USPSNEWS@WORK

CHALLENGES AHEAD: Service, revenue and reform

Postmaster General Potter outlined to the Board of Governors three important challenges facing USPSŪ in the new year, saying the Postal ServiceTM would focus its efforts on improving service, growing new revenue and working with Congress to enact legislative changes that will create a new business model for the future. Potter called on the mailing industry to "come together and make their voices heard in the debate for change and reform."

Potter added, "Our number one legislative priority continues to be the elimination of the requirement to create an escrow account with funds made available from last year's Civil Service Retirement System legislation."

The legislation asked the Postal Service for its proposals regarding the use of "savings" resulting from the act, beginning in 2006. Those "savings" would be placed in an escrow account pending congressional authorization about how they would be used. Unless the escrow requirement is changed, postage rates will have to rise even more than necessary to reflect inflation.

In other Board news, Chairman David Fineman described USPS's efforts to enhance its financial reporting. "The 2003 Annual Report, which is posted on our Web site and distributed in hard copy, includes enhanced disclosures in the footnotes and Management Discussion and Analysis section," said Fineman.

The Board also reelected Fineman as chairman and John Walsh as vice chairman.

CONVENIENCE IN YET ANOTHER LANGUAGE: A Customer's Guide to Mailing now in Chinese

Make it easy and understandable and people will use it. That's why USPS has translated its award-winning publication, DMM 100-C, A Customer's Guide to Mailing, into Chinese.

There are more than 2.4 million Chinese-speaking Americans in the U.S. They represent the largest Asian group. The DMM 100-C - the third installment in the series published by Marketing's Pricing and Classification group - will make it easier for Chinese speakers living in the U.S. to use our services and products.

The publication will be sent this month to offices with the highest concentration of Chinese-speaking customers. The DMM 100-C, along with the English and Spanish versions, can be ordered through the Material Distribution Center.

REVIVING PASSWORDS: Forgot your USPS password? Reset it on Blue

When a password escapes your mind or it's time for a new one, let your fingers do the resetting. No need to call the Help Desk. Just go to the ePassword Reset link on the Postal Service Intranet (Blue) at http://blue.usps.gov. It's easy for you - and saves USPS big bucks.

Currently, help desk agents get about 27,000 phone calls each month for password resets - at a cost to USPS of about a half million dollars each month. The automated password reset system last year saved over $4 million through cost avoidance and there's more money to be saved.

Information Technology's automated password reset system is located under eLinks on the upper left of Blue. It's do-it-yourself password management at the click of a mouse.

ONLINE EASE: The Wall Street Journal praises NetPost CardStore

The average American sends 20 or more greeting cards each year, according to the Greeting Card Association. Do the math. That's a lot of writing, stamping and mailing.

Thinking of using an online greeting card service? One stands out. Just ask The Wall Street Journal. The newspaper gave a big stamp of approval to NetPost CardStore. The Journal tested four well-known Web sites where customers can create and send cards.

"We discovered the biggest time-saver of all on the Postal Service site," said the paper about NetPost CardStore. Creating a photo card was easy. So was uploading addresses, said the Journal. That's not all. "Recipients got their cards five days later, the quickest of all the services that mailed the cards out."

Let your customers know about NetPost CardStore. It's open 24/7. It won over The Wall Street Journal. And, don't forget, Valentine's Day is just around the corner.

USPSNEWS@WORK

SELF-SERVICE HELP DESK: IT info served family style. Just dig in and help yourself.

Acronyms leave you flummoxed? Don't know your slammer worm from your TRECS? Want a definition for Gold Tape or need to brush up on your e-mail etiquette? Go to Information Technology's (IT) online help desk for answers.

IT created this self-service help desk to respond to frequently asked questions from Postal Service computer users. In addition to answers, you can use the feedback form to leave questions. To check out this new Web site, go to the IT Web page at http://it.usps.gov and click in the keyword box in the upper right corner of the screen. Select help desk self-service from the list of options.

So, what's a slammer worm? It's a virus that disguises itself as a file sent by the recipient's network administrator. TRECS and Gold Tape? Feel free to browse the site to your heart's content. For more information about the online help desk, send an e-mail to Stephen Gibson at Stephen.E.Gibson@usps.gov.

