**Minutes of the**

**Mailers\' Technical Advisory Committee**

**May 18-19, 2005**

###### U. S. Postal Service Headquarters

**Ben Franklin Room**

**Washington, D.C.**

**First Day**

###### WEDNESDAY, May 18

**Welcome/Introduce New Members**

**Susan Plonkey, Postal Chair**

**Bob O'Brien, Industry Chair**

Bob O'Brien called the meeting to order and introduced the newly
appointed Deputy Postmaster General Pat Donahoe. Mr. Donahoe welcomed
the MTAC members and guests. Presenting a plaque, he recognized John
Wargo, retiring Vice President for Service and Market Development, and
immediate past Postal Chair of MTAC, for his over thirty years of
service to the Postal Service and for his past leadership in MTAC. Mr.
O'Brien expressed his appreciation, noting that the spontaneous standing
ovation of the MTAC members exemplified respect and appreciation for Mr.
Wargo's contributions. Long-time MTAC member Bill Hoyt added his
appreciation of Mr. Wargo's role in MTAC and the dramatic changes that
have occurred within the Postal Service -- noting his major role in
developing the change of address process that is so effective today. Mr.
Wargo thanked MTAC for the sentiments, noting that MTAC had been an
important and integral part of his career.

Susan Plonkey, the incoming MTAC Postal Chair, recognized the retirement
of MTAC representative Alan Kline, presenting a certificate of
appreciation for his over twenty years of service to MTAC and especially
his representation of the nonprofit industry.

Ms. Plonkey welcomed a new MTAC member, the National Alliance of
Standard Mail and Logistics, its president Norine Butte, and its
representatives Marty Mellett and Jeffrey Robinson. She also recognized
new association executives Barbara O'Melinn (Mail Order Association of
America) and John Ficker (National Industrial Transportation League).
New MTAC representatives recognized \-- Dennis Cates (Yellow Pages
Association) and Ray Morrisey (National Catholic Development
Conference). A new member of the press, Beth McConnell (Business Mailers
Review) was also welcomed.

Mr. O'Brien noted that Tom Davis, a long-time member of MTAC, had passed
away since the last meeting.

Mr. O'Brien announced that an important addition had been made today to
the meeting agenda, which would continue in the future, in the form of a
series of presentations by MTAC associations to help members better
understand what the various associations contribute to the MTAC process
and to provide more benefit to members through richer content. Also
announced was the election of the MTAC Industry Vice-Chair which will be
held at the August meeting and the election of the Steering Committee
Industry members at the November meeting.

**Introduction**

**William P. Galligan, SVP Operations**

William Galligan, newly appointed SVP for Operations, greeted MTAC
members and guests, noting that he has been closely involved with major
mailers for more than twenty years. Mr. Galligan added that he looks
forward to working with MTAC members.

**MTAC Future Focus**

**Marty Emery, Postal Vice Chair**

Marty Emery recalled the discussion of the role of MTAC that took place
during the May meeting, emphasizing the importance of proactive and
strategic focus, and moving the work groups' contributions into that
strategic sphere in four important areas: address accuracy, optimization
of preparation and entry, seamless acceptance and induction, and service
measurement and improvement. The structure of the MTAC Steering
Committee was recently changed to reflect these four major areas of
focus. Under the overall leadership of Deputy Postmaster General Pat
Donahoe and Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Anita
Bizzotto, the Postal Service will have two USPS Officers for each major
area, one from marketing and one from operations, to work with their
Industry counterparts. Those USPS and Industry sponsors are:

Address Accuracy -- Nick Barranca and Tom Day (MTAC Industry members Joe
Lubenow and Jim Schemmel);

Optimization of Preparation and Entry -- Steve Kearney and Paul Vogel
(MTAC Industry members Val Scansaroli and Peter Moore);

Seamless Acceptance and Induction -- Susan Plonkey and Al Lazaroff (MTAC
Industry members Anita Pursley and Jim Bowler); and

Service Measurement and Improvement -- Nick Barranca and Paul Vogel
(MTAC Industry members Joyce McGarvy and Sue Taylor).

The current work groups will be aligned to the four areas of focus:

Address Accuracy -- Work Group \# 90, Improving the Change of Address
System for Colleges and Universities, and Work Group \# 89, Coding
Accuracy Support System.

Optimization of Preparation and Entry -- Work Group \# 91, Alternative
Packaging Materials for Parcels, Work Group \# 87, Improving the Drop
Shipment Process, and Work Group \# 81, Flat Mail Preparation
Optimization.

Seamless Acceptance and Induction -- Work Group #93, Streamlining
Verification, and Work Group \# 84, Postal One! Postage Payments and
Statements.

Service Measurement and Improvement -- Work Group \# 94, Service
Performance Process Standardization.

