Appendix F
Area distribution center (ADC). A Postal Service facility that serves as the distribution and processing center for Post Offices in a designated geographic area, which is defined by the first three digits of the ZIP Code of those offices. This type of facility serves multiple 3-digit ZIP Codes.
Appointment ID. A unique, sequential number assigned when an appointment has been scheduled in FAST. It must be included on PS Form 8125, under Drop Ship Appointment Number.
Auxiliary service facility (ASF). A processing and distribution center that serves as a subordinate mail processing hub with its own service area for a parent network distribution center. The eight ASFs are Albuquerque, NM; Billings, MT; Buffalo, NY; Fargo, ND; Oklahoma City, OK; Phoenix, AZ; Salt Lake City, UT; and Sioux Falls SD.
Consolidator. A mailing agent who consolidates plant-verified drop shipment (PVDS) mailings prepared by individual mailers and cleared at the origin office. The consolidator then transports the mailings to a destination facility specified by the Postal Service.
Critical entry time (CET). CET is the latest time that a minimal amount of mail can be tendered to designated induction points in the postal network in order for it to be processed and dispatched to meet service standards. For origin entry Standard Mail, CETs are locally determined. However for destination entry Standard Mail, a national postal policy defined the CET as 4 p.m. for drop shipments prepared on pallets or other appropriate containers and 12 noon for bed loaded trailers.
Delivery unit. A Post Office, station, branch, or carrier annex that has mail delivery functions.
Destination network distribution center (DNDC). A postage price for mailings prepared and entered at a network distribution center or auxiliary service center as listed in DMM Labeling List 601 or 602.
Destination delivery unit (DDU). A postage price for mailings prepared and entered at a delivery unit. Examples include Parcel Select, enhanced carrier route (ECR) Standard Mail flats and parcels. Mailers must refer to the Drop Ship Product to determine the location of a delivery facility.
Destination sectional center facility (DSCF). A postage price for mailings prepared for facilities listed in DMM Labeling List L005.
Drop Ship product. Designed to assist mailers in accurately determining the drop entry point for DNDC, DADC, DSCF and DDU destination entry discounts, the Drop Ship product provides the Drop Ship Address file, the Drop Ship Package Services file, the Drop Ship Supplemental Site file and the Mail Direction and Mail Direction v2 file. These files indicate the location where mail should be entered for destination entry prices and the facility characteristics of the location. To be manipulated or accessed, these raw data files require use of software programs.
Drop-and-pick (D&P) appointment. An appointment unique to DNDC drop shipments of bedload Parcel Select mail, wherein the Postal Service waives the driver unload responsibility and allows a shipper to leave the vehicle for Postal Service unloading (up to 12 hours from the time of appointment or arrival, whichever is later). Once the unload process is complete, mailers must retrieve their trailer(s) within 1 business day (or, with permission by the NDC management, within 48 hours).
Drop shipment. A discounted price mailing verified and accepted by an origin office, then transported by the mailer or a private (nonpostal) agent to destination entry facility. (Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail Open and Distribute contain mailings transported by the Postal Service.)
Drop Shipment Management System (DSMS). An electronic system used by mailers to consolidate palletized loads of PVDS using the Mail.dat file. DSMS mailings are accompanied by PS Form 8125-CD, which does not bear a signature or round-date stamp from the origin office.
eInduction. A process that allows USPS to determine if PVDS containers are paid for and shipped to the correct facility without the use of paper 8125 or 8017 forms for participating mailers. It eliminates the use of paper since 8125/8017 forms no longer need to be verified and signed off on for eInduction containers. With eInduction, each barcoded container is treated separately. If the container is scanned as “Expected,” it can be moved directly to processing.
Electronic Verification System (eVS). A system that allows high-volume package mailers and parcel consolidators to document postage and special service fees using electronic manifest files. The files are transmitted to a Postal Service database for electronic comparison against sampling data captured at destination entry offices.
Electronic Mail Improvement Reporting (eMIR). A Web-based program designed to capture detailed information about mail preparation problems that impact mail processing and to improve processes through data analysis and information management.
Facility Access And Shipment Tracking (FAST). An electronic appointment scheduling system (http://fast.usps.gov/fast).
Facsimile. A term meaning duplicate or exact copy, such as a facsimile PS Form 8125. (see 2-3.2 or Appendix A).
Late appointment. A term to describe a vehicle arriving more than 30 minutes after the scheduled drop shipment appointment time at any destination entry office.
Local mailer. A mailer who deposits mailings for verification and acceptance at the local Post Office serving the facility where the mail was prepared and who claims destination entry prices for mailings or portions of mailings deposited at that local facility.
Mailer. The owner of a mailing who is responsible for postage payment.
Mailing. A group of mail pieces within the same mail class and mail processing category that may be sorted together under the appropriate standards. Also, the action of depositing or presenting mail at a Post Office.
Mailing agent. A private third party that engages in a principal-agent relationship to prepare and/or transport business mail.
Misshipped. A confirmation event scan used for parcels that are misdirected due to mailer error.
Missent. A confirmation event scan used for individual parcels that are misdirected due to postal error.
National Air And Surface System (NASS). A computerized system operated at the St. Louis Postal Data Center and distribution networks offices to produce dispatch and labeling information for all classes of mail for use by mail processing facilities. NASS uses a facility code represented by three to five alpha, numeric, or alpha-numeric characters to identify sites that process mail or are included in transportation routings. NASS facility codes are also cross-referenced in other systems including FAST.
Network distribution center (NDC). A mail processing and distribution plant that handles Standard and Package Services mailings to a large distribution area. There are 21 NDCs in the United States.
No show. A term to describe a mailer’s failure to arrive within 8 hours of a scheduled appointment.
Outside parcel. A parcel or mail piece that, because of size, weight, or other characteristic, cannot be sorted by mechanized mail processing equipment and must be handled manually. The parcel is called an “outside” because it cannot be placed in a sack.
Parcel Select. A term for Parcel Post that is entered by drop shipment at DNDC, DSCF, or DDU prices. The term does not include parcels mailed at other prices. It is a ground shipping product offered using permit imprint or metered postage when mailing 50 or more parcels.
Plant-verified drop shipment (PVDS). A procedure that enables origin verification and postage payment for shipments transported by the mailer from the mailer's plant to destination Postal Service facilities for receipt as mail.
PostalOne!. A system that provides a suite of electronic services (www.usps.com/postalone/) designed for business mailers and Postal Service employees. The system features simplified mail acceptance, electronic documentation and postage statements, mail improvement reporting, and drop shipment scheduling using FAST.
Recurring appointment. A pre-approved drop shipment that is delivered to a destination office with a frequency of at least once a week on the same time and day(s). Mailings must be of a comparable product in terms of mail class, size, volume, containerization (pallets, pallet boxes, etc.), and mode of transportation.
Scheduler ID. Logon ID required by registered customers to access FAST.
Transportation Information Management Evaluation System (TIMES). A LAN application that allows the Postal Service dock employees to collect data about the arrival and departure of mail truck transportation. This information is communicated to other Postal Service processing facilities for determinations about resources and scheduling.
Unscheduled arrival. A mailer who arrives with a drop shipment mailing without an appointment or valid confirmation number.
Yard Management System (YMS). The yard control system at NDCs that can track vehicles from their entrance into the facilities yard, when the vehicle is docked, and where the vehicle will be spotted in the yard for redeployment to another facility.
