International Mail

NEW EDITION

International Mail Manual Issue 26

Copies of International Mail Manual (IMM) Issue 26 (dated January 2002) were recently shipped to all Postal Service installations. All previous issues of the IMM are obsolete, so please recycle them.

If you need additional copies of IMM 26, you may order them by one of the following means:

• Touch Tone Order Entry: Call 1-800-332-0317, Option 1, then Option 2.

• cc:Mail: Send an F3Fill-completed PS Form 7380, MDC Supply Requisition, to MDC Customer Service at TOKS001L.

• Mail: Mail a completed PS Form 7380 to the MDC at the following address:

SUPPLY REQUISITIONS
500 SW GARY ORMSBY DR
TOPEKA KS 66624-9702

The relevant ordering information for IMM 26 is as follows:

PSN: 7610-02-000-9904
PSIN: IMMISSUE
Unit of Issue: EA
Quick Pick #: 032
Bulk Pack Quantity: 12
Price: $2.003 each
Edition Date: January 2002

You can access IMM 26 via the USPS Intranet page at http://blue.usps.gov/cpim; click on Manuals. We update the online version, on a biweekly basis, to reflect any changes in the most recent issue of the Postal Bulletin. Since the online version is always more current than the existing printed version, you should check the online version, if you have Intranet access and if practicable, when responding to customer inquiries about international mail issues.

- Marketing, International Business, 2-21-02

Mail Recovery Centers

CLARIFICATION

Matter That Must Not Be Sent to Mail Recovery Centers

This article clarifies the November 19, 2001, letter we sent to vice presidents, Area Operations; manager, Capital Metro Operations; district managers; and managers, Bulk Mail Centers, titled "Leaking Packages and Refused Mail."

It is important to follow existing policies in Postal Operations Manual (POM) 69, Dead Mail, and 139, Nonmailable Matter - Articles and Substances: Special Mailing Rules, regarding the proper treatment of dead mail. Those policies safeguard postal employees and property and promote efficient postal services, including procedures about which types of dead mail matter can be forwarded to Mail Recovery Centers (MRCs). In order to minimize unnecessary handling, workhours, and potentially hazardous situations, do not send any of the items listed below to the MRCs:

1. The following types of dead mail (i.e., mail that is or becomes undeliverable and cannot be returned to the sender because of an insufficient return address or because of the class of mail or service requested):

a. Undeliverable mailpieces marked as containing medicines, perishables, or cosmetics. Dispose of in accordance with POM 691.522, Noninjurious Items.

b. Undeliverable Postal Service mail.

c. Undeliverable Standard Mail letters and flats.

d. Undeliverable postcards and postal cards if the local Post Office can shred or destroy them completely.

2. Undeliverable leaking packages or containers. Follow the procedures in POM 139.117, Referral to Inspection Service, or 139.118, Referral to RCSC, as appropriate. For leaking items believed to contain a hazardous material, also complete PS Form 1770, Hazardous Materials Incident Report.

3. Articles considered nonmailable because they are likely to harm employees, damage equipment, or harm other mail matter. Follow the procedures in POM 139.117 or 139.118, as appropriate.

4. Articles likely to attract pests (e.g., ants, roaches, flies, rodents). Follow the procedures in POM 691.521, Injurious Items, as appropriate.

5. Nonmailable matter found on Postal Service property. Follow the procedures in POM 139.117 or 139.118, as appropriate.

- Mail Recovery Program,Consumer Affairs Operations, 2-21-02

Philately

STAMP ANNOUNCEMENT 02-06

United States Military Academy Commemorative Stamp

The Postal Service will issue a 34-cent United States Military Academy commemorative stamp (Item 452700) in a self-adhesive pane of 20, in West Point, New York, on March 16, 2002. The stamp, designed by Derry Noyes, Washington, DC, and photographed by Ted Spiegel, Kingston, New York, goes on sale nationwide March 17, 2002. The pane may be split and the stamps may be sold individually.

With the issuance of this stamp, the Postal Service recognizes the bicentennial of the United States Military Academy. Thomas Jefferson signed legislation establishing a military academy at West Point, New York, in 1802. The academy was located at the site of a critical defensive position during the Revolutionary War. Its location prevented the British from gaining control of the vital Hudson River Valley and dividing the colonies. George Washington declared West Point to be the key to the continent.

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:

UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY COMMEMORATIVE STAMP
POSTMASTER
634 SWIFT RD
WEST POINT NY 10996-9998

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 April 15, 2002.

How to Order the First Day of Issue Covers

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 are available from SFS for at least 1 year after the stamp's issuance.

Philatelic Products

There are no philatelic products for this stamp issue.

Distribution: 34-Cent United States Military Academy, Item 452700

Stamp distribution offices (SDOs) will receive approximately one-third 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-quarter 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 March 11, 2002.

Philatelic Requirement

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

Additional Supply

Post Offices requiring additional Item 452700 must requisition it from their designated SDO using PS Form 17. SDOs requiring additional Item 452700 must order it from the appropriate accountable paper depository (APD) using PS Form 17.