MAKING IT HAPPEN: Plant employees work behind-the-scenes

Running backs and receivers score touchdowns, grab headlines and make the Sports Center highlight reels. But all that good stuff couldn't happen without offensive linemen. They're down in the trenches, play after play, getting the job done, so their team can be the best.

The same can be said about our plant employees. They operate out of the public spotlight. But without their hard work, our carriers and retail personnel - who are the public face of the Postal Service - wouldn't be able to serve their customers.

Plant employees get it done seven days a week, 24 hours a day. They work Sundays. They work holidays. They work late at night. They work early in the morning when most of us are still in bed.

They process 200 billion letters, cards, flats and parcels a year at more than 300 plants. They transport mail to 38,000 Post OfficesTM, stations, branches, contract stations and community Post Offices. They operate and maintain more than 12,000 pieces of automated equipment. They work with airlines and juggle schedules to keep the mail moving to distant points. And they clean and maintain those facilities so their fellow employees can keep the mail moving to a nation of 290 million customers.

Valentine's for troops

It's not too late to mail Valentine's Day packages, cards and letters to troops deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom.

While Jan. 20 was the last day to mail packages via Parcel PostŪ, Priority MailŪ packages and First-Class MailŪ letters and cards to Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait will reach loved ones on time if mailed by Jan. 30.

Customers should use the service member's full name - with or without rank or rating - unit and APO/FPO address with the nine-digit ZIP CodeTM and a return address. For packages, customers should place addresses on one side only with the return address in the upper left corner and the recipient's in the lower right.

The Postal Service and the Department of Defense (DoD) are reminding supporters who wish to mail bulk quantities of care items to service members unknown to them to seek alternatives that won't slow the military mail system.

DoD recommends supporting a service member's family at or check out the programs at www.defendamerica.mil and www.operationuplink.org. For more information, contact the Military Postal Service Agency at 800-810-6098.

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.

Reducing or Canceling Your Subscription

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 CodeTM). 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.

Accessing the Postal Bulletin Online

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.

More Information

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 more than 15,000!

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, 1-22-04

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 703-292-4041 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.

Domestic Mail

DMM REVISION

Products Mailable at Nonprofit Standard Mail Rates

Effective January 1, 2004, Domestic Mail Manual (DMMTM) E670.5.11 is revised to reflect an increase from $8.00 to $8.20 for low-cost products mailable at Nonprofit Standard Mail rates. Under statutory restrictions implemented in DMM E670, products may not be mailed at the Nonprofit Standard Mail rates unless the products meet at least one of three exceptions. Under the Internal Revenue Code, a low-cost item is one of these exceptions.

The value of a low-cost item - the actual cost to the authorized nonprofit organization - is determined each year by the Internal Revenue Service, based on cost of living. For 2004, the maximum value of a low-cost item has been adjusted to $8.20.

We will incorporate this revision into the printed version of DMM 59 and into the monthly update of the online DMM available via Postal Explorer at http://pe.usps.gov.

Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)

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E Eligibility

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E600 Standard Mail

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E670 Nonprofit Standard Mail

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5.0 ELIGIBLE AND INELIGIBLE MATTER

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5.11 Products Mailable at Nonprofit Standard Mail Rates

The following products are mailable at Nonprofit Standard Mail rates:

[Revise item a to reflect a change in the maximum allowed value of low-cost items to read as follows:]

a. Low-cost items within the meaning of 26 USC 513(h)(2), Internal Revenue Code. At the beginning of each calendar year, the value of low-cost items is adjusted for cost of living. Effective January 1, 2004, the standard established that the cost of such items cannot exceed $8.20. This cost is the cost to the authorized organization that mails the items or on whose behalf the items are mailed.

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- Mailing Standards,
Pricing and Classification, 1-22-04

DMM REVISION

Sealing of Double Postcards

Effective February 5, 2004, Domestic Mail Manual (DMMTM) C100.2.9 is revised to clarify standards governing the content and sealing of double postcards.

The change makes clear that only the top or bottom of a double postcard, once folded, may be sealed. Double postcards may not be sealed against inspection and are examined to ensure that the reply half does not include an additional message. Therefore, sealing of the sides of double postcards, regardless of method, is not permitted.