The new Steering Committee members have met to set an initial course and
to identify possible gaps and areas of opportunity, which will result in
new work groups being formed.

[Please click here to view the
presentation](../MTAC0505/1240p%20emory.ppt)

**Transformation 2006-2010**

**Linda Kingsley, VP Strategic Planning**

Linda Kingsley began with a review of progress since the first Strategic
Transformation Plan was published in April 2002 -- improved service
ratings, total factor productivity going into its sixth year of
improvement, assurance that the goal of saving \$5 billion will be
achieved, lowered debt, improved employee safety and better employee
participation, continued revenue growth in spite of First-Class Mail
volume declines, and the introduction of a number of new products and
services. The past and future of the Strategic Plan is available in four
publications -- the Five-Year Strategic Plan, an annual Performance
Plan, the Transformation Plan (revised annually) and the annual
Transformation Progress Report.

The Strategic Plan addresses mission and vision; the annual performance
plan deals with corporate level goals; the Transformation Plan is the
blueprint for reaching the ultimate goals; and the Progress Report is an
evaluation of results. Those four publications will be combined in a
single document to be published by September 30, 2005 and this will then
be updated on an annual basis.

Ms. Kingsley pointed to four major strategies; first to focus on
value-added products and services for customers; second to continue to
increase operational efficiency; third to help employees move past the
excellent progress already made in work performance to a
customer-focused work ethic; and fourth to continue to improve service.

Regarding stakeholder surveys, responders have indicated that the Postal
Service continues to be relevant and important. More than 1,400
respondents, looking to 2010, said rates should be controlled as should
costs within the Postal Service, flexibility is important in the network
and in pricing, and customers are looking for improved service and new
products and services. Some specific goals include reducing
undeliverable as addressed (UAA) mail, reducing service failures,
improving access, moving toward 100% barcoded mail, aggressive
improvement of customer satisfaction, and improved network efficiencies.
The industry, in general, and MTAC, in particular, will participate in
achieving many of these goals.

During discussion, Ms. Kingsley said that, the survey results would be
added to the September report as an appendix. She noted that external
periodical service measurement was not on the current list of
objectives, although generalized ways of improving service measurements
are part of the plan.

[Please click here to view the
presentation](../MTAC0505/1255p%20kingsley.ppt)

**Association Presentation**

**Mailing & Fulfillment Service Association (MFSA)**

**David Weaver, President and CEO**

David Weaver described the membership of the MFSA, an association of
letter shops, mail houses and fulfillment operations, established in
1920. The services of members vary widely -- product creation, database
maintenance, printing and binding, inserting, addressing, and delivery
to the Postal Service. Many members also provide order fulfillment
services. Originally called the Mail Advertising Services Association,
the name was changed in 2001 to reflect the expanded services (e.g.,
fulfillment, transactions and statement mailing).

The association provides education for members -- a number of
conferences each year, two trade fairs in conjunction with the
educational conferences, webinars (about six a year), chapter meetings,
publications, including a monthly newsletter, [PostScripts]{.underline},
and periodic letters on labor law, employment practices, a letter to
owners and CEOs, and a postal newsletter (18 issues), [Postal
Points]{.underline}, that keeps members up to date on issues related to
the Postal Service. MFSA conducts periodic surveys of members to gather
data on performance (ratio studies), member equipment and usage,
wage/salary/fringe benefit levels, and a recently completed pricing
survey. There is an extensive Internet-based information resource, which
includes opportunities to network and to participate in an industry
listserve. Finally, there is an annual directory of members.

The major focus of the Association's efforts are on mailing issues and
procedures, and MTAC is important to that effort. He mentioned an issue
that might be appropriate for MTAC consideration -- the sales tax levy
on postage that could add 3% to 5% to mailing costs.

During discussion there was a suggestion that the Association might
consider development of systems to more effectively interface with the
Postal Service programs and services, programs to encourage co-mailings
among members, and development of recommendations related to rate case
filings.

[Please click here to view the
presentation](../MTAC0505/115p%20weaver.ppt)

**Legislative Update**

**Ralph Moden, SVP Government Relations**

Ralph Moden reported that HR 22 was reported out of committee with a
number of changes from the earlier version, HR 4341. There is a call for
a study of the future business model of the Postal Service, a provision
that allows the Board (not the Inspector General) to select the Postal
Service's external auditor, some positive changes in work sharing
language, and a bar to the Postal Service being able to independently
contract for mail transport service for international mail. Two other
issues were rejected, but may reappear later -- the Alaska bypass issue,
and an amendment to restrict the Postal Service from issuing
regulations. The bill has about 128 sponsors, about twice as many
Democrats as Republicans. The bill may make it to the floor in June,
depending on House leadership and the influence of the Administration.

