard
The Postal Wizard Web pages provide a secure way to submit a postage statement online. Postal Wizard automatically populates the permit holder section of the postage statement based on the account number provided, guides the user through the items needed to complete the statement and verifies that the information meets Postal regulations.

Postal Explorer at http://about.usps.com/forms/postage-wizard.htm
"Postage Statements"
and select
"Postage Statement Wizard Forms"

Mailing Standards

Mail Classification and Preparation:

  • Mail Manual
  • International Mail Manual

The Postal Explorer website provides up-to-the minute domestic and international mailing information. You can search or access Domestic Mail Manual 100-A Customer's Guide to Mailing; Domestic Mail Manual (updated monthly); the International Mail Manual (updated biweekly); Quick Service Guides; zone charts; and many other publications, such as mailpiece design, Address Quality, and nonprofit eligibility.

Postal Explorer at http://pe.usps.com

Pricing and Classification Service Center
The Pricing and Classification Service Center is a national center that provides one source for mail classification decisions, with one-stop shopping for customers and field employees who need direction on price application or mail eligibility.

http://pe.usps.gov/PCSC/PCSCHome.asp
Go to the left blue navigation bar and click "PCSC."

Customer Support Rulings
Customer support rulings clarify the meaning of certain standards in the Domestic Mail Manual.

Postal Explorer at http://pe.usps.gov/text/CSR/csrtoc.asp
Domestic Mail
"Customer Support Rulings"

Addressing Products, Certified Vendors, PostalOne!

Address Quality
Address Management provides value-added product and service offerings that enable United States Postal Service business customers to better manage the quality of their mailing lists while increasing our ability to efficiently deliver mail as addressed.

USPS.com at https://www.usps.com/business/address-quality-services.htm
[left column]
"Address Quality"

Computerized Delivery Sequence (CDS)
This site provides updated delivery sequence information on customer-provided address lists.

RIBBS at https://ribbs.usps.gov/index.cfm?page=cds
[left column]
"Address Quality Products"
"CDS"

Labeling Lists
This site provides information and order forms to subscribe to updated electronic versions of the Domestic Mail Manual labeling lists used for sorting mail.

Postal Explorer at http://pe.usps.gov/text/LabelingLists/Labeling_Lists.htm
"Labeling Lists"

Mailpiece Design
The most basic component of any mailing is the mailpiece itself. A single mailing may consist of hundreds of mailpieces, or millions. A properly-designed mailpiece qualifies for the best postage rate possible.

Postal Explorer at http://pe.usps.gov/mpdesign/mpdfr_intro_all.asp
[left column]
"Mailpiece Design"

Manifest Analysis and Certification (MAC)
This site provides publications on MAC, a list of certified MAC vendors and a list of certified MAC Gold mailers.

RIBBS at https://ribbs.usps.gov/index.cfm?page=mac
Certifications [left column]
"MAC"

OneCode Services
Mailers and the Postal Service will gain end-to-end visibility into the mailstream through the use of the suite of Intelligent Mail barcodes and by submitting electronic documentation, which will create actionable information about mail for marketing, financial and operational environments.

RIBBS at http://ribbs.usps.gov/index.cfm?page=intelligentmail

PostalOne!
The PostalOne! system offers a Web-based alternative to existing manual mailing processes with an electronic suite of services designed exclusively for business mailers.

http://www.usps.com/Postalone/welcome.htm
"PostalOne!'"

Presort Accuracy Validation and Evaluation (PAVE)
The PAVE (Presort Accuracy, Validation and Evaluation) program has been designed in cooperation with the mailing industry to evaluate presort software and determine its accuracy in sorting address files according to Domestic Mail Manual standards.

RIBBS at https://ribbs.usps.gov/index.cfm?page=pave
"Certifications" [left column]
"PAVE"

Vendor Information
This site provides extensive lists of vendors offering certified products and services for mail preparation including CASS products, Intelligent Mail tray labels, Confirmation services, DPV', DSF2, FastForward', LACSLink', NCOALink' and Extra Service labels.

