USPSNEWS@WORK
POTTER TO MANAGERS: Continue to
focus on people, reform, costs, service,
and revenue
"What the Postal ServiceTM is all about continues to be
selling postage and delivering the mail," Postmaster General (PMG) Jack Potter told 766 managers at the recent 2003
National Executive Conference (NEC) in Washington.
As a framework for those two principles, Potter said that
when he became postmaster general he told employees
that his focus would be on five main areas, illustrated by the
five points of a star: people, reform, costs, service, and revenue. "That focus hasn't changed," the PMG told the NEC
attendees. "And employees are delivering results."
He said everyone has done an outstanding job in reducing costs, noting that USPS® is $1.2 billon under budget in
non-personnel costs.
On the reform front, he praised the whole USPS organization - union and management alike - as well as the
entire mailing industry for supporting the effort that led to
Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) reform legislation.
The legislative change will save the Postal Service billions
that it otherwise would have been required by law to overpay into the CSRS.
And Potter noted the extensive work of the President's
Commission on the U.S. Postal Service and its recommendations to the president on postal reform. "We must have
legislative reform," Potter said.
The PMG said the Postal Service's focus on people is
showing results: "VOE scores are up, grievances are down
and we have long-term contracts with all our unions."
Potter told managers that the Postal Service must redouble its efforts on the fifth and final point on the star: revenue. Declaring it a major focus, he said, "Our future
depends on revenue. It's the key."
TACS EVERYWHERE: Web-based time
and attendance system online
nationwide
Ahead of schedule and well under budget - that's the
story of nationwide implementation of the Time and Attendance Collection System (TACS). The Postal Service now
can retire the decades-old systems that TACS replaces.
TACS is one of the world's largest Web-based applications that provides real-time work-hour data to help manage day-to-day operations at the Postal Service. National
implementation was completed this summer - thanks to a
partnership between Finance and Information Technology.
TACS keeps track of hours worked by more than
700,000 USPS career and non-career employees and the
nearly $2 billion in salaries and benefits they receive each
pay period. TACS is credited with a 12 percent reduction in
the number of payroll-related adjustments. In addition, the
number of timekeepers has been reduced by more than
1,000.
THE PICK-UP PLACE: Discounts on
merchandise return items when picked
up
Parcel Select® customers soon will receive discounts
for their merchandise return items if they pick them up at
the same locations where they drop off packages for
delivery.
To take advantage of the discounts, merchants need to
pick up the returned parcels at a designated Postal Service
facility, rather than have the Postal Service deliver the returns to the merchant. "The merchant will pay the postage,
which makes the new service particularly consumer friendly," said Package Services Manager Jim Cochrane.
The new Return Service is available for Parcel Select
and Bound Printed Matter items beginning Oct. 19. The
price for parcels picked up at the Post OfficeTM nearest the
consumer is $2. Prices for pieces picked up at the bulk mail
center are higher, depending on the item's weight and the
distance traveled.
SAFEGUARDING PRIVACY: New
handbook arrives this month
Reference guides are great resources. They put everything about a subject in one place. And that's what USPS
has done with its first ever Privacy/Freedom of Information
Act (FOIA) handbook.
Everything you wanted to know about USPS privacy and
the Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA, has been organized, updated and explained in plain English.
USPSNEWS@WORK
Handbook AS-353, Guide to Privacy and the Freedom
of Information Act, replaces two parts of the Administrative
Support Manual: Portions of Subchapter 35, Records and
Release of Information, and the Appendix, Privacy Act Systems of Records.
Appropriate headquarters and field employees will
receive copies this month. Take a good look at the handbook - its policies and procedures are effective Sept. 30.
NUMBER, PLEASE: Make contact with
new features at the online telephone
directory
New features developed by Information Technology (IT)
make it easy to connect with co-workers.
In addition to name, title, and address search options,
the USPS Online Telephone Directory now includes advanced search options including district site, finance number and office. If you're not sure whether it's Johnson or
Johnston, just search "Johns." And narrow it down with a
first name, or city, or ZIP Code, or . . .
More features are in the works, such as automated
e-mail links. And over the next few months, IT will complete
local field directory records so you will be able to access local and national information in a single online directory.
