Customer Relations

Mail Alert

The mailings below will be deposited in the near future. Offices should honor the requested delivery dates. Mailers wishing to participate in these alerts, for mailings of 1 million pieces or more, should contact Business Service Network Integration at 703-292-3867 at least 1 month preceding the requested delivery dates. The Postal Service also offers electronic Mail Alerts via ADVANCE. For more information, see the ADVANCE Notification & Tracking System Technical Guide on the Internet at http://www.ribbs.usps.gov/files/advance/ADVTECH.PDF or contact the National Customer Support Center at 800-458-3181.

MINI PUBLICITY KIT

Teddy Bears Stamps

Events and Publicity

On August 16, 2002, the Postal Service will issue the Teddy Bears stamps in Atlantic City, New Jersey, at the American Philatelic Society Stamp Show. Four lovable, cuddly teddy bears are featured on the pane of 20 stamps. These Teddy Bears stamps were prompted by the popularity of the Teddy Bear stamp issued in 1998 as 1 of 15 stamps honoring the 1900s in the Celebrate the Century series.

2002 marks the 100th anniversary of the teddy bear and provides an excellent opportunity to promote the Teddy Bears stamps. There are many ways to generate local interest in these special stamps. Following are some methods to capture customer and media attention.

Stage a Kick-off Event

Host an unveiling of the Teddy Bears stamps, with the participation of local teddy bear collectors, toy store owners, artists, or authors of teddy bear books. Remember: When planning events, make sure sufficient stamps are available.

Other Event Ideas

• Set up a teddy bear display in your lobby featuring artists and manufacturers from your state or local community. Ask teddy bear collectors as well as artists to lend their bears for this exhibit.

• Plan a "gifting" of teddy bears for the residents of your local hospitals (especially the children's wing), nursing s, and abused shelters or for the victims of emergency situations. Ask the community to get involved by donating almost new or new teddy bears for the event.

• Host a Teddy Bear Reading Hour at your local library or bookstore or in your Post Office lobby, if space permits. You could ask a local personality to read from "bear" books.

• Give free teddy bear stickers to the first 100 customers purchasing the Teddy Bears stamps.

• Ask children and adults in your community to write letters about their special teddy bear. Share these letters with others during your gift-giving event.

• Fill a jar with Gummi Bears and invite customers to guess the quantity. The winner receives a framed sheet of Teddy Bears stamps or some other Teddy Bears stamp product.

Stamp Artwork

To obtain stamp artwork, including color transparencies and enlargements, contact:

DAN TRACY
DODGE COLOR
4827 RUGBY AVE STE 100
BETHESDA MD 20814-3028

E-mail: dant@dodgecolor.com
Telephone: 301-656-0025

Products

Licensed Products

For licensing inquiries and use of the Teddy Bears stamps images call licensing at 202-268-6745 or send an e-mail message to licensing@usps.com.

Implement any of these ideas, combine them, or brainstorm with your employees to come up with ideas of your own. Be sure to publicize each and every event to your local newspaper and radio and television stations. Send a letter or press release, and then follow up with a phone call.

- Community Relations,
Public Affairs and Communications, 7-25-02

Domestic Mail

DMM REVISION

Free Matter for the Blind and Other Physically Handicapped Persons

Effective August 8, 2002, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) E040 is revised to clarify and simplify the eligibility standards for free matter for the blind and other physically handicapped persons.

Postmasters are reminded that all recipients of free matter must provide evidence of eligibility. Postmasters must establish and maintain a list of eligible recipients under their jurisdiction (see ASM USPS 010.060, Privacy Act Systems of Records Appendix).

We will incorporate these revisions into the printed version of DMM 58 and into the monthly update of the online DMM available via Postal Explorer at pe.usps.gov.

Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)

* * * * *

E Eligibility

E000 Special Eligibility Standards

* * * * *

[Revise E040 to insert the word "physically" before the word "handicapped" in each instance where it appears.]

E040 Free Matter for the Blind and Other Physically Handicapped Persons

1.0 BASIC INFORMATION

1.1 General

[Revise 1.1 to read as follows:]

Subject to the standards below, matter may be entered free of postage if mailed by or for the use of blind or other persons who cannot read or use conventionally printed materials due to a physical handicap. The provisions of E040 apply to domestic mail only.

