Postal Bulletin 22248 (12-18-08) Contents
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Front Cover 2 postal bulletin 22248 (12-18-08) Contents Marketing Mail Alert . 69 Contents Business Connect “Monumental Opportunity” Postmaster Kit: Quarter 2, FY 2009 . 69 POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND FORMS “Monumental Opportunity” Business Connect UPDATES Contest — Quarter 2. 70 Manuals Philately DMM Revision: Pricing and Mailing Standards Stamp Announcement 09-05: Redwood Changes for Shipping Services. 3 Forest (Priority Mail) . 74 IMM Revision: Special Drawing Right Values and Stamp Announcement 09-06: Old Indemnity Limits for Ordinary Priority Mail International Faithful (Express Mail) . 75 Parcels and Registered Mail Service . 8 Correction: Alaska Statehood Philatelic Products. 76 IMM Revision: International Shipping Services Product New Prepaid Priority Mail Flat-Rate Stamped Envelope . 77 and Price Changes . 11 Announcement 09-A: 2009 Stamps and Postal Stationery . 78 POM Revision: Mail Recovery Operations. 17 Inauguration Day Pictorial Postmark . 79 Handbooks Inauguration Day Official Commemorative Souvenir to Handbook F-101 Revision: Maintaining Retail Floor Go On Sale January 20, 2009 . 80 Stock Limits at POS Units. 18 Inauguration Day Official Commemorative Souvenir Correction: Handbook PO-702 Items 42 . 20 Poster . 81 Publications Pictorial Postmarks Announcement . 82 Publication 51 Revision: International Shipping How to Order the First Day of Issue Digital Color or Services Product and Price Changes . 20 Traditional Postmarks . 86 Mover’s Guide News: January 2009 Mover’s Guide Is on Its Way . 24 Publication 223 Revision: Directives and Forms Update. 24 PULL-OUT INFORMATION Publication 431 Revision: Changes to Post Office Fraud Box Service and Caller Service Fee Groups. 25 Withholding of Mail Orders . 29 Announcement: Revised Publication 550, For the Record, Invalid Express Mail Corporate Account Numbers . 30 Employee Guide to the Freedom of Information Act Missing, Lost, or Stolen U.S. Money Order Forms . 31 and the Privacy Act . 26 Missing, Lost, or Stolen Canadian Money Order Forms . 36 Forms Verifying U.S. Postal Service Money Orders . 39 Revised PS Form 3533, Application for Refund of Counterfeit Canadian Money Order Forms . 39 Fees, Products and Withdrawal of Customer Accounts, Toll-Free Number Available to Verify Canadian Money Is Modified With Barcode . 26 Orders . 39 ORGANIZATION INFORMATION Other Information Address Management Overseas Military Mail . 40 Post Office Changes . 27 Thrift Savings Plan Fact Sheet. 45 Federal Employees Health Benefits. 47 Finance Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program . 51 Relocation Policy and Home Short Sales . 28 Flexible Spending Accounts 2008 Open Season . 53 2009 Pay Dates and Leave Year . 61 Missing Children Posters. 57 Annual Vending Machine Income Report Due Soon . 61 Global Business Correction: Delivering Holiday Gifts and Greetings Worldwide . 63 Postal Bulletin Index Human Resources Semi-annual Index . PB 22237 (7-17-08) Belated Open Season Enrollment Opportunity for Federal Employees Health Benefits, Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program, and Flexible Spending Accounts. 63 Licensing. 66 USPS National Emergency Hotline Is your facility operating? Call 888-363-7462 Ordering Information: Following is the list of postal stock numbers (PSNs) to use when ordering copies of the Postal Bulletin from the MDC: PB 22248: 7690-10-000-6464 PB 22240: 7690-10-000-6456 PB 22232: 7690-10-000-6448 PB 22225: 7690-10-000-6441 PB 22247: 7690-10-000-6463 PB 22239: 7690-10-000-6455 PB 22231: 7690-10-000-6447 PB 22224: 7690-09-000-9375 PB 22246: 7690-10-000-6462 PB 22238: 7690-10-000-6454 PB 22230A: 7690-10-000-8803 PB 22223: 7690-09-000-9374 PB 22245: 7690-10-000-6461 PB 22237: 7690-10-000-6453 PB 22230: 7690-10-000-6446 PB 22222: 7690-09-000-9373 PB 22244: 7690-10-000-6460 PB 22236: 7690-10-000-6452 PB 22229: 7690-10-000-6445 PB 22221: 7690-09-000-9372 PB 22243: 7690-10-000-6459 PB 22235: 7690-10-000-6451 PB 22228: 7690-10-000-6444 PB 22220: 7690-09-000-9371 PB 22242: 7690-10-000-6458 PB 22234: 7690-10-000-6450 PB 22227: 7690-10-000-6443 PB 22219: 7690-09000-9370 PB 22241: 7690-10-000-6457 PB 22233: 7690-10-000-6449 PB 22226: 7690-10-000-6442 PB 22218: 7690-09-000-9369 Also on the Web at www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/bulletin/pb.htm Policies, Procedures, and Forms Updates postal bulletin 22248 (12-18-08) 3 Policies, Procedures, and Forms Updates Manuals DMM Revision: Pricing and Mailing Standards Changes for Shipping Services Effective January 18, 2009, the Postal Service™ is revis- A new price category, commercial plus pricing, is intro- ing the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal duced and is lower than commercial base prices. Commer- Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®) to