RIBBS at http://ribbs.usps.gov/index.cfm?page=vendor
"Vendor Information"

Publications and Information Resources

Federal Register
Proposed and final rules published by the Postal Service are posted on Postal Explorer.

These documents provide notice of proposed and final changes to mail preparation standards, public meetings and other official announcements.

Postal Explorer at http://pe.usps.gov/FederalRegisterNotices.asp
[left column]
"Federal Register Notices"

Postal Bulletin
The Postal Bulletin is the official source of updates to Postal Service policies and procedures. This biweekly publication is available online and in hardcopy. It includes advance notices of updates, time-sensitive instructions and other business information.

The Postal Bulletin also includes the text of revisions to the standards in the Domestic Mail Manual and the International Mail Manual. The online version is fully searchable.

http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/bulletin/pb.htm.

PCC Insider
PCC Insider is your email inbox updater for news about the U.S. Postal Service, Postal Customer Councils and issues that affect the mailing industry.

https://www.usps.com/business/read-pcc-insider.htm

Deliver Magazine
delivermagazine.com is packed with Web-exclusive multimedia content and interactive tools as well as archived stories and articles from all 23 print issues.

http://www.delivermagazine.com (desktop) or
http://www.m.delivermagazine.com (mobile)

MailPro
MailPro provides information about pricing, products and services, corporate news, success stories and other features. It is published every two months, and the annual "pricing" issue that is dedicated to details of price changes that is especially popular with the mailing community.

http://about.usps.com/mailpro/welcome.htm

DMM Advisory
The advisory keeps you informed about mailing issues that are important to your business. You will find updates to our mailing standards and prices, information about our Web tools and helpful reminders about mailing issues.

http://pe.usps.com/dmmadvisory.asp?dest=dmmadvisory_2009.htm
To receive the DMM'Advisory, send an e-mail to dmmadvisory@usps.com, and indicate "subscribe" in the subject line.

Industry Alert
Industry alert messages are sent to a large number of Postal Service business customers, industry associations, and other mailers to provide updates and/or new information on issues, events, products, services and other Postal matters.

IndustryAlert@usps.gov

Postal Facilities, Networks, National Mail Service Updates

Business Mail Acceptance Offices
These offices can answer questions on rates, mail preparation, mailpiece design and mail classification. A locator lookup tool provides the address, telephone number and fax number of each district business mail acceptance office by ZIP Code.

https://ribbs.usps.gov/index.cfm?page=bma

Post Offices
Post Offices and stations and branches provide service and customer support. A locator lookup tool provides the address and telephone number of Post Offices and Postal facilities near a specific address.

https://tools.usps.com/go/POLocatorAction!input.action

Facility Access and Shipment Tracking (FAST)
FAST is an electronic appointment scheduling system. It includes information on Network Distribution Centers.

http://fast.usps.com/fast

Information for Mailers web page
The Information for Mailers web page is designed to help mailers easily access current information on a variety of important Postal topics of specific interest to business mailers.

http://about.usps.com/news/facility-studies/welcome.htm

MTAC web page
The Mailers' Technical Advisory Committee (MTAC) page on the Postal Services' RIBBS website contains up-to-date information and resources for MTAC members and other interested stakeholders.

It includes calendars showing MTAC meetings and USPS Leadership Forum for Stakeholders events; notes and presentations from quarterly MTAC meetings; an MTAC membership roster; administrative and organizational documents; webinar presentations and area focus group and contact information.

https://ribbs.usps.gov/index.cfm?page=mtac

National Mail Services Updates
Mail service updates keep mailing industry and business customers up to date when service is suspended at Post Office facilities for any reason, including natural disasters, such as hurricanes, floods or fires.

Updates are made in real time, and these pages are updated frequently.

The site also lists information on International mail impact sent by Foreign Posts. The USPS Business Customer Support and Services office maintains this information and posts it.

http://about.usps.com/news/service-alerts/welcome.htm