* * * * *

[Revise title and text of 1.3 to read as follows:]

1.3 Eligibility

The following persons are considered to be blind or unable to read or use conventionally printed material due to a physical handicap for purposes of this section:

a. Certified participants in the Library of Congress National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS).

b. Blind persons whose visual acuity, as determined by competent authority, is 20/200 or less in the better eye with correcting lenses, or whose widest diameter of visual field subtends angular distance no greater than 20 degrees.

c. Other physically handicapped persons certified by competent authority as meeting one or more of the following conditions:

(1) Having a visual disability, with correction and regardless of optical measurement, that prevents the reading of standard printed material.

(2) Being unable to read or unable to use standard printed material as a result of physical limitations.

(3) Having a reading disability resulting from organic dysfunction and of sufficient severity to prevent their reading printed material in a normal manner.

(4) Meeting the requirements of eligibility resulting from a degenerative, variable disease that renders them unable to read or use conventional printed material because of impaired eyesight or other physical factors. These persons are eligible during the time in which they are certified by a competent authority as unable to read or use conventional materials.

d. Eligible participants must be residents of the United States, including the several states, territories, in- sular possessions, and the District of Columbia, or American citizens domiciled abroad.

[Revise title and text of 1.4 to read as follows:]

1.4 Certifying Authority

For purposes of this standard:

a. The postmaster may extend the free matter privilege to an individual recipient based on personal knowledge of the individual's eligibility.

b. In cases of blindness, visual impairment, or physical limitations, "competent authority" is defined to include doctors of medicine; doctors of osteopathy; ophthalmologists; optometrists; registered nurses; therapists; and professional staff of hospitals, institutions, and public or private welfare agencies (e.g., social workers, caseworkers, counselors, rehabilitation teachers, and superintendents). In the absence of any of these, certification may be made by professional librarians or by any person whose competence under specific circumstances is acceptable to the Library of Congress (see 36 CFR 701.10(b)(2)(i)).

c. In the case of reading disability from organic dysfunction, "competent authority" is defined as doctors of medicine and doctors of osteopathy.

[Add new 1.5 to read as follows:]

1.5 Qualifying Individuals

The USPS may require individuals claiming entitlement to the free matter privilege to furnish evidence of eligibility consistent with the standards in 1.3 and 1.4, or verify by other means that the recipients are eligible to receive free matter.

2.0 MATTER SENT TO BLIND OR OTHER PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS

2.1 Acceptable Matter

Subject to 2.2, this matter may be mailed free:

[Revise item a to read as follows:]

a. Reading matter in braille or 14-point or larger sightsaving type and musical scores.

* * * * *

2.2 Conditions

The matter listed in 2.1 must meet these conditions:

* * * * *

[Revise item d by adding the definition of advertising to read as follows:]

d. The matter contains no advertising. Advertising is defined as:

(1) All material of which a valuable consideration is paid, accepted, or promised, that calls attention to something to get people to buy it, sell it, seek it, or support it.

(2) Reading matter or other material of which an advertising rate is charged.

(3) Articles, items, and notices in the form of reading matter inserted by custom or understanding that textual matter is to be inserted for the advertiser or the advertiser's products in which a display advertisement appears.

(4) An organization's advertisement of its own services or issues, or any other business of the publisher, whether in display advertising or reading matter.

* * * * *

3.0 MATTER SENT BY BLIND OR OTHER PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS

3.1 Acceptable Letters

[Revise 3.1 to read as follows:]

Only letters in Braille or in 14-point or larger sightsaving type or in the form of sound recordings, and containing no advertising, may be mailed free, and only if unsealed and sent by a blind or other physically handicapped person as described in 1.3.

* * * * *

- Mail Preparation and Standards,
Pricing and Classification, 7-25-02

DMM REVISION

Palletized Automation Flats With Nonautomation Pieces

Effective August 8, 2002, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) M610.1.4 and M620.1.3 are removed and DMM M820.1.7 is revised to eliminate the mandatory traying and other letter-size preparation requirements for nonautomation rate Standard Mail mailpieces in a mailing job that includes a palletized automation rate mailing of flat-size pieces when the nonautomation rate portion exceeds 10 percent of the mailing job. The dimensions of the pieces in such a mailing job meet the physical dimensions and characteristics of letter-size mail under DMM C050 and, at the same time, automation flat-size mail under DMM C820.

DMM M820.1.7 is also revised to extend this same preparation exception for palletized mail to Periodicals mailpieces that meet the physical dimensions and characteristics of both letter-size mail and automation flat- size mail. DMM M820.1.9 is revised to indicate that mail qualifying for the exception under DMM M820.1.7 is not required to be prepared under DMM M820.1.9.

The revision to this long-standing exception allows mailers to prepare Standard Mail or Periodicals mailings with one production process that generates a single mailstream of flats prepared on pallets. Prior to this revision, mailers exceeding the 10 percent maximum permitted for the nonautomation portion in such a mailing job had to use two production processes that resulted in two separate mailstreams - one consisting of packaged flat-size mail, the other consisting of trayed letter-size mail.

