Postal Service Board of Governors to Meet May 10.

Full-Service System Upgrade — The Full-Service application will undergo a major system upgrade from midnight Saturday, May 4, through midnight CT, Tuesday, May 7, 2013. During this period, Full-Service mailers will not receive or have access to new data (ACS Feedback Reports; Container, Tray, and Bundle Visibility reports; Mail Data Quality reports). Starting Tuesday, May 7, 2013, Full-Service mailers will begin to receive and have access to new data, but the data will not be current until Tuesday, May 14, 2013. Access to existing data will not be affected during the upgrade period.

PostalOne!^® Release 34.0.1: A release to repair known issues in PostalOne!^®Release 34.0.1 will be deployed during the scheduled maintenance window from 4 a.m. through 8 a.m. CDT on Sunday, May 5, 2013. This will be done in a rolling fashion and there will be no planned outage during the software deployment. There is no new Mail.dat^® client with this release. This release will address known issues including display and reporting issues. Details will be posted Monday, April 29, 2013, on RIBBS under Major/Minor Releases/2013 Releases/April 2013.

USPS Express Mail Name Change

Change can be good

The Postal Service has filed a request with the Postal Regulatory Commission to change the names of Express Mail^® and Express Mail International^®.  If approved, Express Mail^®, which has long served as our fastest domestic service, will be named Priority Mail Express^TM.  Express Mail International^® will be named Priority Mail Express International^TM.  If approved, the changes will take effect on July 28, 2013.

The goal of the changes are to help revitalize Express Mail by leveraging the widespread recognition of, and positive associations with, the Priority Mail brand as well as building on the brand awareness of Priority Mail.  An additional benefit is that the new names will effectively consolidate a good portion of the Postal Service’s shipping products under a single brand identity.  Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail Express International will retain the same service as they receive today.

Additional information will follow in the coming weeks to guide Express Mail and Express Mail International customers through the transition, including guidance on packaging supplies and labeling.

The specific changes involved with this request are as follows:

    Current:                                                                          Revised:

    Express Mail                                                              Priority Mail Express

    Express Mail Corporate Account (EMCA)                    USPS Corporate Account (USPSCA)    

    Express Mail International                                           Priority Mail Express International

We encourage you to review the filing and submit any comments and/or concerns you may have.

 (Click on the Title to access filing details.)

Apparently the Postal Regulatory Commission has many (great) questions about the USPS Tech Credit plan.  There are lots of questions that need to be answered.

Also, a piece of advice – don’t make plans to spend your tech credit before it actually gets approved by the PRC.  And beware of “gifts”-examine them closely, and understand all the ramifications.

http://www.prc.gov/docs/86/86868/R2013-6%20Motion%20for%20IR.pdf

…Pursuant to Rules 3001.21(a) and 3007.3(c),the Public Representative requests that an Information Request be issued to obtain additional clarifying data and explanation from the Postal Service concerning the proposed Technology Credit Promotion at issue in this case. The proposed questions seek information that would allow participants to provide more constructive comments and evaluate whether the proposal meets applicable legal and regulatory requirements. Obtaining this information will also contribute to a better understanding of the proposed Technology Credit Promotion, improve transparency, and provide the Commission information needed to make a fully informed, reasoned determination on whether the proposal meets applicable legal and regulatory requirements…

his U.S. Postal Service (USPS) business plan (“Business Plan”) is designed to communicate to key stakeholders the vital role that the USPS plays in the U.S. economy and important solutions required to return the Postal Service to financial and operational viability and self-sufficiency. Specifically, the document covers

• Challenges facing the organization today

• Actions USPS is planning to take to address its financial position and outlook

• Financial benefits of the identified initiatives and impact on USPS stakeholders

• Overview of continuing actions to confront revenue declines through innovation

• Legislation required to remove restrictions on our ability to address changes in the business environment

• Business Plan risks and sensitivities

via USPS Updates its Five year business plan.

The White House has announced the nomination of D. Michael Bennett as a member of the Board of Governors of the US Postal Service. Bennett is a former executive of Northrup Grumman, one of the USPS’s biggest contractors, and one which is currently involved in a litigation with the USPS over the failed FSS automation program.

via As the revolving door turns: Obama nominates former Northrup Grumman exec for USPS Board – postalnews blog.

PMG appoints Tom Marshall to succeed Mary Anne Gibbons as USPS general counsel – postalnews blog.

From the PostalOne! Help Desk:

Attention PostalOne!® Users

PostalOne!® Release 34.0.0: The Deployment of PostalOne!^® Release 34.0 is completed and was open to users as planned at 9:00 a.m. CDT on Sunday, April 21, 2013. A mandatory Mail.dat^® client download is available.

There are no major issues. The known issues list will be updated with new issues on Monday.

If you have any further issue that need to be address please contact the Help Desk at 800-522-9085.

PMG tells mailers Full-Service IMb on track for January implementation – postalnews blog.

Dead Tree Edition: New Postal Incentive Could Backfire for Mailers.