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Information Technology


ASM REVISION

New Regulations for Print Devices

Effective immediately, Administrative Support Manual 13 (ASM), Chapter 8, Information Resources, is revised to reflect the requirements for print devices in the Postal ServiceTM. In order to reduce costs and increase efficiency, the types of print devices deployed and supported will be limited as set forth below.

Administrative Support Manual (ASM)

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8 Information Resources

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86 Planning and Acquisition

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862 Software and Hardware Acquisition

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862.2 Hardware and Services Acquisition

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[Revise 862.22 to read as follows:]

862.22 Printing and Imaging

This section establishes policy and requirements for acquiring and supporting print devices in the Postal Service.

862.221 Policy

The Postal Service is committed to reducing printing costs by acquiring, deploying, and managing its print devices in accordance with the following objectives:

a. Reducing the number of available print device vendors and models.

b. Limiting support of print devices to those listed on the following Web pages (hereafter called supported devices).

ACE-Supported Printers: Go to http://it.usps.gov. A longer URL will appear; add the number 930 at the end.

Windows-Based Printers: Go to http://it.usps.gov. A longer URL will appear; add the number 341 at the end.

c. Encouraging the use of centrally managed network print devices and multifunction peripheral (MFP) devices where possible. See MFP Guidelines and Criteria.

Go to http://it.usps.gov. A longer URL will appear; add the number 1038 at the end.

d. Reducing the number of stand-alone personal desktop print devices.

This policy applies to all Postal Service organizations, employees, and contractors, and any business partners who are provided with Postal Service-owned printing equipment.

862.222 PRIME (PRinting and IMaging Environment) Program

PRIME is the nationwide Postal Service program that standardizes printing capabilities and resources so both are more practical and economically efficient. Through the ADEPT II contract, available online at http://wadchq2ksts01.usps.gov; click on Adept II, PRIME provides Postal Service personnel with access to the following:

a. Printing devices (hardware) for 4 years.

b. Consumables, including toner, staples, and imaging drums.

862.223 Roles and Responsibilities

a. Information Technology

The Information Technology organization is responsible for the following:

(1) Establishing and enforcing standards for the acquisition and use of print devices.

(2) Providing program management for PRIME.

(3) Providing IT Help Desk (IT/CHD) support for supported devices as stated in section 862.224.

(4) Serving as the approval authority for:

• Adding or deleting print devices to the ADEPT II or MFP contract.

• Acquiring "Off Catalog" print devices.

b. Engineering

The Engineering organization is responsible for the following:

(1) Defining requirements for all print devices purchased and deployed for use in Engineering- managed programs.

(2) Considering economies available through the PRIME program via ADEPT II and using these print devices whenever possible.

(3) Following Engineering's approval process for acquiring print devices used in Engineering- managed programs.

(4) Providing support for print devices deployed as part of Engineering-managed programs.

(5) Following Engineering Configuration Management and Engineering Change Board (ECB) processes for print devices deployed as part of Engineering-managed systems.

c. All Functional Organizations

Application program sponsors are responsible for the following:

(1) Complying with print device purchasing policies.

(2) Following IT Change/Configuration Management Support processes for deploying print devices. Go to http://cto.usps.go. A longer URL will appear; add the number 694 at the end.

(3) Ensuring that all print devices are registered in the Postal Service Asset Inventory Management System. See MI AS-850-2002-13.

862.224 Customer Support

The IT Corporate Help Desk (IT/CHD) provides the following for supported devices:

Supported Devices IT/CHD Provided Support
ACE-Supported Printers:
A list of these can be found by going to http://cto.usps.gov. A longer URL will appear; add the number 930 at the end.
Driver, application, and hardware troubleshooting.
Windows-Based Printers:
A list of these can be found by going to http://it.usps.gov. A longer URL will appear; add the number 341 at the end.
Driver support if the drivers are posted on the noted Web page or if the driver is part of the ACE image. (Local IT is responsible for hardware support.)

862.225 Network Print Devices

a. General

Network print devices will be:

(1) Provided via ADEPT II.

(2) Replaced by IT as needed or as they become obsolete.

(3) Used on a workstation-to-print device ratio of approximately 9:1, when possible.

b. Acquisition of Additional or Expansion Print Devices

The acquisition of additional or expansion devices must be:

(1) Approved by the ACE Program Management Office (see Exhibit 862, Print Device Contact Information).

(2) Included on the list of ACE-supported printers. Go to http://cto.usps.go. A longer URL will appear; add the number 930 at the end.

