PUBLISHED SINCE MARCH 4, 1880 PB 21996, April 22, 1999 MESSAGE FROM THE POSTMASTER GENERAL Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Policy Statement The Postal Service is committed to providing equal em- Responsibility ployment opportunities for all employees. Affirmative action The Postal Service expects all postal employees to treat is an essential element of the Postal Service’s equal employ- each coworker with respect and appreciation. Each of us, in ment opportunity efforts. accordance with the laws of this nation, must refrain from Equal Employment Opportunity practicing or tolerating discrimination or harassment based upon race, sex, national origin, or any other category pro- Equal employment opportunity (EEO) is required by our tected by the EEO laws. nation’s laws. It is illegal to discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age (40 and above), All executives, managers, and supervisors share in the physical or mental disabilities, or in reprisal for participating in responsibility for successfully implementing and managing protected EEO activity. These laws also provide specific EEO and affirmative action in the Postal Service. Managers remedies for discrimination. are expected to develop and empower employees so that we select the most talented people available for leadership posi- The Postal Service is unequivocal in its opposition to all tions and meet both our employment and performance forms of discrimination, including harassment based upon goals. any of the protected categories listed above. We are com- mitted to following the EEO laws and their application to all The vice president of Diversity Development directs the employment matters, including, but not limited to, recruit- EEO and Affirmative Action Program, and the vice president ment, hiring, training, assignments, promotions, transfers, of Labor Relations oversees EEO complaints processing benefits, and discipline. We maintain a process of EEO and compliance. counseling and investigation for addressing and resolving complaints that arise from alleged discriminatory practices. In addition, we offer the dispute resolution process (RE- DRESS) as an alternative to precomplaint EEO counseling. It is our policy to provide reasonable accommodation as nec- essary where individuals with disabilities are employed or will be employed. William J. Henderson Affirmative Action Postmaster General, CEO The Postal Service’s goal under affirmative action is to en- sure that our recruitment, retention, development, and promotion practices effectively draw upon and support the diversity of the communities we serve. To help bring that about, the Postal Service operates special emphasis pro- grams (e.g., the Women’s Program and the Hispanic Pro- gram) and other affirmative action activities to help ensure that women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities are able to compete at all levels of the organization. Contents moved to page 2 R PAGE 2 POSTAL BULLETIN 21996 (4-22-99) CONTENTS The Postal Bulletin is also available on the World Wide 800 Number Available to Verify Canadian Web at http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/bulletin/pb.htm Money Orders. 47 for customers and at http://blue.usps.gov for Invalid Express Mail Corporate Account employees. Numbers. 48 Message from the Postmaster General: International Mail Equal Employment Opportunity and IMM Revision: International Mail — New Affirmative Action Policy Statement . 1 International Postage Rates Are Effective Administrative Services on May 30, 1999. 52 Directives and Forms Update. 4 IMM Revision: Global Priority Mail to China. 71 IMM Revision: International Mail — Customer Relations Suspension of Mail Service to Mail Alert. 8 Serbia-Montenegro (Yugoslavia). 72 Domestic Mail ICM Update: International Customized DMM Revision: Eligibility for Periodicals Mail. 72 SCF and DU Per-Piece Rate Discounts. 9 Philately DMM Revision: Application Procedures for Stamp Announcement 99-16: Celebrate Qualified Business Reply Mail (QBRM). 10 The Century — 1950s Commemorative DMM Revision: Revised Specifications for Stamps. 75 Automation Flats. 11 Stamp Announcement 99-18: Niagara Falls Notice: Extension of Limited Test for Definitive Stamp. 77 Periodicals Automation Flats. 11 Stamp Announcement 99-20: Mount Vernon DMM Notice: Cards Claimed at First-Class Stamped Card. 79 Mail Card Rates. 13 Stamp Announcement 99-21: Mount Rainier APO/FPO Changes. 13 Stamped Card. 81 QBRM Notice: Standard Operating Stamp Announcement 99-22: John & William Procedures for Handling Qualified Business Bartram Commemorative Stamp. 83 Reply Mail (QBRM) Applications. 14 Stamp Announcement 99-23: Voyageurs Postage Statements Revised: New National Park Aerogramme. 85 Periodicals Postage Statements. 