International Mail

IMM REVISION

International Mail - Direct Sacks of Printed Matter to One Addressee (M-Bags)

Effective July 26, 2001, corrective language that pertains to the mailing of direct sacks of printed matter to one addressee (M-bags) is being incorporated into sections 261.22 and 262.22 of the International Mail Manual (IMM).

We will incorporate these changes into both the printed version of IMM Issue 26 and the online IMM, which can be accessed via Postal Explorer at http://pe.usps.gov.

International Mail Manual (IMM)

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2 Conditions for Mailing

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260 Direct Sacks of Printed Matter to One Addressee (M-Bags)

261 General Description

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261.2 Allowable Contents

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261.22 Merchandise

[Revise the introductory sentence to read as follows:]

Articles of merchandise may be enclosed in M-bags, provided that all of the following conditions of mailing are met:

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262 Postage

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262.2 Payment of Postage

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262.22 Stamps, Postage Meter, PVI Labels, or Permit Imprint

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[Revise 262.22b to read as follows:]

b. By placing a permit imprint on PS Tag 158, M-Bag Addressee Tag, and making payment through an advance deposit account. When this method of payment is used, the minimum quantity requirement (i.e., 200 pieces or 50 pounds) that is normally a prerequisite for permit imprint usage (see 152.32) does not apply. The postage amount must be accounted for on PS Form 3651-M, Postage Statement - International M-Bag - Permit Imprint. (Note: PS Form 3651-M is not to be used when publishers' periodicals are mailed in M-bags. See 294.262.)

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- Marketing, International Business, 7-26-01

Philately

STAMP ANNOUNCEMENT 01-39

Holiday Celebrations - EID

The Postal Service will issue a 34-cent Eid commemorative stamp (Item Number 562100) in Des Plaines, Illinois, on September 1, 2001. The stamp, designed/calligraphed by Mohamed Zakariya of Arlington, Virginia, goes on sale nationwide September 1, 2001. The stamps will be produced in panes of 20; the panes may be split and the stamps may be sold individually.

The Eid stamp commemorates the two most important festivals in the Islamic calendar: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. The "Eid mubarak" phrase featured in Islamic calligraphy on the stamp can be paraphrased "May your religious holiday be blessed." In 2001 Eid al-Adha was celebrated on March 6, and Eid al-Fitr will be celebrated on December 16. The first of the Muslim lunar month of Shawwal, Eid al-Fitr signifies "The Feast of Breaking the Fast" and marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting. Eid al-Fitr is observed by offering special alms with prayers, feasting, exchanging gifts, and visiting family and friends. Eid al-Adha comes at the end of the annual period of pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. The Eid stamp joins the Holiday Celebrations series.

How to Order the First Day of Issue Postmark

Customers have 30 days to obtain the first day of issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, by telephone at 1 800 STAMP-24, and at the Postal Store Web site at www.usps.com. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS - EID
POSTMASTER
1000 EAST OAKTON ST
DES PLAINES IL 60018-9998

After applying the first day of issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark. All orders must be postmarked by October 1, 2001.

Stamp Fulfillment Services (SFS) also offers first day covers for new stamp issues and postal stationery items postmarked with the official first day of issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the quarterly USA Philatelic catalog. Customers may request a free catalog by telephoning 1 800 STAMP-24 or writing to:

INFORMATION FULFILLMENT
DEPT 6270
US POSTAL SERVICE
PO BOX 219014
KANSAS CITY MO 64121-9014

First day covers remain on sale for at least 1 year after the stamp's issuance.

Philatelic Products

The Postal Service will issue the 34-cent Eid commemorative stamp in Des Plaines, Illinois, on September 1, 2001. In addition, a Commemorative Panel featuring Eid commemorative stamps will be available for sale at the first day issue ceremony in Des Plaines and by mail order at SFS.

Subscription Program Panel: Item Number 562197, $8.50 (USA Philatelic catalog).

The Eid Subscription Program Panel may also be ordered by telephone at 1 800 STAMP-24, by fax at 816-545-1212, and by mail from:

STAMP FULFILLMENT SERVICES
US POSTAL SERVICE
PO BOX 7247
PHILADELPHIA PA 19101-9014

Distribution

Stamp distribution offices (SDOs) will receive one-half of their standard automatic distribution quantities for a PSA sheet stamp. Distributions are rounded up to the nearest master carton size (40,000 stamps).