Qualified mailers, usually using PAVE-certified or MAC- certified software, may prefer the preparation standards in DMM M900 for creating merged pallets, and specifically DMM M950 for creating co-packaged pieces to achieve even greater production efficiencies. Mailers sacking such jobs must use DMM M910.

As a point of reference, Standard Mail jobs of Presorted and automation flat-size mailpieces reported on the same postage statement must be co-sacked under DMM M910 (see Postal Bulletin 22052, 6-14-01). For co-packaging, the Presorted pieces require 5-digit barcodes (see Postal Bulletin 22064, 11-29-01). Pieces without a 5-digit barcode must continue to be prepared as separate mailings, or they may be co-sacked under DMM M910. Co-sacking under this option does not require PAVE-certified or MAC-certified software.

We will incorporate these revisions into the printed version of DMM 58 and into the monthly update of the online DMM, available via Postal Explorer at pe.usps.gov.

Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)

* * * * *

M Mail Preparation and Sortation

* * * * *

M600 Standard Mail (Nonautomation)

M610 Presorted Standard Mail

1.0 BASIC STANDARDS

* * * * *

[Remove 1.4 and redesignate 1.5 through 1.8 as 1.4 through 1.7, respectively.]

M620 Enhanced Carrier Route Standard Mail

1.0 BASIC STANDARDS

* * * * *

[Remove 1.3 and redesignate 1.4 through 1.6 as 1.3 through 1.5, respectively.]

M800 All Automation Mail

* * * * *

M820 Flat-Size Mail

1.0 BASIC STANDARDS

* * * * *

[Revise 1.7 to read as follows:]

1.7 Exception for Palletized Automation and Nonautomation Pieces

When the physical dimensions of mailpieces in a Periodicals or Standard Mail mailing job meet the definition of both a letter-size piece under C050 and an automation flat-size piece under C820, the entire job may be prepared, merged, and palletized under M900 if the applicable standards are met. The nonautomation portion is all paid at the appropriate nonautomation rates for Periodicals items and at nonautomation nonletter rates for Standard Mail items. Mailing jobs prepared entirely in sacks and claiming this exception must be co-packaged under M950. As an alternative to M900, if a portion of the job is prepared as palletized automation flats, the nonautomation portion may be prepared as follows:

a. For Periodicals items, as palletized flats at Presorted rates and at carrier route rates. The nonautomation rate pieces that cannot be placed on ADC or finer level pallets may be prepared as flats in sacks and paid at the appropriate nonautomation rates.

b. For Standard Mail items, as palletized flats at Pre- sorted nonletter rates and at Enhanced Carrier Route nonletter rates. The nonautomation rate pieces that cannot be placed on BMC or finer level pallets may be prepared as flats in sacks and paid at the appropriate nonautomation nonletter rates. As provided in E620, the following minimum volumes for Standard Mail items must be met for this alternative to M900:

(1) For the portion claimed at automation nonletter rates, a separate 200-piece minimum must be met. For any portion of the job claimed at Pre- sorted rates, no separate minimum is required.

(2) For any portion claimed at Enhanced Carrier Route nonletter rates, a separate 200-piece minimum must be met.

* * * * *

1.9 Co-Traying, Co-Sacking, and Co-Packaging With Presorted Rate Mail

The following standards apply:

* * * * *

[Revise the introductory text in item b to read as follows:]

b. Periodicals, except as provided in 1.7:

* * * * *

[Revise the introductory text in item c to read as follows:]

c. Standard Mail, except as provided in 1.7:

* * * * *

- Mail Preparation and Standards,
Pricing and Classification, 7-25-02

HANDBOOK DM-109 REVISION

Business Mail Acceptance

Handbook DM-109, Business Mail Acceptance, provides information about mail verification and acceptance policy for mailings deposited by customers in business mail entry units (BMEUs) and detached mail units (DMUs).

The revisions in Handbook DM-109, Transmittal Letter 3 (July 2002), set forth in this article, clarify certain policies and procedures involving Postal Service staff training, annual frequency requirements for BMEU Integrated Operating Plans, and the completion of supervisor quality mail reviews (QMRs). The revisions also include information about DMUs, the Mailing Evaluation, Readability, Lookup INstrument (MERLIN)TM, and verification of mailings presented by customers having authorized special postage payment system agreements. Appendix C, "ZIP Code Target Wedge," is deleted and is reserved for future use. Appendices D and E are updated to include changes to postage rate structures and products in international mail.