(3) Funded locally for both acquisition and ongoing support if not provided through a centrally funded program. (Acquire through the eBuy process (http://ebuy) from the ADEPT II contract. Go to http://wadchq2ksts01.usps.gov and click on Adept II.)

862.226 Personal Desktop Print Devices

Personal desktop print devices will be:

a. Supported by IT/CHD, local IT, or both, as long as they are supported devices.

b. Normally used at non-LAN sites and LAN sites without a file and print server.

c. Connected to the network where possible.

d. Permitted for:

(1) Postal Career Executive Service (PCES)-level management.

(2) Users who routinely work with sensitive and secure data only with the written approval of the local PCES manager.

e. On the list of ACE-supported printers and purchased locally through the eBuy process (http://ebuy) and from the ADEPT II or MFP contracts. Go to http://wadchq2ksts01.usps.gov and click on Adept II.

Note: As multifunction peripherals (MFPs) and other print devices with private print features are deployed, the need for personal desktop print devices for non- PCES level management will be reduced and eventually eliminated.

862.227 Multifunction Peripherals

Multifunction peripherals (MFPs) will be supported by IT as long as they remain on the current list of ACE-supported printers. Go to http://cto.usps.gov. A longer URL will appear; add the number 930 at the end. MFPs must be:

a. ACE-compliant.

b. Available through the PRIME program or acquired locally through the eBuy process (http://ebuy) and from the ADEPT II or MFP contracts. Go to http://wadchq2ksts01.usps.gov and click on Adept II.

862.228 Special-Purpose Print Devices

Special-purpose print devices will not be available through PRIME. Special-purpose print devices must be:

a. ACE-compliant.

b. Approved by the ACE Program Management Office (see Exhibit 862, Print Device Contact Information).

c. Supported for special programs by a service-level agreement as long as they remain on the current list of ACE-supported printers. Go to http://cto.usps.gov. A longer URL will appear; add the number 930 at the end.

d. Funded by local purchases or by the program sponsor through the eBuy process (http://ebuy) from the ADEPT II contract. Go to http://wadchq2ksts01.usps and click on Adept II.

862.229 Exceptions

a. Purchase of Off-Catalog Print Devices

If ADEPT II does not provide a device that meets your requirements, contact the ADEPT II contracting officer representative (COR) for assistance (see Exhibit 862, Print Device Contact Information).

b. Engineering-Managed Print Devices

The following exceptions apply to Engineering- managed print devices:

(1) Engineering determines the requirements for print devices used in mail processing, material handling, retail and delivery systems, and other Engineering-managed programs.

(2) The manager in the Engineering organization sponsoring the system in which a print device will be used is responsible for the approval, purchase, use, support, and maintenance of the device.

(3) The Depot Repair Operations (DRO) at Maintenance Technical Support Center (MTSC) manages the repair of Engineering/Mail Processing print devices. Go to http://cto.usps.gov. A longer URL will appear; add the number 929 at the end. This support is provided by the Central Repair Facility (CRF) in Topeka, KS, and the Indianapolis Repair Facility (IRF) in Indianapolis, IN.

Exhibit 862 Print Device Contact Information

User Address
Advanced Computing Environment (ACE)
MANAGER DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING
ENVIRONMENT INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY
4200 WAKE FOREST ROAD
RALEIGH NC 27668-9300

E-mail Address: ace@usps.gov
Engineering
MANAGER MAINTENANCE POLICIES
AND PROGRAMS ENGINEERING
8403 LEE HIGHWAY
MERRIFIELD VA 22082-8101

E-mail Address: MTSC-DL-Helpdesk@usps.gov
ADEPT II Contracting Officer Representative (COR)
CONTRACT OFFICE REPRESENTATIVE
TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
475 L'ENFANT PLAZA SW
WASHINGTON DC 20260-0660

E-mail Address: john.s.larsen@usps.gov

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We will incorporate this revision into the next printed edition of the ASM and also into next online update available on the Postal ServiceTM PolicyNet Web site:

• Go to http://blue.usps.gov.

• Under "Essential Links" in the left-hand column, click on References.

• Under "References" in the right-hand column, under "Policies," click on PolicyNet.

• Click on Manuals.

(The direct URL for the Postal Service PolicyNet Web site is http://blue.usps.gov/cpim.)

— Technology Planning, Policy, and Communications,
Chief Technology Officer, 3-30-06

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