Reminder: International Reply Coupons (Return Dates: January 1 – 31, 2018)

Retail Unit Instructions

All Postal Retail Units (PRUs) must submit foreign-issued (exchanged) International Reply Coupons (IRCs) accepted through December 31, 2017, to the Kansas City Stamp Fulfillment Service (SFS) center.

Foreign-issued (exchanged) IRCs (shown here) with expiration dates of December 31, 2017, or December 31, 2021, are the only versions of IRCs that SFS will accept.

SFS will accept exchanged IRCs beginning January 1, 2018. The due date for submission by PRUs is January 31, 2018.

Expires December 31, 2017

IRC coupon 2017

Note: This is the last year SFS will accept IRCs dated December 31, 2017, for redemption.

Expires December 31, 2021

IRC coupon 2021

Redemption rates for all foreign-issued (exchanged) IRCs with expiration dates of December 31, 2017, or December 31, 2021, are based on the round date stamp (on the right-hand side of the coupon). These IRCs are acceptable for return to SFS.

 

Date

Redemption Rate

07/01/2013-01/25/2014

1.10

01/26/2014-05/30/2015

1.15

05/31/2015-04/09/2016

1.20

04/10/2016-12/31/2017

1.15

Submission Instructions

n Bind foreign-issued (exchanged) IRCs in bundles of 100 or less.

n Prepare PS Form 17, Stamp Requisition/Stamp Return (May 2007), in triplicate and annotate “IRC Return.”

n Include a shipment number or the shipment will be returned to the originating unit. Include the destruction SFS finance number (receiving unit location ID).

n Submit copies 1 and 2 with the stock. File copy 3 with supporting documentation locally.

n Use only one PS Form 17 for all your IRCs. You do not need to attach PS Form 17 on the outside of the return. The office must write “IRC” on the outside of the return package.

n Ship Priority Signature confirmation to:

Kansas City SFS (289995-0000)

KANSAS CITY SFS
STAMP FULFILLMENT SERVICES
IRC RETURN
8300 NE UNDERGROUND DRIVE, PILLAR 225
KANSAS CITY, MO 64162-9998

The Stamp Distribution Offices (SDOs) listed here will NOT accept redeemed or exchanged IRCs:

n San Juan SDO (428460-0000)
Caribbean

n Honolulu SDO (142400-0000)
Honolulu

Note: SFS will not accept Migratory Bird stamps or any other stock at this time; you must submit these items only during your regular destruction schedule. You must send IRCs in separately.

Stamp Fulfillment Services Instructions

SFS will be responsible for the consolidation and batching of IRCs from the PRUs. SFS will send an email notice of the IRCs to be exchanged to the St. Louis Accounting Service Center (ASC) International Accounting Branch (IAB) by February 28 of each calendar year.

SFS will send the IRC notice to the International Accounting Management team at the following email address: IAMgmt@usps.gov. The notice will provide the quantity of IRCs to be exchanged and the number of boxes to be returned to the Universal Postal Union (UPU) International Bureau. SFS will be responsible for the shipment of exchanged IRCs to the UPU International Bureau.

By the Numbers. 8,500 Number of automated processing equipment pieces used by USPS to sort mail.

SFS will ship the IRCs via Priority Mail Express International® with the Customs Declaration, PS Form 2976-B, Priority Mail Express International Shipping, and PS Form 2865, Return Receipt for International Mail.

SFS will return the IRCs in accordance with the Letter Post Manual, International Reply Coupons (currently Article RL 146 of the 2014-2017 Letter Post Manual).

SFS will ship the IRCs to the following address (addressee’s information):

UPU INTERNATIONAL BUREAU
INTERNATIONAL REPLY COUPONS
PO BOX 312
3000 BERNE 15
SWITZERLAND

SFS will include the Cover Letter, CN 03 in duplicate, and the shipping information packing list in the box labeled as Box 1 of X.

The return address for this shipment will be the following (sender’s information):

INTERNATIONAL ACCOUNTING BRANCH
UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
PO BOX 80408
SAINT LOUIS, MO 63180-0408
USA

SFS must use their USPS® Corporate Account Number as the method of payment.

St. Louis ASC IAB Instructions

The St. Louis ASC IAB will send an email to SFS at SFS_OPERATIONS@usps.gov that includes the following forms:

1. The IRC cover letter, signed by the manager, International Accounting Branch.

2. A completed CN 03 form (with the quantity of IRCs to be returned), signed by the manager, International Accounting Branch. Reply coupon values are provided in the Letter Post Manual, International Reply Coupons (currently Article RL 146 of the 2014-2017 Letter Post Manual).

3. A completed shipping information packing list that provides the IRC quantity and the number of boxes to be returned.

When the St. Louis ASC IAB receives the returned CN 03 form from the UPU International Bureau, the document is then given to the settlement group leader. The settlement group leader will check that the payment was reported as received as international funds from Switzerland on the Cash Position Report from Corporate Treasury. Once the funds have been identified, the St. Louis ASC IAB will create a manual invoice.

After the St. Louis ASC IAB creates the manual invoice (in accordance with IAB procedures), the settlement group leader will clear the receipt.

For more information, see Handbook F-101, Field Accounting Procedures, which is available on the Postal Service™ PolicyNet website:

n Go to blue.usps.gov.

n In the left-hand column under “Essential Links,” click PolicyNet.

n Click HBKs.

The direct URL for Handbook F-101 is blue.usps.gov/cpim/ftp/hand/f101.pdf.