19 Correction: WAL*MART Station Pictorial Overseas Military Mail. 26 Cancellation. 87 Finance Notice: Breast Cancer Awareness Handbook DM-103 Revision: Revision to Commemorative Stamp, Item Number Handbook DM-103, Official Mail . 38 4496, Removed From Sale. 87 EFT Memo: Announcement from Corporate Notice: Stamps Withdrawn from Regular Treasury. 38 Sale and from Sale at Philatelic Centers June 30, 1999. 87 Fraud Alert Notice: Definitive Stamp Issues That Will Foreign Order No. 433. 40 Remain on General Sale. 88 Withholding of Mail Orders. 40 Notice: Berlin Airlift Stamps and Products Domestic Orders. 40 Withdrawn From Regular Sale and From Missing, Lost, or Stolen U.S. Money Order Sale at Philatelic Centers. 88 Forms. 41 Special Cancellation Die Hubs. 89 Missing, Lost, or Stolen Canadian Money Pictorial Cancellation: Daffy Duck Station Order Forms. 45 Pictorial Cancellation. 90 Counterfeited Canadian Money Order Pictorial Cancellations Announcement. 91 Forms. 47 Contents continued on page 3 POSTAL BULLETIN 21996 (4-22-99) PAGE 3 Post Offices Retail Update: Ordering Procedures for Rubber Your Retail Calendar. 117 Stamps and Steel Hand Canceling Stamps. 99 DM103 Revision Pages . 123 Correction: Post Office Changes. 100 Post Office Changes. 101 Postal Employees Postal Bulletin Index Handbook Update: OSHA Guidance: Quarterly Index. PB 21995 (4-8-99) Handbook EL-802, Executive’s and Ordering Information: Following is the list of postal stock Manager’s Safety Compliance Guide Now numbers (PSNs) to use when ordering copies of the Postal Available. 103 Bulletin from the MDCs: Business Card Update: PS Form 1868, PB 21996: 7690-04-000-3975 PB 21982: 7690-04-000-3961 U.S. Postal Service Business Card Order PB 21995: 7690-04-000-3974 PB 21981: 7690-04-000-3960 Form, is Revised. 103 PB 21994: 7690-04-000-3973 PB 21980: 7690-04-000-3959 Y2K Update: End-User Computing. 104 PB 21993: 7690-04-000-3972 PB 21979: 7690-04-000-3958 PB 21992: 7690-04-000-3971 PB 21978: 7690-04-000-3957 Insurance Program Update: Federal PB 21991: 7690-04-000-3970 PB 21977: 7690-04-000-3956 Employees’ Group Life Insurance Program — PB 21990: 7690-04-000-3969 PB 21976: 7690-04-000-2608 1999 Open Enrollment Period. 107 PB 21989: 7690-04-000-3968 PB 21975: 7690-04-000-2607 Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance PB 21988: 7690-04-000-3967 PB 21974: 7690-04-000-2606 (FEGLI): 1999 Open Enrollment Period. 111 PB 21987: 7690-04-000-3966 PB 21973: 7690-04-000-2605 PB 21986: 7690-04-000-3965 PB 21972: 7690-04-000-2604 Uniform Program: Changes to Uniform and PB 21985: 7690-04-000-3964 PB 21971: 7690-04-000-2603 Work Clothes Programs — 1998–2000 PB 21984: 7690-04-000-3963 PB 21970: 7690-04-000-2602 USPS-NPMHU National Agreement. 113 PB 21983: 7690-04-000-3962 PB 21969: 7690-04-000-2601 Uniform Program: Changes to Uniform and Work Clothes Program Allowances — The Postal Bulletin is published biweekly; 1998–2000 USPS-APWU National information is effective for 1 year unless it changes Agreement. 113 the text of permanent directives or unless otherwise Thrift Savings Plan Fact Sheet. 115 specified. PAGE 4 POSTAL BULLETIN 21996 (4-22-99) Administrative Services Directives and Forms Update Effective immediately, Publication 223, Directives and found in chapter 1 of Publication 223. Forms Catalog (November 1997), is revised. The tables be- IWEB = Internet = http://blue.usps.gov; click on low contain the document ID, edition date, title, national “Corporate Information,” then “Policies and Procedures,” stock number (NSN), and the postal and public supply then “Publications.” source for all new, revised, and obsolete directives and WWW = USPS webpage = www.usps.com. forms. Use this article to keep Publication 223 current. PE = Postal Explorer. Information on how to order directives and forms can be F3 = F3 Fill Software. New Directives Edition USPS Public Document ID Date Title NSN Org Source Source HBK MS-142 VOL E, TL-3 4/99 Delivery Bar Code Sorter (DBCS), Model 7610-04-000-1004 ENG MDC R 994, 995, 996, Output Subsystem (OSS) HBK MS-166 VOL AP1 12/98 Advanced Facer Canceler System Input 7610-04-000-1183 ENG MDC R Subsystem (AFCS-ISS), Background Information HBK MS-166 VOL AP2 12/98 Advanced Facer Canceler System Input 7610-04-000-1184 ENG MDC R Subsystem (AFCS-ISS), Background Information HBK MS-166 VOL AP3 12/98 AdvancedFacer Canceler System Input 7610-04-000-1185 ENG MDC R Subsystem (AFCS-ISS), Background Information HBK MS-175 VOL A 12/98 Lockheed Martin TMS (Phase 2), System 7610-04-000-5490 ENG MDC R Level Maintenance Information HBK MS-175 VOL D 12/98 Lockheed Martin TMS (Phase 2), Tilt Tray 7610-04-000-5493 ENG MDC R Maintenance Information HBK MS-176 VOL A 12/98 Siemens TMS (Phase 2), System Level 7610-04-000-5541 ENG MDC R Maintenance Information HBK MS-176 VOL C 12/98