Initial Supply to Post Offices

SDOs will make a subsequent automatic distribution to Post Offices for one-half of their standard automatic distribution quantities using PS Form 3309, Advice of Shipment/Stamp Invoice, and PS Form 17, Stamp Requisition. SDOs must not distribute stamps to Post Offices before August 23, 2001.

Additional Supply

Post Offices requiring additional stamps must requisition them from their designated SDO using PS Form 17. SDOs requiring additional stamps must order them from the appropriate accountable paper depository (APD) using a separate PS Form 17.

For fulfilling supplemental orders from SDOs, the San Francisco and Chicago APDs will receive 1,760,000 stamps; the Memphis and Washington, DC, APDs will receive 1,720,000 stamps; the New York APD will receive 2,000,000 stamps; and the Denver APD will receive 480,000 additional stamps.

Philatelic Requirement

SDOs with authorized philatelic centers will receive an automatic distribution of these stamps in 10 positions for subsequent distribution to each philatelic window.

Sales Policy

All Post Offices must acquire and maintain a supply of each new commemorative stamp as long as customer demand exists, until inventory is depleted, or until the stamp is officially withdrawn from sale. If supplies run low, Post Offices must reorder additional quantities using their normal ordering procedures.

- Stamp Services,Government Relations and Public Policy, 7-26-01

Pictorial Cancellations Announcement

As a community service, the Postal Service offers pictorial cancellations to commemorate local events celebrated in communities throughout the nation. A list of events for which pictorial cancellations are authorized appears below. If available, the sponsor of the pictorial cancellation appears in italics under the date. Also provided, as space permits, are illustrations of those cancellations that were reproducible and available at press time.

People attending these local events may obtain the cancellation in person at the temporary post office station established there. Those who cannot attend the event, but who wish to obtain the cancellation, may submit a mail order request. Pictorial cancellations are available only for the dates indicated, and requests must be postmarked no later than 30 days following the requested pictorial cancellation date.

All requests must include a stamped envelope or postcard bearing at least the minimum First-Class Mail postage. Items submitted for cancellation may not include postage issued after the date of the requested cancellation. Such items will be returned unserviced.

Customers wishing to obtain a cancellation should affix stamps to any envelope or postcard of their choice, address the envelope or postcard to themselves or others,insert a card of postcard thickness in envelopes for sturdiness, and tuck in the flap. Place the envelope or postcard in a larger envelope and address it to: PICTORIAL CANCELLATIONS, followed by the NAME OF THE STATION,ADDRESS, CITY, STATE, ZIP + 4 CODE, exactly as listed below (using all capitals and no punctuation, except thehyphen in the ZIP + 4 code).

Customers can also send stamped envelopes and postcards without addresses for cancellation, as long as they supply a larger envelope with adequate postage and their return address. After applying the pictorial cancellation, the Postal Service returns the items (with or without addresses) under addressed protective cover.

- Stamp Services,Government Relations and Public Policy, 7-26-01

CORRECTION

Stamp Announcement 01-35, Woody Wagon Presorted Stamp

The Woody Wagon stamp announcement in Postal Bulletin 22053 (6-28-01, pages 60-61) listed the stamp orientation as horizontal. The correct stamp orientation is vertical.

- Stamp Services,Government Relations and Public Policy, 7-26-01

Special Cancellation Die Hubs

Postmasters and plant managers who have any of the special cancellation die hubs listed below may use them for the periods designated. At the end of the period, these die hubs must be withdrawn and stored. Postmasters and plant managers who do not have these special die hubs may not request them from the sponsors.

Post Offices

Processing International Mail Trays

All Post Offices responsible for processing inbound international mail should be aware that the only return destination for empty and/or damaged international mail trays and lids is your local International Service Center (ISC), and not the mail transport equipment service centers (MTESCs).

Light blue international mail trays (IPC trays) and their black lids are the property of the International Post Corporation (IPC), and are marked as such. They are not the property of the Postal Service. The Postal Service and its Post Offices other than the ISCs are not authorized or funded to handle IPC trays and lids.

The manufacturer warrants IPC trays and lids against damage; therefore, all damaged trays and lids must be promptly returned to the servicing ISC for subsequent return to the supplier.

Plant managers must advise their opening units to return IPC trays to the nearest ISC by return transportation.

