Individual offices will be responsible for updating their electronic scales in Post Offices™. Headquarters will not be coordinating any support for scales. Contact your specific scale manufacturer for new price chip information. The only supported electronic scale on eBuy catalog is Pitney Bowes. The chip item number is 9K96000 for $100.00 (there is no bulk discount). All other companies will be an off catalog purchase on e-buy.
Smaller Post Offices and some retail units use small fan scales (12 oz., 16 oz., and 2 lb.) at the retail counter. Headquarters will not be purchasing price charts for these scales.
Task
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Responsibility
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Timeline
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Start
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Complete
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1. Physically remove or place a 30-day notice on vending machines that do not comply with the dollar coin informing customers that the machines will be removed from service by May 12, 2008.
This applies to:
All obsolete machines, all booklet machines, and the 53 series of single stamp machine on federal property. Note: PSM 22 has been exempted from this requirement because it never dispenses a dollar in change; it does, however, accept dollar coins.
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District Retail Office/Facility Management
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No later than
April 12, 2008
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May 12, 2008
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2. Download the new product identifiers. These are found on the Retail Service Equipment Web site at http://eagnmnsg10d/VFO/vfo_2008PriceChange.htm. See Attachment A for the complete list of products by Item Number.
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Vending Servicing Employee, Supervisor
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April 21, 2008
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May 12, 2008
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3. Print Label 223 for the single stamp vending machines. New labels can be downloaded from the Web site at http://eagnmnsg10d/VFO/vfo_2008PriceChange.htm.
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Vending Servicing Employee
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April 21, 2008
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May 12, 2008
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4. Remove machines affected by the dollar coin law from service no later than May 12, 2008. Apply Label 320 to the machine.
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District Retail Office/Facility Management
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No later than
May 12, 2008
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May 12, 2008
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5. Stock PCM 1625 and PBSM 624 machines with the penny stamps for makeup:
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Vending Servicing Employee
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April 12, 2008
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May 1, 2008
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6. Follow the instructions in the machine model maintenance series handbooks. The pricing update can be found on the Web site at http://eagnmnsg10d/VFO/vfo_2008PriceChange.htm. Set the prices on the keypad for newer machines or the program board for older machines. Change the product display as necessary.
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Vending Servicing Employee
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May 5, 2008
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May 15, 2008
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7. Inventory the Forever Stamp stock and revalue the stock according to the revaluing process.
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Vending Servicing Employee
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May 5, 2008
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May 14, 2008
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Cut and Place Inside Sleeve Label 223 — May 2008
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1-42c
3-1c
for
45c
Use as of 5/12/08
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1-42c
3-1c
for
45c
Use as of 5/12/08
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1-42c
3-1c
for
45c
Use as of 5/12/08
|
1-42c
3-1c
for
45c
Use as of 5/12/08
|
1-42c
3-1c
for
45c
Use as of 5/12/08
|
2-42c
1-1c
for
85c
Use as of 5/12/08
|
2-42c
1-1c
for
85c
Use as of 5/12/08
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2-42c
1-1c
for
85c
Use as of 5/12/08
|
2-42c
1-1c
for
85c
Use as of 5/12/08
|
2-42c
1-1c
for
85c
Use as of 5/12/08
|
3-42c
4-1c
for
$1.30
Use as of 5/12/08
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3-42c
4-1c
for
$1.30
Use as of 5/12/08
|
3-42c
4-1c
for
$1.30
Use as of 5/12/08
|
3-42c
4-1c
for
$1.30
Use as of 5/12/08
|
3-42c
4-1c
for
$1.30
Use as of 5/12/08
|
5-42c
for
$2.10
Use as of 5/12/08
|
5-42c
for
$2.10
Use as of 5/12/08
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5-42c
for
$2.10
Use as of 5/12/08
|
5-42c
for
$2.10
Use as of 5/12/08
|
5-42c
for
$2.10
Use as of 5/12/08
|
Label 223 is used in single stamp machines to identify the available stamps. The new Label 223 can be downloaded from the Web site at http://eagnmnsg10d/VFO/vfo_2008PriceChange.htm.