The directory is only as good as the information in it. Automated data feeds take care of most of the updating, but
you need to check to be sure your information is accurate.
Select the Phone Directory link on the Postal Service Intranet and check it out. If you need to make changes, you can
do it right from the Web site.
FALL CELEBRATION: National Hispanic
Heritage Month
Each year, from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, America honors the
many contributions Hispanic Americans have made and
continue to make to our nation by observing National Hispanic Heritage Month. USPS stamps that recognize Hispanic Americans include baseball great Roberto Clemente,
singer Richie Valens, U.S. Senator Dennis Chavez of New
Mexico, and United Farm Workers leader Cesar Chavez.
2004 FINANCIAL PLAN: Modest mail
volume growth and continuing cost
reductions
Mail volume is expected to grow by 1.3 percent in Fiscal
Year (FY) 2004, though USPS revenue is expected to remain flat, according to remarks made by Chief Financial Officer Richard Strasser at this month's Board of Governors
meeting.
Strasser said forecasts point to another 1.3 billion-piece
decline in First-Class Mail® volume, while he expects Standard Mail to increase by nearly 4.2 billion pieces. Overall
mail volume growth should be up 2.7 billion pieces, a modest 1.3 percent growth rate.
The 2004 financial plan includes savings through reduction of operational costs and expedited debt repayment.
"We will continue to focus on strategies that were outlined
in the Transformation Plan," Strasser said.
The fiscal plan requires continuing cost reductions of
$1.4 billion along with a fifth straight year of productivity
gains, even while the delivery network is expected to grow
another 1.8 million addresses, to 143 million.
The plan also includes further reductions of 25 million
employee workhours. Since 1999, the Postal Service has
reduced total workhours by a cumulative 512 million, the
equivalent of $13 billion in savings. Strasser also said that
the financial plan would enable the Postal Service to fully
recover all prior years' losses with projected net incomes
this fiscal year and in FY 2004, capturing $6 billion since
the start of FY 2003.
The Postal Bulletin - Help Us Save Paper and Money
The Postal Bulletin has been around for 123 years, and
it's the most relied-upon, trusted source of information in
the Postal ServiceTM today.
In the 1970s, when our nation became more concerned
about our environment, the Postal Service began using recycled paper to print the Postal Bulletin. We have also tried
over the years to print just the right number of copies to
save our nation's resources.
Despite our efforts, some offices tell us that they receive
too many copies. We need to do something about this.
Therefore, if you want to reduce the number of copies
your office receives or if you want to cancel your
subscription altogether, send an e-mail to
pbulleti@usps.gov or call 202-268-5776 (if you reach a
recording, be sure to leave a message with your name,
telephone number, and ZIP Code). Please be assured that
we will not reduce or cancel your subscription unless you
ask us to do so.
As we review our subscription list, we will begin calling
facilities that seem to have duplicate subscriptions. If we
call your facility, please help us determine if we can reduce
your subscription.
Are you using your own labels to forward Postal Bulletins to other facilities that don't have their own subscriptions? When those other facilities close down, the
undeliverable Postal Bulletins are returned to us here at
Headquarters. When we receive those returned Postal Bulletins, we have no way of correcting the problem, because
those facilities aren't on our subscription list and because
we don't know which is the forwarding facility.
If you are forwarding Postal Bulletins to other facilities,
please contact us at the above e-mail address or phone
number so we can create a separate subscription for them.
Remember, each issue of the Postal Bulletin since 1995
is available online. To access the online version of the Postal Bulletin, please follow either of these routes:
On the Intranet: Go to the Postal Service PolicyNet
Web site at http://blue.usps.gov/cpim; click on View
Postal Bulletins.
On the Internet: Go to www.usps.com; click on
About USPS & News, then Forms and Publications,
then Postal Bulletin.
For more information on the Postal Bulletin, please
see our article in Postal Bulletin 22097 (3-6-03, pages
5-6) titled "The Postal Bulletin - Your Source for Trusted
Information."
We started publishing this article in early April, asking
you to let us know if we can reduce or eliminate your subscriptions. Since April of this year, many of you have responded, and together we have reduced the total number
of printed copies by 7,475!
We've come a long way, and we'll continue to evolve
with the times. Our job is to make your job easier. As you
know, the Postal Bulletin is here to serve you, as it has
been for almost 125 years.
