In our ongoing efforts to improve customer service, the Postal Service will continue to improve efficiencies of Business Mail Acceptance processes. Starting March 15 2010, the Postal Service will streamline the processing of hard copy postage statements.

What Will Change and When?
Starting March 15, 2010, at acceptance facilities using the PostalOne! system, when a customer brings in a hard copy postage statement to accompany a mailing, the Postal Service will no longer fill out the USPS section of the form nor round-stamp the document. To obtain a receipt, mailers are encouraged to visit the Business Customer Gateway to access PostalOne!, the system of record. This procedural change will speed and improve service and reduce the amount of paper generated.

Upon request, a customer may obtain a hard copy receipt of the postage statement or Statement of Mailing/ Weighing and Dispatch Certificate, PS Form 3607, after acceptance and verification are completed. (A copy of this form is attached). In the upcoming March 15 release of PostalOne!, the Weighing and Dispatch Certificate, PS Form 3607, currently used as a mailing transaction receipt, will be revised and renamed "Mailing Transaction Receipt, PS Form 3607-R. (A draft copy of this form is attached).

What Will Not Change?
The verification and resolution process will not change; mailers will be notified of any issues, as they are today. The non-PostalOne! sites will continue to accept and round-stamp the Postage Statement.

Background of Hard Copy Postage Statement Processing
Currently, mailers presenting commercial mailings to the USPS must submit a postage statement, appropriate to the class of mail, which includes information about mailpiece characteristics, mail piece counts, and pricing eligibility based on preparation of the mailing. There are two ways that postage statements are presented to the Postal Service: an electronic postage statement may be submitted to the acceptance facility prior to the mail being deposited or a hard copy postage statement may be presented with the mailing at the acceptance facility. .

Today, if mailers want a "round-dated" receipt copy of the postage statement after the USPS accepts the mailing for processing, they must present the postage statement in duplicate.

Customers are required to complete three sections of the hard copy postage statement. "Mailer" (indicating parties involved in the mailing), "Mailing" (indicating characteristics of the mailing and preparation and compliance methods followed), and "Postage" (indicating postage prices applicable to the mailings based on aggregate information identified in subsections of the form). Postal acceptance personnel are required to complete the "USPS Use Only" section, where they record results of the verification and acceptance processes.

At acceptance facilities using the PostalOne! system, postage statement information is data-entered into the system to record a transaction against the mailer's postage account. PostalOne! is the system of record for all mailing transactions processed at these locations.

During the acceptance process, the USPS clerk verifies the mail and validates that the mail is prepared per the price claimed. If any discrepancies are noted, the mailer has the option to accept the USPS findings or withdraw the mailing for rework.

The USPS clerk completes the USPS section of the postage statement, finalizing the information about the mailing. Information in this section supersedes any information recorded by the mailer in previous sections.

Use of a hard copy duplicate postage statement is the commonly recognized business practice by customers to indicate "proof" of when a mailing has been entered into the mail-processing stream. This copy is generally used by a mail service provider to demonstrate to their client that they have fulfilled their contractual obligation to the customer.


Streamlined Hard Copy Postage Statement Processing
After March 15, 2010, mailers are encouraged to go online to view their mailing activities and retrieve processed postage statements. Whereas the Postal Service will continue to accept hard copy postage statements, postal personnel will no longer complete the "USPS Use Only" section at acceptance sites equipped with the PostalOne! system.

Postal personnel will enter information from hard copy postage statements into the PostalOne! system to record and complete the mailing transaction. Upon request, the Postal Service will provide a copy of the finalized postage statement or a mailing transaction receipt (PS Form 3607 or PS Form 3607-R) after completion of acceptance and verification. Key changes follow.

o If not submitting postage statements electronically, the customer must provide an original postage statement with the mailing.
o Acceptance personnel will no longer complete the "USPS Use Only" section of hard copy postage statements for offices that enter postage statements into the PostalOne! system.
o Acceptance personnel will no longer complete and return a "duplicate" postage statement (as defined in sections 244.4.1, 334.4.1, of the DMM).
o Acceptance personnel will no longer round-date stamp hard copy postage statements.
o Acceptance personnel will retain the original copy of the postage statement and attach the USPS Form 3607 (Statement of Mailing/Weighing and Dispatch Certificate)* to it on file, as prescribed by the Administrative Support Manual.
o Upon a customer's request, the acceptance personnel will print the USPS Form 3607 and provide it to the customer along with any duplicate copies of postage statements provided.
o The only acceptable means of proof of postage payment for mailings will be an electronic version of a finalized postage statement, or the USPS Form 3607, generated from the Postal Service's PostalOne! system.

