USPS Publishes IMB Standards
In the latest IMB Standards, which will be effective in May 2009, all letters and flats requiring a barcode and mailed as First-Class Mail, Periodicals, Standard Mail and Bound Printed Matter would be eligible for full-service prices which will be lower than the basic service (and POSTNET) prices.
All references to May 2009 refer to the date that they implement the May 2009 Mailing Services price changes. The USPS would provide free automated address correction notices for correctly formatted mailpieces (in a full-service mailing) that have the appropriate ancillary service request (either Address Service Requested or Change Service requested) in their mailer profile and embedded in Intelligent Mail barcodes.
They will have two price points, not three. POSTNET and Basic will be the same and both will have less of a discount than Full-Service. Also, ACS is unlimited
See the Federal Register. The proposal includes revised mailing standards. Mailers are encouraged to review and comment by May 30 by writing to the Manager of Mailing Standards, U.S. Postal Service, 475 LEnfant Plaza SW, Room 3436, Washington DC 20260-3436 or e-mail IMB&EDOC@usps.gov.
We will be covering the IMB issue further in upcoming articles; but most importantly, don't forget to join us at the IMB Full-day Tutorial at the Mailing Systems Technology Conference, September 10-12 in Chicago. The Conference is co-located with the DOCUMENT Strategy Forum.