Handbook DM-109, Transmittal Letter 3 (July 2002), obsoletes all previous editions of Handbook DM-109 - Transmittal Letter 1 (August 1999) and Transmittal Letter 2 (January 2000).

We will incorporate these revisions into the online version of Handbook DM-109, which is available on the corporate intranet at blue.usps.gov - click on Information, then Policies & Procedures, then HBKs, and then the title of the handbook. Printed copies of Handbook DM-109, Transmittal Letter 3 (July 2002), are not available from the Material Distribution Center (MDC) at this time. Managers, Business Mail Entry (MBMEs) and other acceptance personnel are encouraged to print a copy of Handbook DM-109 from the Postal Service Intranet to keep as a reference at their work sites.

Handbook DM-109, Business Mail Acceptance

Transmittal Letter 3, July 2002

[For the revised Transmittal Letter, see the online version.]

* * * * *

Chapter 1 - BMEU Operating Profile

Introduction

* * * * *

[At the end of the introduction, add text to read as follows:]

Detached Mail Unit Requirements

A detached mail unit (DMU) is an office or work area located in a mailer's plant or office where Postal Service acceptance staff can efficiently and safely perform all required mail verification. DMUs are usually established under plant load authorization procedures through which the Postal Service picks up and transports mailings directly from the mailer's plant in Postal Service trucks. Mailers that want to establish plant load authorizations must complete and submit PS Form 3815, Plant Load Authorization Application, Worksheet, and Agreement, to the Post Office serving the mailer's plant. Information about plant loads may be found in the Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) and in the Postal Operations Manual (POM) 327.

The district manager also may authorize the verification of mail at a mailer's plant in a DMU for mail if the mail will be transported by the mailer to a destination entry Post Office under the Plant Verified Drop Shipment (PVDS) procedures described in DMM P950. The manager must agree to and be able to adequately staff the DMU to ensure revenue is protected. The verification procedures in this handbook apply to mailings accepted at DMUs. Before mailings may be accepted at the mailer's plant or office, the mailer must agree to all specified conditions, including the following:

• Mailers must provide a safe working environment as required by the Postal Service.

• Mailers must provide a locked and secure office or locked work area (for example, a lockable office or a lockable wire cage) in which Postal Service staff can secure postal equipment and records, and can verify mailings.

• As specified by the Postal Service, mailers must provide sufficient space and equipment, such as a telephone, desk, filing cabinets, chairs, and floor scales needed to verify mailings. The mailer is responsible for scale maintenance and annual calibrations as required by Appendix B in this handbook. The Postal Service acceptance staff is responsible for daily testing. The manager, Business Mail Entry, must ensure that any scales (whether provided by the Postal Service or the mailer) used to verify mailings in DMUs are properly maintained and calibrated.

• Mailers must provide sufficient DMU space to accommodate all equipment provided by the Postal Service.

• Mailers must provide space that allows Postal Service staff to observe the loading of mail into Postal Service trailers or trucks.

If any of the specified conditions are not met, the district manager may discontinue the verification of mail at a DMU.

[For the revised Exhibit 1-1, see the online version.]

* * * * *

Chapter 3 - Training

* * * * *

[In the section entitled "Standard Mail Classification Training Program (SMCTP)," delete the third paragraph and insert text to read as follows:]

Clerks who have the specific job titles noted in Management Instruction EL-720-2000-6 (dated September 18, 2000) are required to successfully complete the 2-week SMCTP training program before verifying and accepting mail in business mail entry units (BMEUs) and detached mail units (DMUs). Clerks who accept mailings full-time but who do not have the specific job titles noted in the Management Instruction are also required to take the 2-week SMCTP training program. An employee identified as the senior qualified bidder or a senior bidder for relief assignment for a business mail entry position or a mailing requirements position can be excused from taking the SMCTP training program if the employee has already successfully completed the training program within the past 5 years.

Clerks who do not have the specific job titles noted in the Management Instruction but who verify mailings on a part- time basis may complete the 2-week SMCTP training program. Additional training programs are being developed and should be available beginning Fiscal Year 2003. Information about the programs will be provided as the programs become available.

Managers, Business Mail Entry, must check the Human Resources Information System (HRIS) National Training Database file quarterly to ensure that all newly appointed employees with the specific job titles noted in the Management Instruction and those who accept mailings full-time have attended the SMCTP training program. Managers, Business Mail Entry, should be certain that all training given to acceptance staff is recorded.

Additional information about the academy training program can be found in the Management Instruction.