For fulfilling supplemental orders from SDOs, APDs will receive the following quantities of additional stamps: San Francisco, 1,000,000; New York, 1,400,000; Chicago, 1,400,000; Memphis 1,320,000; and Denver, 400,000.

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, 2-21-02

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, 2-21-02

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

Postal Employees

NOTICE

New Marketing Campaign

The great strength of the Postal Service is its ability to bring people together. Postal Service products and services connect customers to the important people in their lives - friends, family, and business customers. Each time the Postal Service delivers a piece of mail, it helps to build relationships. This is the foundation for the Postal Service's newest marketing campaign featuring the tagline "Brought to you by the United States Postal Service" (see page 13).

The goal of the new campaign, which launches February 25, is to link the experience of customers using Postal Service products and services to the intangible benefits of this experience - personal fulfillment, personal connection, and business success. Additionally, the tag line has the flexibility to work across all Postal Service communications. Look for future ads with a product-based focus.

Postal Service employees extend the message of the campaign to their customers, every day, through their commitment to service.

- Advertising, Marketing, 2-21-02

NOTICE TO ALL EMPLOYEES

THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN FACT SHEET

Percentage returns released February 5, 2002, 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.

Purchasing and Materials

INSTALLATION HEADS AND MAOS

Semiannual Review of Capital Records - Instructions

Installation heads and material accountability officers (MAOs) are reminded of the policy contained in Handbook AS-701, Material Management, Section 541.28, Internal Reviews. That policy requires that either the installation head or MAO conduct a semiannual internal review and evaluation of the status of property records and files. Follow the steps below to complete the review and evaluation process.

1. If you have delegated MAO assistants, meet with them and discuss the material accountability background of the installation.

2. Review the local standard operating procedures.

3. Randomly select and inventory 10 percent of capital items and 10 percent of sensitive items.

4. Review files and records to verify that those required by Handbook AS-701 Chapter 5, Asset Accountability, are being maintained.

5. Review the past six accounting period change lists to ensure that they have been properly verified.

- Materials, Purchasing and Materials, 2-21-02

NEW ONLINE TRAINING COURSES

COR and MAO - From Purchasing and Materials

Effective immediately, the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) Training Course (#34Q01-08) and Material Accountability Officer (MAO) Training Course (#34Q01-10) are available on the Postal Service Intranet at the Purchasing and Materials page, http://blue.usps.gov/purchase/purchase.htm.

COR

The COR training course replaces the instructor-led classroom Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) Training Course (#34265-00). The Web-based version is self-paced and takes approximately 7 hours to complete. It includes a pretest, 16 lessons, and a final exam.

Refer to MI PM-610-2001-1, Contracting Officer's Representative Program (4-3-01), for policy and guidance for the training of CORs. That MI is available at http://blue.usps.gov/cpim; click on MIs, then Contracting Officer's Representative Program.

MAO

The MAO course replaces the instructor-led classroom course, Material Accountability and Control Training Course (#34282-00). The Web-based version is self-paced and takes approximately 8 hours to complete. It consists of 13 lessons and a final exam. The MAO training course is designed for all employees who have material accountability responsibilities. MAOs are directly accountable for capital, expendable, and sensitive property assigned to their finance number(s). Properly trained MAOs reduce the risk of losing, misappropriating, or prematurely disposing of Postal Service property.

- Purchasing Policies and Programs,Purchasing and Materials, 2-21-02

Retail

CLARIFICATION

Continue to Manually Set Electronic Postage Meters

Continue to manually set all electronic postage meters presented at the counter until further notice from the Postage Technology Management (PTM) Office, USPS Headquarters.

PTM is currently working on a method that will allow you to know when to discontinue resetting a given meter, based on the end of the meter's rental. PTM will publish that information in the Postal Bulletin as soon as the details are available. Until then, continue to manually set all electronic postage meters at the counter.

- Postage Technology Management,Product Development, 2-21-02

NEW COURSE

Examining Self Service Vending Credit

Self Service and Access Management has developed Course #40101-05, Examining Self Service Vending Credit, which demonstrates the proper procedures for examining stamp stock and cash held in vending machines, employee safes, and employee offices. The course includes a 19-minute VHS videotape and a 24-page guidebook.

When the video was produced at the beginning of the fiscal year, each district training manager received three copies.

Additional copies of the video and guidebook can be ordered from the Material Distribution Center by one of the following means:

• Touch Tone Order Entry: Call 1-800-332-0317, option 1, then option 2.

• cc:Mail: Send an F3Fill-completed PS Form 7380, MDC Supply Requisition, to MDC Customer Service at TOKS001L.

• Mail: Mail a completed PS Form 7380 to the MDC at the following address:

SUPPLY REQUISITIONS
MATERIAL DISTRIBUTION CENTER
500 SW GARY ORMSBY DR
TOPEKA KS 66624-9702

The relevant ordering information for Examining Self Service Vending Credit is as follows:

Videotape

PSN: 6910-05-000-4592
PSIN: CPG40101-05
Unit of Issue: Each
Price $8.85

Participant's Guidebook

PSN: 7610-05-000-4785
PSIN: CPG40101-05A
Unit of Issue: Each
Price: $0.9816

- Self Service and Access Management,Delivery and Retail, 2-21-02