- Mail Transport Equipment,Network Operations Management, 7-26-01

NOTICE AND CORRECTION

Proper Identification of Damaged Mail Transport Equipment Rolling Stock

Please disregard the article titled "Notice: Proper Identification of Damaged Mail Transport Equipment Rolling Stock" in Postal Bulletin 22051 (5-31-01, page 59). The article that appears here has the correct information.

All users of mail transport equipment (MTE) are requested to promptly identify, "red tag," and isolate damaged or defective wheeled containers used to transport mail. Damaged rolling stock must be removed from service and placed in a holding area for return to the servicing mail transport equipment service center (MTESC).

Although all MTE items passing through the MTESCs are scanned for obvious defects, use of the orange PS Form 4707, "Out of Order" tag, will ensure that broken rolling stock is identified and scheduled for repair. Please help the MTESC network keep your rolling stock serviceable by tagging all defective containers.

- Mail Transport Equipment,Network Operations Management, 7-26-01

NOTICE AND CORRECTION

Removal of Trash From Mail Transport Equipment

Please disregard the article titled "Notice: Removal of Trash from Mail Transport Equipment" in Postal Bulletin 22051 (5-31-01, page 59). The article that appears here has the correct information.

Mail processing centers and facilities must immediately stop shipping excess or broken office and workroom furniture, equipment, garbage, and trash to the mail transport equipment service centers (MTESCs) in excess containers or cardboard boxes. Incidents of this type have increased sharply during 2001. This practice creates environmental health and safety problems at the receiving MTESCs, which must spend unbudgeted funds to dispose of the refuse through waste management contractors.

Future shipments of this type will be returned to the originating offices, which will be billed for the additional shipping and handling expenses.

Refer to Handbook AS-701, Material Management, for instructions on disposing of unneeded or broken equipment.

- Mail Transport Equipment,Network Operations Management, 7-26-01

Postal Employees

VEHICLE MAINTENANCE FACILITIES

Safety and Health Inspections

Within the next 30 days, Safety Performance Management at Headquarters will mail safety and health inspection instructions and checklists to all vehicle maintenance facilities (VMFs). Please follow the instructions contained in the cover letter. VMF managers, or their designees, must complete an annual safety and health inspection using the checklist within 30 days of receipt of the package, as required by the Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM), section 824.

In accordance with the inspection instructions, VMF managers must do the following:

· Ensure subordinate facilities conduct inspections.

· Post inspection results.

· Correct all deficiencies.

· Provide certification of the inspection to the servicing safety office.

If your facility does not receive the inspection instructions and checklists, or if you need assistance performing the inspection, contact the servicing safety office.

- Safety Performance Management,Employee Resource Management, 7-26-01

NOTICE TO ALL EMPLOYEES

THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN FACT SHEET

Percentage returns released July 5, 2001, by the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board

Future performance of the funds will vary and may be significantly different from the returns shown above. See the Summary of the Thrift Savings Plan for detailed information about the funds and their investment risks. The monthly returns of the TSP Funds represent net earnings for the month after deduction of accrued administrative expenses and, except for the G Fund, after deduction of trading costs and accrued investment management fees as well. The returns for the four indexes shown do not include any of these deductions.

* Implemented May 2001.

Please post on bulletin boards. Recycle all previous notices.

Retail

ANNOUNCEMENT

Commercial Mail Receiving Agency (CMRA) - Toll-Free Number and Web Site

On August 1, 2001, the Postal Service will implement a toll-free number (1-888-209-8726) that will allow Postal Service customers to verify whether an address with a pound sign (#) secondary designator is an address located at a CMRA. Postal Service customers may also verify these types of addresses on the Internet by following these instructions:

1. Go to http://www.usps.com.

2. Click Find ZIP Codes.

3. Enter the address on the ZIP+4 Code Lookup home page, and click the Process button.

The database will return the standardized address and indicate if it is located at a CMRA.

- Retail Operations Support,Retail, Consumers and Small Business, 7-26-01

REMINDER

Commercial Mail Receiving Agency (CMRA) - Relocation Procedures

When a CMRA relocates, it may file a change-of- address (COA) order for the entire agency. The Postal Service does not accept COA orders for individual customers of CMRAs. The CMRA must forward the mail of customers who terminate their relationship with the CMRA because of the move, with payment of new postage.

To process mail for a CMRA that has relocated:

· Forward mail for the CMRA and its customers to the new address without payment of new postage.

· Forward the mail from the current delivery unit to the new delivery unit and bypass the Computer Forwarding System (CFS) unit.

