Effective October 15, 2015, the Postal Service™ is revising Handbook AS-353, Guide to Privacy, the Freedom of Information Act, and Records Management, to include modifications which were published in the Federal Register on December 10, 2014 (79 FR 73345–73346).
The Postal Service has amended the Privacy Act System of Records 870.200 Meter Postage and PC Postage Customer Data and Transaction Records due to the implementation of a revenue assurance system to ensure accuracy of postage payment, primarily focused on its PC Postage and meter payment systems. The purpose of the planned system is to support recovery of postage discrepancies via detection of incorrectly paid postage based on piece characteristics.
To determine whether accurate postage has been paid on mailpieces and packages, this revenue assurance system compares data collected from within the postal network and derived from postal operations, such as the in-line sortation equipment, with data from:
n The National Meter Account Tracking System (NMATS) database;
n The Electronic Verification System (eVS) (for those customers using the Shortpaid model);
n Program Registration; and
n Product Tracking and Reporting (PTR).
To support recovery of postage discrepancies, the data will be summarized in a report or itemized file compiled by the Postal Service and shared with third-party software providers for the purpose of remediating instances in which a postage disparity was identified. Each provider will see which of its postage accounts have paid incorrect postage (as identified by the Postal Service) on mailpieces and packages entered into the Postal Service system. In instances where no third-party software vendor is employed, data will be shared directly with the customer.
Handbook AS-353, Guide to Privacy, the Freedom of Information Act, and Records Management
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Appendix — Privacy Act Systems of Records
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Section E. Complete Text of Systems of Records
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USPS 870.200
SYSTEM NAME:
[Revise text to read as follows:]
Postage Validation Imprint (PVI), Electronic Verification System (eVS), Postage Meter, and PC Postage Customer Data and Transaction Records.
SYSTEM LOCATION
[Revise text to read as follows:]
USPS Headquarters, USPS facilities, Integrated Business Solutions Services Centers, and partner locations.
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CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM
[Revise text to read as follows:]
1. Customer information: Contact name, address, and telephone number; registration identifiers; company name; and change of address information.
2. Identification information: Customer/system ID(s), IP address(es), date of device installation, device ID number, device model number, and certificate serial number.
3. Mailing and transaction information: Tracking ID, package identification code (PIC), customer-provided package/transaction attribute data, postage paid, contract pricing, package attribute data, USPS collection and source system identifiers, mailpiece images, and package destination and origin.
AUTHORITY FOR MAINENANCE OF THE SYSTEM
[Revise text to read as follows:]
39 U.S.C. 401, 403, and 404; 39 CFR Part 501.
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ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES OF USERS AND THE PURPOSES OF SUCH USES
[Add item b to read as follows:]
b. Customer-specific records and related sampling systems in this system may be disclosed to eVS customers, indicia providers, and PC Postage providers, including approved shippers, for revenue assurance to ensure accuracy of postage payment across payment systems, and to otherwise enable responsible administration of postage evidencing system activities.
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RETENTION AND DISPOSAL
[Revise item 2 to read as follows:]
2. Other records in this system are retained up to 7 years after a customer ceases using a postage evidencing system.
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[Add item 3 to read as follows:]
3. Within the Postal Service and directly to eVS customers, or through third-party software providers (including meter and PC Postage providers) for the purpose of enabling responsible administration of revenue assurance and other postage evidencing system activities, facilitating remediation of postage disparities, and meeting SOX compliance requirements, in accordance with 39 CFR Part 501.
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We will incorporate these revisions into the next online update of Handbook AS-353, Guide to Privacy, the Freedom of Information Act, and Records Management, which is available on the Postal Service PolicyNet website:
n Go to http://blue.usps.gov.
n Under “Essential Links” in the left-hand column, click PolicyNet.
n Click HBKs.
The direct URL for the Postal Service PolicyNet website is http://blue.usps.gov/cpim.
— Privacy Office,
General Counsel and Executive VP, 10-15-15