- Policies and Procedures Information,
Public Affairs and Communications, 9-18-03
Effective immediately, Publication 223, Directives and
Forms Catalog (June 1999), is revised. The tables below
contain the document ID, edition date, title, national stock
number (NSN), and the Postal Service and public supply
source for all new, revised, and obsolete directives and
forms. Use this article to keep Publication 223 current.
Information on how to order directives and forms is
available in chapter 1 of Publication 223.
IWEB = Intranet = http://blue.usps.gov; click onInformation, then Policies and Procedures.
WWW = USPS Web page = www.usps.com.
PE = Postal Explorer = http://pe.usps.gov.
F3 = F3 Fill Software.
PSIN
|
Edition
Date
|
Title
|
Size
(inches)
|
Stock Number
|
Unit
of
Issue
|
Org.
|
USPS
Source
|
Public
Source
|
LAB 226-D
|
7/03
|
Buy Stamps Here at Post Office Prices
|
8 x 10
|
N/A
|
EACH
|
MKT
|
HQO
|
N/A
|
LAB 226-C
|
7/03
|
Buy Stamps Here at Post Office Prices
|
4 x 5
|
N/A
|
EACH
|
MKT
|
HQO
|
N/A
|
PSIN
|
Edition
Date
|
Title
|
Stock Number
|
Org.
|
USPS
Source
|
Public
Source
|
MI AS-350-2003-6
|
7/03
|
Marketing e-mail
|
N/A
|
CA
|
IWEB
|
N/A
|
MI EL-660-2003-1
|
7/03
|
Corporate Succession Planning
|
N/A
|
DD
|
IWEB
|
N/A
|
PSIN
|
Edition
Date
|
Title
|
Stock Number
|
Org.
|
USPS
Source
|
Public
Source
|
DMM 200-A
|
6/03
|
A Guide to Mailing for Businesses and Organizations
|
7610-07-000-7089
|
P&C
|
MDC
|
MDC
|
PSIN
|
Edition
Date
|
Oldest
Usable
Date
|
Title
|
Stock Number
|
Where
Used
|
Unit
of
Issue
|
Org.
|
USPS
Source
|
Public
Source
|
PS 5550
|
7/03
|
7/03
|
Express Mail Service Manifest
System Application
|
N/A
|
PU
|
SHEET
|
MKT
|
IWEB
|
WWW
|
PS 8189
|
5/03
|
5/03
|
RIBBS Web Access Request
|
N/A
|
CD
|
SHEET
|
P&C
|
IWEB
|
WEB
|
PSIN
|
TL
|
Edition
Date
|
Title
|
Stock Number
|
Manual
Relation
|
Org.
|
USPS
Source
|
Public
Source
|
PO-610
|
blank |
7/03
|
Signature Capture and Electronic Record
Management: Manager's Guide to Standard
Operation
|
7610-05-000-4048
|
N/A
|
MKT
|
MDC
|
MDC
|
PSIN
|
Edition
Date
|
Title
|
Size
(inches)
|
Stock Number
|
Unit
of
Issue
|
Org.
|
USPS
Source
|
Public
Source
|
LAB 226-A
|
7/03
|
Buy Stamps Here at Post Office Prices
|
2 x 3
|
7690-02-000-7030
|
EACH
|
MKT
|
HQO
|
N/A
|
PSIN
|
TL
|
Edition
Date
|
Title
|
Stock Number
|
Manual
Relation
|
Org.
|
USPS
Source
|
Public
Source
|
PUB 25
|
blank |
7/03
|
Designing Letter and Reply Mail
|
7610-03-000-9119
|
DMM
|
P&C
|
MDC
|
P/F
|
PSIN
|
Edition
Date
|
Oldest
Usable
Date
|
Title
|
Stock Number
|
Where
Used
|
Unit
of
Issue
|
Org.