Price increase instructions for vending models can be found on the Retail Service Equipment Web site at http://eagnmnsg10d/VFO/vfo_2008PriceChange.htm for the following vending machines:
The instructions are available in two formats: a model manual, and a user-friendly guide specific to the FY 08 price increase.
Obsolete models on federal property must be removed from service. Obsolete models at off-site locations (non-government) will not have instructions and you will have to use the instructions of the current model counterparts.
As of May 12, 2008, all vending sites will need to revalue the existing Forever Stamp™ for the price increase effective May 12, 2008. These stamps are in 20-stamp booklets at a cost of $8.40. Below are the required steps for conversion of each machine:
Vending employees with many machines have 3 days or until the close of business on May 14 to change out all their machines. Offices with just a couple of machines are expected to accomplish the repricing on the morning of May 12.
- POS will have an automatic revaluation of all Forever Stamp stock in the unit’s accountability, which also includes the vending accountability. Beginning May 5, but no later than Friday, May 10, vending employees must pull a POS Inventory by Category report for the vending credit of Forever Stamps.
- Count the Forever Stamps in the vending machines and in the vending vault and make sure that the POS inventory is correct.
- If discrepancies occur, see the POS ONE Procedures Guide, http://blue.usps.gov/delret/L2rsnam/L3rse/pos/posproceduresguide051407.pdf, Section 12, Count — Stock, Cash and Money Orders.
- Once Forever Stamp booklets are appropriately represented in the POS ONE Inventory by Category report, it is important that all sales are properly scanned into the POS ONE reporting system (i.e., scan booklet x amounts sold) to keep the inventory correct.
On the vending clerk’s close of business day, prior to May 12, 2008, the vending clerks under POS ONE must do the following:
1. Perform a PS Form 1412, Daily Financial Report, closeout.
2. Make a bank deposit.
3. Ensure that the sales of Forever Stamp booklets are properly scanned.
4. Submit PS Form 1412 and bank deposits to the supervisor or designated closeout person.
New vending stock will not be an automatic shipment. You will need to order the appropriate stock for your vending machines.
- Stock from SSPC routes: Self-service postal centers (SSPCs) have their own 10-digit Unit Finance Number as a separate reporting unit. The only thing they can do is send the stamps back to the stamp distribution office (SDO) or stamp services center (SSC), and zero out their accountability.
- Stock from vending routes under a retail unit: As part of the unit’s PS Form 1412, the other vending credit under a retail unit (not SSPC) must also be closed with zero accountability, and the stamps returned to the unit reserve stamp stock. What the unit reserve custodian does with these booklets is up to the unit’s postmaster and Retail Operations. Keep in mind that these sales must be reported into AIC 096, and this is not a “Walk-In-Revenue” (WIR) account. Sales must be recorded as a vending booklet which will not be credited window sales or be credited for WIR.
- Loose vending stock sent to an SDO for redistribution: Returning loose vending stock to an SDO for redistribution is a labor intensive, accounting issue. Stock can be distributed to manual offices for resale at the window or to other vending routes. The decision to accept and redistribute loose vending stock must be a local SDO decision based on the workload of the SDO and the ability to track the accountability.
- PCM 1625B must use Item #314100, package of 50-1¢ American Kestrel stamps and Item #314200, package of 50–1¢ Tiffany Lamp stamps (Note: Some of the Tiffany Lamp stock has been packaged with the incorrect item number — use only #314200 for this product).
- PBSM 624 can use Item #314100, package of 50-1¢ American Kestrel stamps, however the 50-cent Tiffany Lamp package will jam in the machine — use Item #781500, Tiffany Lamp coil of 3,000 in the single stamp dispenser if there is a make-up stamp demand.