* * * * *

Chapter 4 - Verification Procedures

* * * * *

[Before "`One Pass' (Fewer than 10,000 Pieces)," add text to read as follows:]

Mailing Evaluation, Readability and Lookup Instrument (MERLIN)

Beginning in 2001, the Postal Service began the national deployment of the Mailing Evaluation, Readability, Lookup Instrument (MERLIN)TM. MERLIN automates select verification processes. As the equipment is deployed to each BMEU and DMU, Business Mail Acceptance at Headquarters will provide additional training for Postal Service verification and acceptance staff at these sites.

Special Postage Payment Systems

For mailers who have been authorized to present mailings using a Manifest Mailing System (DMM P910), Optional Procedure (DMM P920), Alternate Mailing System (DMM P930), Value-Added Refunds (DMM P014.4), First-Class or Standard Mailings with Different Postage Payment Methods (DMM P960), pilot test, or other temporary special postage payment system authorized by Headquarters, BMEU and DMU staff must refer to the mailer's written agreement and any associated standard operating procedure for that agreement to determine if there are additional or special verification procedures required before accepting mail from the customer. Special postage payment systems are authorized by the manager, Business Mail Acceptance, Postal Service Headquarters through its Business Mailer Support group. Questions about the verification of the mail using the agreement procedures should be referred to the district manager, Business Mail Entry.

* * * * *

Chapter 5 - Quality Control

* * * * *

Quality Mail Review

* * * * *

[Delete the last paragraph and insert text to read as follows:]

QMRs are not required at BMEUs and DMUs where Mailing Evaluation, Readability, Lookup Instrument (MERLIN) equipment is installed. Supervisors at non- MERLIN BMEUs must conduct a minimum of one QMR per month for each employee. Supervisors responsible for DMUs without MERLIN machines must conduct a minimum of one QMR per month for each employee.

Completion of QMRs requires the supervisor to be proficient in mail verification and acceptance procedures. At non-MERLIN offices or Post Offices where there is not a full-time BMEU or DMU supervisor, a district office supervisor or other qualified EAS employee, such as the associate office postmaster or designee, must conduct at least one QMR every year for each employee who verifies and accepts mailings. This includes employees who are not required to take the SMCTP training course.

* * * * *

Chapter 7 - Non-ABE

* * * * *

[Delete pages 7-14 through 7-17; insert new pages 7-14 through 7-18. To see those pages (which have updates resulting from the June 30, 2002, R2001-1 rate case), see the online version. Renumber former pages 7-18 through 7-22 as pages 7-19 through 7-23, respectively.]

* * * * *

Appendix C, ZIP Code Target Wedge

[Delete Appendix C and reserve the appendix for future use. (Target Wedge information is no longer needed for verification of mailings.)]

Appendix D, International Priority Mail

[For the revised Appendix D (which has updates reflecting postage rate structures and product changes in international mail), see the online version.]

Appendix E, International Surface Airlift

[For the revised Appendix E (which has updates reflecting postage rate structures and product changes in international mail), see the online version.]

* * * * *

- Marketing Technology and Channel Management, Business Mail Acceptance, 7-25-02

PS FORM 5640

Online Express Mail Daily Log

PS Form 5640, Online Express MailŪ Daily Log, has been developed for manual offices (those without POS ONE or IRT terminals) that are required to use a daily log to record Online Express Mail label acceptance information (for domestic or Global Express Mail service). Complete one record for each Online Express Mail label you receive or your office receives. You may record two transactions per sheet. Send each completed PS Form 5640 to your Expedited Service Office for data entry on a daily basis.

You may copy PS Form 5640 (see page 9) from this Postal Bulletin or access the online version from the corporate intranet at blue.usps.gov/cpim (in the blue bar, click on "Postal Forms," and then select the form either by title or number). You may also requisition copies of PS Form 5640 as follows:

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

Note: You must be registered to use TTOE. To register, call 800-332-0317, choose option 8, extension 2925, and follow the prompts to leave a message (wait 48 hours after registering before you place your first order).

• e-mail: Complete PS Form 7380, MDC Supply Requisition (manually or using F3Fill), and send it as an attachment to the e-mail address MDC Customer Service or to mcustome@email.usps.gov.

• 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 PS Form 5640 is as follows:

PSIN: PS5640
NSN: 7530-05-000-5063
Unit of Issue: each
Price: $.0161
Edition Date: June 2002
Quick Pick Number: N/A

See Postal Bulletin 22053 (6-28-01, pages 23-24) for additional information on the Online Express Mail Label program and standard operating procedures for acceptance and handling.

- Product Management,
Package Services, 7-25-02