reflect changes cial plus pricing is available to new and existing permit to the prices and standards for Shipping Services. Ship- imprint customers whose account volume exceeds a mini- ping Services include Express Mail®, Priority Mail®, Parcel mum threshold or who have a customer commitment Select®, and Parcel Return Service. agreement with the Postal Service. Also, registered end-users of USPS-approved PC Postage products using Express Mail qualifying shipping labels and whose account volume On average, Express Mail retail prices increase by exceeds a minimum threshold qualify for commercial plus approximately 5.7 percent. The commercial base prices pricing. increase by approximately 3.7 percent and are 5 percent Retail prices are no longer available to Priority Mail cus- lower than the retail price. Commercial volume rebates will tomers using permit imprint. Permit imprint customers are be eliminated on January 18, 2009. Any rebate earned from required to use the commercial base prices and to conform January 1–17 will be credited to the qualifying mail owner’s to the commercial base price eligibility requirements. To account at the end of the quarter. A new price category, allow for system enhancements, customers have until May commercial plus pricing, is introduced and is 14.5 percent 2009 to comply with the commercial base price barcode lower than retail prices. requirements. Express Mail commercial base prices availability is expanded to customers who pay postage using Parcel Select information-based indicia (IBI) postage meters. Effective The average price increase is 4.7 percent for destination January 2010, to qualify for the commercial base prices, delivery unit; 6.8 percent for destination sectional center the IBI postage meter must be able to electronically provide facility; and, 9.1 percent for destination bulk mail center. transactional data by customer. There are no additional changes to the Parcel Select Commercial plus pricing is available to new and existing products. customers whose account volume exceeds a minimum Parcel Return Service threshold or who have a customer commitment agreement The return delivery unit price is not being increased. The with the Postal Service, and who either use an Express Mail return bulk mail center price increases by approximately Corporate Account (EMCA), including Federal Agency 7.1 percent. There are no additional changes to the Parcel Accounts, or are registered end-users of USPS®-approved Return Service product. PC Postage® providers using qualifying shipping labels. Priority Mail Mailing Standards of the United States Postal On average, Priority Mail retail prices increase by Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) approximately 4.7 percent. We are introducing a new ***** Priority Mail small flat-rate box, identified by the preprinted words “Small Flat-Rate Box,” enhancing customer choice, 100 Retail Letters, Cards, Flats, and Parcels convenience, and ease of use. The small Priority Mail flat- ***** rate box is $4.95 at retail, the same price as the flat-rate envelope. 110 Express Mail Priority Mail commercial base prices are expanded to 113 Prices and Eligibility customers who pay postage using IBI postage meters, in conjunction with an approved shipping label that includes 1.0 Express Mail Prices and Fees a confirmation services barcode with a postal routing code. ***** Effective January 2010, to qualify for the commercial base prices, the IBI meter must be able to electronically provide 1.3 Prices transactional data by customer. ***** 4 postal bulletin 22248 (12-18-08) Policies, Procedures, and Forms Updates Exhibit 1.3 Express Mail Prices—Retail Letters, Flats, 1.6 Prices for Keys and Identification Devices and Parcels [Revise table by changing prices.] [Insert new price chart of Exhibit 1.3.] Weight Not Over (pounds) Price ***** 1 pound $5.67 2 pounds $6.47 1.4 Flat-Rate Envelope ***** [Revise text of the first sentence of 1.4 as follows:] 124 Postage Payment Methods Material mailed in the USPS-provided Express Mail flat- rate envelope is charged $17.50, regardless of the actual 1.0 Basic Standards for Postage Payment weight of the piece or its destination.*** 1.1 Payment Method ***** [Revise 1.1 by removing the reference to permit imprint and revising the text to read as follows:] 120 Priority Mail Priority Mail postage may be paid with postage stamps 123 Prices and Eligibility (see 604.1.0) or meter stamps (see 604.4.0). ***** ***** [Renumber current 1.2 through 1.9 as new 1.3 through 1.10 [Delete 2.0, Postage Paid with Permit Imprint, in its entirety.] and insert new heading for 1.2, Prices, as follows:] 125 Mail Preparation 1.2 Prices ***** Exhibit 1.2 Priority Mail Prices—Retail [Delete 3.0, Preparation for a Permit Imprint, in its entirety.] [Insert new price chart of Exhibit 1.2.] 126 Deposit ***** 1.0 Deposit