HANDBOOK F-1 REVISION
Effective April 4, 2002, Handbook F-1, Post Office
Accounting Procedures, 714.1 is revised to permit the use
of remote-set postage meters at authorized Post Offices
and classified units by using the Postage Meter Resetting
System (PMRS). PMRS enables the remote resetting of
postage meters without requiring advance payment. This
revision is in anticipation of the mandatory removal and
discontinuance of all manually set Post Office meters from
the field.
Note: See 714.2 regarding the use of PMRS by contract
postal units.
In order to use remote-set meters under PMRS, Post
Offices and classified units must:
• Obtain written authorization from the manager, Post
Office Operations, of their district, who shall make the
determination if the leasing of a remote-set postage
meter is cost effective. The authorization letter must
include the unit's finance number, standard field
accounting system (SFAS) unit ID, and ZIP Code.
• Obtain funding approval by submitting PS Form
7381, Requisition for Supplies, Services, or
Equipment, to cover the annual cost of leasing a
postage meter from an authorized manufacturer. The
expense of leasing a remote-set postage meter will
be charged to the individual unit's finance number
and to AIC 572, Equipment Rental - PO (GLA
54411).
• Provide a copy of the authorization letter to the selected meter manufacturer.
• Maintain the original authorization letter on file.
The district manager, Post Office Operations, must also
maintain a copy of the authorization letter.
Meter manufacturers will establish a PMRS meter account only after verifying a letter of authorization. When establishing a PMRS meter account, a meter manufacturer
must perform the following:
• Complete PS Form 3601-C, Postage Meter Activity
Report.
• Record the agency code as "700."
• Record the SFAS unit ID in the cost code field.
• Establish records on its system to allow setting
without prepayment.
Postal units using a PMRS meter account must report
daily meter revenue on PS Form 3602-PO, Postage Collected Through Post Office Meter, and on PS Form 1412-B,
Daily Financial Report, in AIC 110, Postage Meters - Post
Office.
To facilitate auditing,
• SFAP units will retain PS Form 3602-PO with local
supporting documents by day by AIC account.
• Non-SFAP units will retain PS Form 3602-PO with local supporting documents.
The postal unit must use procedures defined by the meter manufacturer to add postage to a postage meter using a
PMRS meter account. The maximum allowed setting for a
remote-set meter leased by a Post Office or classified unit
may not exceed the estimated postage usage for a 30-day
period based upon the same period last year with an adjustment factor not to exceed 5 percent. The postal unit
must record all meter settings on PS Form 3602-PO.
We will incorporate these revisions into the next printed
version of Handbook F-1 and into the next update of the online version accessible on the corporate intranet at
http://blue.usps.gov/cpim; click on HBKs.
Handbook F-1, Post Office Accounting
Procedures
* * * * *
7 Accounting for Nonstamp Revenue
71 Postage Meters
* * * * *
714 Procedures for Reporting Post Office Meters
714.1 Reporting in Post Offices and Classified Units
[Renumber existing 714.1.1 through 714.1.5 as 714.1.2
through 714.1.6; insert new 714.1.1 to read as follows:]
1> Post Offices and classified units must obtain written
authorization from their district manager, Post Office
Operations, along with funding approval by submitting
PS Form 7381, Requisition for Supplies, Services, or
Equipment, to cover the cost of leasing a remote-set
meter under the Postage Meter Resetting System
(PMRS). The authorization letter must include the
unit's finance number, SFAS unit ID, and ZIP Code.
The district manager, Post Office Operations, must
maintain a copy of the authorization letter. The Post
Office or classified unit requesting the authorization
letter must provide a copy to the selected meter
manufacturer and must maintain the original on file.
Postal units must use procedures defined by the
meter manufacturer to add postage to a postage
meter using a PMRS meter account. The maximum
allowed setting for a remote-set meter leased by a
Post Office or classified unit may not exceed the
estimated postage usage for a 30-day period based
upon the same period last year with an adjustment
factor not to exceed 5 percent. Each AP, postage
meters must be re-set or subjected to the verification
process. The postal unit must record all meter
settings on PS Form 3602-PO, Postage Collected
Through Post Office Meter. The postal unit must also
report daily meter revenue on PS Form 3602-PO and
on PS Form 1412-B, Daily Financial Report.
In SFAP units, the employee reviewing PS Form
1412-B financial documentation must also review all
PS Forms 3602-PO. SFAP units must retain PS
Forms 3602-PO with local supporting documents by
day by AIC account to facilitate auditing.
In non-SFAP units, the employee reviewing PS Form
1412-B financial documentation must also review all
PS Forms 3602-PO. Non-SFAP units must retain PS
Forms 3602-PO with local support documents to facilitate auditing.
* * * * *
- Revenue and Field Accounting,
Finance, 4-4-02
IMM REVISION
Effective April 4, 2002, International Mail Manual (IMM)
932e is revised to agree with IMM 924.1 that the time
period to file an inquiry for registered letter-post mail and
insured parcel post is 6 months (not 1 year). Also, IMM
924.1 is revised to use the term "registered letter-post
mail."
We will incorporate these revisions into the printed version of IMM 27 and the online version of the IMM, which
can be accessed via Postal Explorer at http://pe.usps.gov.
International Mail Manual (IMM)
* * * * *
9 Inquiries, Indemnities, and Refunds
* * * * *
920 Inquiries and Claims
* * * * *
924 Initiation of Claims
[Revise the heading of 924.1 to read as follows:]
924.1 Registered Letter-Post Mail and Insured
Parcel Post
[Revise the first sentence of 924.1 by changing the words
"registered mail" to "registered letter-post mail," to read as
follows:]
Claims for registered letter-post mail and insured parcel
post may be initiated by either the sender or the
addressee. ***
* * * * *
930 Indemnity Payments
* * * * *
[Revise the heading of 932 to read as follows:]
932 General Exceptions to Payment - Registered
Letter-Post Mail and Insured Parcel Post
Indemnity may not be paid:
* * * * *
[Revise the first sentence of item e by changing the words
"1 year" to "6 months," to read as follows:]
e. When no inquiry or application has been made by the
claimant or a representative within 6 months,
commencing with the day following the mailing of the
item. ***
* * * * *
- International Business, 4-4-02
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