*In the March 15 upgrade to the PostalOne! system, PS Form 3607 will be replaced with PS Form 3607-R (Mailing Transaction Receipt).

The wording on the postage statement form will change from "USPS Use Only" to "USPS Use Only-To Be Completed at Non-PostalOne! Sites ONLY." PostalOne! is the system of record and can be accessed to view postage statement details and print hard copies, if needed.

The Postal Service will modify the DMM language regarding the return of a duplicate postage statement to the mailer, differentiating between PostalOne! and non-PostalOne! sites.

Here's What the Changes Will Look Like in the DMM

Current DMM Language

Completing Postage Statements
Any mailing claiming a commercial price and all permit imprint mailings must be accompanied by a postage statement completed and signed by the mailer (in duplicate, if the mailer wants a receipted copy). A change made to any postage statement requires the mailer (agent) to correct the postage statement accordingly and document the correction.


Proposed DMM Language

Completing Postage Statements

PostalOne! Sites: Any mailing claimed at a commercial price and any permit imprint mailing must be accompanied by an appropriate postage statement, preferably submitted electronically via a USPS approved method (e.g., Postal Wizard, Mail.dat, or Mail.XML).

Hard copy statements with all applicable fields completed and signed by the mailer may be submitted. Upon request, mailers may obtain a copy of the Statement of Mailing/Weighing and Dispatch Certificate (PS Form 3607) (or revised PS Form 3607-R) printed from the PostalOne! system. PS Form 3607 (or revised PS Form 3607-R) will not be mailed.


Non-PostalOne! Sites: Any mailing claimed at a commercial price and any permit imprint mailing must be accompanied by an appropriate postage statement with all applicable fields completed and signed by the mailer (in duplicate if the mailer wants a receipted copy).

A change made to any postage statement requires the mailer (or agent) to correct the postage statement accordingly and document the correction.

Viewing and Retrieving Postage Statements Online
Mailers are encouraged to sign up through the Business Customer Gateway to view and retrieve copies of their postage statements. This feature is available today for mailers who submit hard copy postage statements or electronic postage statements. Mail preparers can download postage statements and email them to their mail owners.

We anticipate that as our customers migrate to online and electronic business mailing features, they will find the quick, easy, and convenient aspects of online mailing account management real values to their mailing processes and needs. Some of the many features available are:
o View and retrieve copies of postage statements
o Download and email postage statements
o Manage permits
o Account balance and transaction tracking
o Notification of fees paid/due
o Online submission of postage statements for mailings
o Server-to-server submission of postage statements and electronic presort documentation
o Mailing activity management


Business Customer Gateway:
The Mailer's Resource for Accessing Postage Statements, Transaction Receipts and Account Management Tools

USPS recently launched the Business Customer Gateway on USPS.COM to provide mailers easy access to all Postal Service online business offerings-all with a single user name and password. In addition to providing access to postage statements and transaction receipts, the Business Customer Gateway allows mailers to view company information, manage mailer IDs and electronic data exchange, schedule mailing appointments and track and confirm their mailings. The User Access to Electronic Mailing Information and Reports Guide, Volume 1, Appendix B, Access to Hard Copy Postage Statements provides information on how to access the Business Customer Gateway and retrieve postage statements.

For more information about the Business Customer Gateway and how to access it, visit ribbs.usps.gov. You'll find "Business Customer Gateway" documents on the left navigation bar under Intelligent Mail Services.

For questions regarding the Business Customer Gateway or accessing postage statements, contact the Help Desk at 800-522-9085 or at postalone@email.usps.gov


Electronic Postage Statements
In lieu of hard copy postage statements, mailers are encouraged to use one of the two electronic options available for submitting postage statements: Postal Wizard or Mail.dat. A third option, Mail.XML, will be available starting November 30, 2009.

For electronically submitted postage statements, no hard copy duplicates are returned to the mailer and no hard copy postage statements are retained at the postal acceptance unit. Mailers can access the finalized (by USPS) statements online via the Internet.

Electronically submitted statements do not contain a "USPS Use Only" section. If an adjustment to the mailer-submitted information is warranted, the system will require the acceptance clerk to record the mailer contact information before a change can be made to the mailer-declared information. Permissible changes are: mail date, total pieces, total weight, weight of a single piece, piece counts on itemized price lines, and regular versus nonprofit prices. PostalOne! is the system of record. No hard copy documentation (postage statements) are provided to the acceptance unit or retained by the unit.