We will incorporate these revisions into the printed version of DMM 59 and into the monthly update of the online DMM available via Postal Explorer at http://pe.usps.gov.

Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)

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C Characteristics and Content

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C100 First-Class Mail

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2.0 CARDS CLAIMED AT CARD RATES

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2.9 Double Cards

A double card (i.e., a double stamped card or double postcard) consists of two attached cards, one of which is designed to be detached by the recipient and returned by mail as a single card. Double cards are subject to these standards:

* * * * *

[Revise item c to read as follows:]

c. Plain stickers, seals, or a single wire stitch (staple) may be used to fasten the open edge at the top or bottom once the card is folded if affixed so that the inner surfaces of the cards can be readily examined. Fasteners must be affixed according to the applicable preparation requirements for the rate claimed. Any sealing on the left and right sides of the cards, no matter the sealing process used, is not permitted.

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- Mailing Standards,
Pricing and Classification, 1-22-04

NEW PUBLICATION

DMM 100-C, A Customer's Guide to Mailing

Pricing and Classification and Diversity Development are pleased to announce the availability of DMM 100-C, A Customer's Guide to Mailing, the Chinese translation of the English-language version. This publication is available through the Material Distribution Center (MDC). Like the English-language DMM 100, the Chinese version is a valuable source of information for every Chinese-speaking household and office. This publication offers our customers a tool that is both informative and easy to use.

You can order DMM 100-C from the MDC by using touch tone order entry (TTOE): Call 800-332-0317, option 2.

Note: You must be registered to use TTOE. To register, call 800-332-0317, option 1, extension 2925, and follow the prompts to leave a message (wait 48 hours after registering before you place your first order).

The relevant ordering information for DMM 100-C is as follows:

PSIN: DMM100C
NSN: 7610-07-000-7685
Unit of Measure: EA
Min. Order Qty: 1
Bulk Pack Quantity: 200
Quick Pick Number: N/A
Price: $0.2981

Remember, the English-language and Spanish- language versions also are available at the MDC.

- Mailing Standards,
Pricing and Classification, 1-22-04

NOTICE

Clarification of the Nonmachinable Surcharge for Shrubs and Trees

Each spring, questions concerning the mailability of shrubs and trees arise. The following is offered for clarification and to promote consistency.

Domestic Mail Manual (DMMTM) C050.4 states that a machinable parcel must have the following dimensions:

• Minimum 6 inches, maximum 34 inches in length.

• Minimum 3 inches, maximum 17 inches in height.

• Minimum 1/4 inch, maximum 17 inches in thickness.

• Minimum 6 ounces, maximum 35 pounds in weight.

DMM C700.2.0 describes Parcel PostŪ mailpieces that are nonmachinable. These mailpieces have characteristics (such as inadequate packaging) that could result in damage to the contents, other parcels, or Postal ServiceTM machinery if mechanical sortation is used. It also describes which pieces are subject to the nonmachinable surcharge. These items require more costly manual sortation.

These standards were not intended to include nursery stock such as shrubs and trees completely enclosed in boxes or cartons. Nursery stock placed in plastic, vinyl, or paper bags (sealed or unsealed) is nonmachinable and must be assessed the applicable nonmachinable surcharge.

- Mailing Standards,
Pricing and Classification, 1-22-04

DMM REVISION

Labeling List Changes

Effective January 22, 2004, Domestic Mail Manual (DMMTM) L001, L004, L007, and L606 are revised to reflect changes in mail processing operations. Mailers are encouraged to label according to these revised lists immediately, but must comply with these changes no later than April 4, 2004.

We will incorporate these revisions into the printed version of DMM Issue 59 and into the monthly update of the online DMM available via Postal Explorer at http://pe.usps.gov.

Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)

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L Labeling Lists

L000 General Use

L001 5-Digit Scheme-Periodicals Flats and Irregular Parcels, Standard Mail Flats, and BPM Flats

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* * * * *

L004 3-Digit ZIP Code Prefix Groups-ADC Sortation

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L007 5-Digit Scheme-Periodicals, Standard Mail, and BPM Flats in Packages

* * * * *

* * * * *

L600 Standard Mail and Package Services

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L606 5-Digit Scheme-Standard Mail and Package Services Parcels

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