· Package the mail in the appropriate container (e.g., a bundle, half- or full-size letter tray, or flat tray), and label the container with the CMRA name and new address.

· Dispatch the container to the new delivery unit.

- Retail Operations Support,Retail, Consumers and Small Business, 7-26-01

REMINDER

Commercial Mail Receiving Agency (CMRA) - August 1, 2001, Compliance Date For Addressing Standards

On March 25, 1999, the Postal Service published a final rule in the Federal Register (64 FR 14385-14391) to amend Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) D042.2.5 through D042.2.7, which would clarify how to address mail for CMRA private mailbox holders. However, the effective date of the rule was delayed until August 1, 2001, to ease the transition to the new standard for CMRA customers.

The final rule requires private mailbox holders to use PMB (private mailbox) as a secondary address designation instead of suite or apartment, which imply that the addressee is physically located at the address.

The PMB addressing requirement was adopted along with other provisions to:

· Increase the safety and security of the mail.

· Protect the interest of consumers and businesses by reducing the opportunities to use the mail for fraudulent or deceptive purposes.

· Let people know that their correspondent receives mail through a CMRA and does not maintain an office or other physical presence at that address.

On August 16, 2000, the Postal Service published a final rule in the Federal Register (65 FR 49917) to amend DMM D042.2.6e, which would revise the addressing requirements to permit private mailbox holders to use the pound sign (#) instead of PMB as the secondary designation, in certain conditions. The preferred address formats for CMRA customers are:

JOE DOE
PMB 234
RR 1 BOX 12
HERNDON VA 22071-2716

JOE DOE
#234
10 MAIN ST STE 11
HERNDON VA 22071-2716

If the four-line address cannot be used, a three-line format is acceptable. The PMB and number must be included at the end of the street address line. Exception: When the CMRA's physical address contains a secondary address element (e.g., rural route box number, pound sign (#), suite, or other term), the CMRA customer must use PMB in the three-line format. In this case, mailers must use the following formats:

JOE DOE
10 MAIN ST STE 11 PMB 234
HERNDON VA 22071-2716

JOE DOE
RR 12 BOX 512 PMB 234
HERNDON VA 22071-2716

The Postal Service recognized that CMRA customers could incur some out-of-pocket expenses and would need time to notify correspondents of the change in their address in order to comply with the new regulation. Therefore, the Postal Service set the effective date of the requirement a full year after the rule was adopted, allowing CMRA customers to minimize costs by enabling them to:

· Deplete existing stationery.

· Advise correspondents of the new address in the course of ordinary business rather than through a special communication.

· Make any other needed changes to comply with the address requirement.

The CMRA is obligated to enforce addressing requirements. If a CMRA customer fails to comply, the CMRA must terminate the relationship with that customer. Rather than returning mail, postal managers observing CMRA customer's mail that is improperly addressed, should notify the CMRA in writing and provide it with a reasonable time to correct the violation. However, the rule states that the Postal Service may return mail addressed to a CMRA customer with an improper secondary designator (e.g., suite, apartment) in the complete customer address.

- Retail Operations Support,Retail, Consumers and Small Business, 7-26-01

Items Authorized for Sale in Self Service Vending Machines

Listed below are items authorized for the Self Service Stamp Vending Program for calendar year 2001. Products not on this list (except FIRSTCLASS PHONECARDS® and coils of 500 and 3,000) must not be placed in vending machines. Also, products ending in "11" are to be placed only in booklet machines and the booklet/stamp combination machines (PBSM-624). No "11" products may be placed in commodity machines. All stamp item numbers will now have six digits, and all products previously ending in "X" will now end in "11".

Check with your stamp distribution office (SDO) for availability of stamp vending products.

For all items marked with an asterisk in the tables below, the first day of issue will be announced in a future Postal Bulletin.

Quarter IV

Products Used in Multi-Commodity Vending Machines

Products Used Only in Multi-Commodity Vending Machines - Not For Sale Over the Counter

Criss-Cross Products Used in Booklet Vending Machines

Self Service will not repackage the products listed in the table below after SDO inventories are exhausted. Vending personnel should check with their SDO for availability of the following products.

Products That Self Service Will not Repackage

The National Stamp Vending Inventory and Vending Products Information are both posted on our Intranet Web site at http://retail.usps.gov.

- Self Service,Retail, Consumers and Small Business, 7-26-01