|
USPS
Source
|
Public
Source
|
PS 1000
|
8/03
|
8/03
|
Domestic Claim or Registered
Mail Inquiry
|
7530-02-000-9931
|
PS
|
SET
|
FIN
|
MDC,
IWEB
|
P/F
|
PS 5406
|
8/03
|
8/03
|
Box Delivery Contract Route
Survey
|
7530-02-000-9253
|
CR
|
SHEET
|
SM
|
MDC,
IWEB
|
N/A
|
PS 7355
|
7/03
|
7/03
|
Cleaning Agreement
|
N/A
|
PS
|
SHEET
|
SM
|
IWEB
|
N/A
|
PSIN
|
Edition
Date
|
Title
|
Stock Number
|
Org.
|
USPS
Source
|
Public
Source
|
MI AS-530-81-17
|
10/81
|
Special Custodial Allowance for Post Offices
|
7610-03-000-3669
|
ENG
|
HQO
|
HQO
|
MI AS-840-95-15
|
9/95
|
CC:Mail Standards
|
7610-03-000-5815
|
IT
|
MDC
|
N/A
|
PSIN
|
Edition
Date
|
Title
|
Size
(inches)
|
Stock Number
|
Unit
of
Issue
|
Org.
|
USPS
Source
|
Public
Source
|
POS 21-A
|
4/98
|
Sexual Harassment
|
18 x 24
|
7690-04-000-4839
|
EACH
|
DD
|
MDC
|
N/A
|
POS 21
|
4/98
|
Sexual Harassment
|
10 x 10
|
7690-03-000-0420
|
EACH
|
DD
|
MDC
|
N/A
|
PSIN
|
TL
|
Edition
Date
|
Title
|
Stock Number
|
Manual
Relation
|
Org.
|
USPS
Source
|
Public
Source
|
PUB 49
|
blank |
1/01
|
Getting Started with Standard Mail
|
7610-02-000-9901
|
DMM
|
P&C
|
MDC,
IWEB
|
P/F
|
PSIN
|
Edition
Date
|
Oldest
Usable
Date
|
Title
|
Stock Number
|
Where
Used
|
Unit
of
Issue
|
Org.
|
USPS
Source
|
Public
Source
|
PS 4778
|
5/94
|
7/79
|
Daily Assignment Sheet
|
7530-02-000-9315
|
PS
|
SHEET
|
ENG
|
MDC
|
N/A
|
- Policies and Procedures Information,
Public Affairs and Communications, 9-18-03
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 703-292-4041 at least 1 month preceding the requested delivery dates. The Postal ServiceTM
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.
Title of Mailing
|
Class and
Type of
Mail
|
Requested
Delivery
Dates
|
Number
of Pieces
(Millions)
|
Distribution
|
Presort Level
|
Comments
|
JCP Fall Jewelry
|
Standard/Catalog
|
9/19/03-9/22/03
|
2.0
|
Nationwide
|
Car-Rt
|
RR Donnelley
|
Ben Franklin Almanac
|
Standard/Letter
|
9/21/03-9/23/03
|
1.8
|
Nationwide
|
3/5-Digit, Car-Rt
|
Rodale/ALG Direct
|
Through the Country Door
|
Standard/Catalog
|
9/22/03-9/25/03
|
1.4
|
Nationwide
|
Barcoded, Basic,
3/5-Digit, Car-Rt
|
Quad Graphics,
Lomira, WI
|
JCP Week 35 Super Saturday
|
Standard/Letter
|
9/23/03-9/25/03
|
20.4
|
Nationwide
|
Car-Rt
|
Harte-Hanks
|
The Swiss Colony
|
Standard/Catalog
|
9/24/03-9/27/03
|
1.5
|
Nationwide
|
Barcoded, Basic,
3/5-Digit, Car-Rt
|
Quad Graphics,
Lomira, WI
|
JCP JD03 Fall Jewelry Cat PC
|
Standard/Postcard
|
9/25/03-9/27/03
|
2.0
|
Nationwide
|
Car-Rt
|
Harte-Hanks
|
South Beach Diet
|
Standard/Letter
|
9/25/03-9/27/03
|
1.8
|
Nationwide
|
3/5-Digit, Car-Rt
|
Rodale/ALG Direct
|
JCP Week 36 Anniversary/LPOTS
|
Standard/Flat
|
9/29/03-10/1/03
|
21.3
|
Nationwide
|
Car-Rt
|
Harte-Hanks
|
- Business Service Network Integration,
Service and Market Development, 9-18-03
|
|