If you are one of the mailers still using the Centralized Account Processing System (CAPS), you need to switch over to the new Enterprise Payment System (EPS) soon as the USPS has started closing permits linked to CAPS accounts. The USPS has sent outreach letters and emails to customers still using permits linked to CAPS accounts who mail letters and flats products. The USPS wants to migrate these clients to EPS, which has enhanced security.

What Is EPS?

The USPS has developed a more modern system to centralize postage payments. The Enterprise Payment System may be used to pay for First-Class Mail, letters, cards, and flats, Priority Mail, First-Class Package Service, USPS Marketing Mail, letters, flats, and parcels, Electronic Verification System (eVS), Parcel Select, Media Mail, Library Mail, Bound Printed Matter, Periodicals, International Products, Business Reply Mail (BRM), and Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM), submitted via hard copy, eDoc (Mail.dat/Mail.XML), Postal Wizard, or the Intelligent Mail small business (IMsb) Tool, PO Box, Caller & Reserve Services (EPOBOL), and Address Quality Products (AEC, AECII and ACS). Eligible permit types include Permit Imprint, Metered, Pre-cancelled Stamps, Periodicals (CPP/PP), Postage Due, and Business Reply.

Transition from CAPS to EPS

If you are an existing CAPS user, these accounts do not automatically transition to the EPS program. To begin your migration to EPS, users should follow the enrollment process, as outlined on the PostalPro website (https://postalpro.usps.com/EPS). EPS allows users to select one of four payment methods:

• Trust (Retail Deposit): Funds may be deposited at designated retail units, with options of check, cash, or money order for deposits.
• Trust (Fedwire): Funds may be sent via wire transfer from your bank account.
• Trust (ACH Credit): Funds may be electronically transferred via ACH Credit from your bank account.
• ACH Debit: Funds may be withdrawn from your bank account via ACH Debit

As with CAPS, users will need to link your postal permits and publications to your Enterprise Payment Account (EPA). Users will also need to work with your mail service providers (MSPs) to provide them with your new EPA number and make any necessary changes.

What About Products EPS Does Not Support?

There are some products that EPS does not yet support, although the USPS is working on adding support for those products soon. Any products unsupported by the EPS system may still be funded using CAPS until such time as those products are brought under the EPS umbrella. In the meantime, mailers should be switching over all supported products to EPS and keep their CAPS account only for EPS unsupported products. Products not currently supported include Parcel Return Service (PRS), PC Postage, Scan Based Payment (SBP), Merchandise Return Service (MRS), Official Mail Accounting System (OMAS), Premium Forwarding Service Commercial (PFSC), Share Mail, and Intelligent Mail barcode Accounting (IMbA). Customers utilizing these products will continue to be supported through CAPS. If you have questions on this, you should contact the PostalOne! Help Desk at 1-800-522-9085 or postalone@usps.gov.

What Is the Migration Process?

Customers with no activity within the last 12 months through their CAPS permit have had those permits closed as of April 19, 2020. CAPS accounts with remaining balances should contact the CAPS Service Center at 650-377-1334 or email address ssmctas@email.usps.gov to request a refund. Customers who have active debit and active trust permits with a Business Customer Gateway (BCG) account have until May 1, 2020 to migrate to EPS, after which date those permits will be closed. For active CAPS trust account customers who do NOT have a BCG account, they have until August 1, 2020 to migrate to EPS, after which date the CAPS account will be closed. Also effective August 1, 2020, CAPS debit account permits will no longer be funded as the CAPS account will be closed. In the case of both the trust and debit accounts, customers need to create an EPS account and link their permits in order to prevent and impacts on mail acceptance.

Resources

The USPS provides a number of reference materials for EPS, including the EPS landing page at https://postalpro.usps.com/EPS, a listing of available retail deposit locations, and an Enterprise Payment System Migration Fact Sheet. You can also call 877-672-0007 or email HQMailEntry@usps.com for assistance.