Use the numbers from the table above when ordering these vending products from your SDO.
On May 12 at 12:00 a.m. there will be an electronic download revaluing the Forever Stamp sheetlets assigned to the APC. This will revalue the kiosk stock and the vault stock.
All APC Forever Stamp stock must be entered into the APC kiosk before May 11 so the stock is revalued automatically.
Any 39-cent and 37-cent sheetlets should have been removed from the APC vault and prepared for destruction.
Use the numbers from the following table when ordering the APC sheetlet from your SDO. All Forever Stamp stock shipments will be put on hold from May 3 to May 12 from SDOs to make sure there is no stock in the mailstream.
Please check appropriate block prior to mailing it to customers.
Dear Stamps by Mail Customer:
The Postal Service™ has changed prices and fees for all classes of mail and extra services effective Monday, May 12, 2008.
We received your Stamps by Mail® order after the price change. Rather than return your order we have tried to fulfill it to the extent possible.
1. Your order was in transit prior to new price effective date and,
( ) You ordered quantities of the Forever Stamp only. We have fulfilled your order at no extra charge.
( ) You ordered quantities of the Forever Stamp and other stamps. We have fulfilled your order of the Forever Stamp at no extra charge and fulfilled the request for other stamps at new prices to the value of total payment.
( ) You ordered stamps other than the Forever Stamp. We have fulfilled the order at the new prices to the value of total payment.
2. Your order was mailed after the price change:
( ) You ordered quantities of the Forever Stamp only. Due to shortage of payment, we have not fulfilled your order.
( ) You ordered quantities of the Forever Stamp and/or other stamps. We have fulfilled the order at the new prices to the value of total payment.
Thank you for the continued use of our Stamps by Mail program. We look forward to serving you in the future.
Sincerely,
Name
Title
Stamps by Mail — Brochure Information for Retail Managers and Postmasters
The first Stamps by Mail (SBM) order forms (see page 85) to support the new prices will be available between April 9 and April 28, 2008.
Effective with this Postal Bulletin issue, cease distribution of SBM brochures that do not have the prices that will be effective on Monday, May 12, 2008.
For additional details, please refer to “Stamps by Mail — Brochure Ordering Information” in Postal Bulletin 22230 (4–10-08, pages 51–53). The next print cycle cut-off date for decentralized sites to order brochures (order forms) is May 2, 2008.
— Retail Access Channels,
Retail Operations, 4-17-08
Exhibit B
Sample of new Stamps by Mail price brochure, PS Form 3227-A
The new price for the First-Class Mail® single piece 1–ounce price becomes effective at 12:01 a.m., Monday, May 12, 2008, to 42 cents each. All Post Offices™, postal retail units, and Stamps By Mail® fulfillment centers must ensure to increase the value of each Forever Stamp™ on hand in their inventories prior to opening for business May 12, 2008. All Forever Stamp quantities on hand are revaluated to the new First-Class Mail single piece 1-ounce price of 42 cents each.
The new First-Class Mail single piece 1-ounce price may affect Stamps By Mail orders for the Forever Stamp that are in transit. If a Stamps By Mail order for the Forever Stamp is mailed (postmarked), or the order form and check is dated before Monday, May 12, 2008, with the old First-Class Mail single piece 1-ounce price, accept the order with the old price and process the transaction as follows:
1. Fulfill the Stamps By Mail order.
2. Attach the Mail Order Form to PS Form 3533, Application for Refund of Fees, Products, and Withdrawal of Customer Accounts, with the calculated difference amount in postage (i.e., 20 cents per book).
In POS ONE offices:
In IRT and eMOVES offices:
Note: Do not process Stamps By Mail orders for the Forever Stamp that are mailed after Monday, May 12, 2008, with the old fee. Return the order and payment to the sender advising of the new First-Class Mail single piece 1–ounce price.
— Accounting Policy,
Finance, 4-17-08