On the Senate side, a hearing was conducted on the continuing need for
postal reform, but the focus was on the Administration's firm position
on escrow and military retirement. The Senate bill (S 662) continues to
be reviewed and markup might occur in early June.

**Optimization of Preparation and Entry**

**Alternative Packaging Materials for Parcels (WG \# 91)**

**Brian Euclid and Jim Magellan**

Brian Euclid reported that the work group has been working to define its
mission, which is generally to develop viable alternative packaging for
machineable parcels. One issue is to define machineable parcels. There
is the perception that there is inconsistent application of regulations
such that some mailers are able to submit wrapped parcels (which
basically resemble a flats bundle), while others are not. There are rate
implications and issues of where the mail enters the mail stream. By the
next meeting, the work group will either present recommendations for
alternative packaging, or will propose a new focus for the work group.

**Improving the Drop Shipment Process (WG \# 87)**

**Anita Pursley, Cindy Mallonee and Carla Siniscalchi**

Carla Siniscalchi explained that most of the FAST pilot test has been
completed -- registration, online and telephone appointment scheduling
-- with the Web Services connectivity testing nearing completion. The
test has validated the Web Service and the USPS interfaces with TIMES,
*PostalOne!*, VTAPS and the FDB. It has become clear that support
services for varying customer groups will have to be customized.

Deployment will begin in early July and proceed by areas through
November; deployment in each area takes about three weeks. Over one
hundred forty customers have registered for FAST through *PostalOne!.*

Communications is an important element in getting mailers up to speed on
FAST and they are contacted in a number of ways -- the Postal Bulletin,
RIBBS, BSN contacts, Memo to Mailers, Mailers Companion, and even
handouts to truck drivers.

Two hundred and forty have registered for training (and all work group
members will take the training course), and 52 attended the first week
of training. There are a number of sessions available between May and
mid-June. The work group has agreed to assess process issues across a
number of facilities. The facilities selected have had issues in the
past -- long unload times, splitting 3- and 5-digit pallets, and changes
in the location of facilities without prior notice.

[Please click here to view the
presentation](../MTAC0505/205p%20Pursley.ppt)

**Flat Mail Preparation Optimization (WG \# 81)**

**Joe Lubenow and Marc McCrery**

Joe Lubenow reported that the work group would sunset after the August
MTAC meeting. The Steering Committee members responsible for the
optimization of mail preparation and entry would determine future work
groups in this area. He noted that the work group had met just before
the MTAC meeting to discuss a number of issues.

Bundle integrity -- the main tool to track bundle integrity would be
eMIR. A Federal Register Notice will soon be published, but it would not
treat any enforcement or regulation issues. It would include guidelines
to allow the mail preparer to better gauge whether their bundles have
adequate integrity and possibly revise the preparation standards for
thin bundles that often curl or from which the bands slip off. Although
there is a significant labor element for most of the current sorting
equipment, the APPS has very little opportunity for manual intervention,
therefore, bundle integrity is vitally important.

Mixed carrier route bundles -- the work group discussed a proposal that
very thin bundles might have to be prepared in such a way that a number
of carrier route bundles would be consolidated into a manageable bundle
that would be rigid enough to create a solid bundle. These bundles might
require a special label or optional endorsement line (OEL) to identify
them.

Reducing sacks -- although the unofficial slogan seems to be "eliminate
sacks," Peter Moore has developed an analysis that indicates that some
sacks are cost effective when compared to present alternatives. There
was a comment at the meeting that, given that fact, it would be helpful
to move some of the mail in transparent sacks to make rapid
identification of the mail easier and more efficient.

Another suggestion was to reduce the minimum weight of some pallets,
e.g., a 100-pound minimum drop ship pallet (down from the current 250
pound limit), at least for the last pallet of a submission. This has now
been implemented. There is also a suggestion that in some circumstances
bundles could be presented at plants unsacked (e.g. unloaded directly
into plant-specified containers), currently an option at delivery units.
There is the possibility for a mixed pallet for residual mail, or for a
tray-based preparation option for certain types of flats.

Finally, there was discussion about methods for separating Periodicals
mail to be moved by surface transportation out of the origin entry
facility versus directed to the outgoing flats consolidation facility
(L009).

[Please click here to view the
presentation](../MTAC0505/225p%20mccrery.ppt)

**USPS Financial Update**

**Richard J. Strasser, Chief Financial Officer and EVP**

Richard Strasser summarized the first seven months financial performance
-- a slight increase in both volume and revenues, with an unusual spike
for both in November; increased expenses related to both inflation and
increased volume and delivery points, ameliorated by continued
productivity improvements so that net income, although lower than last
year, is better than planned. The revenue for the month of April, with
one less business weekday than last year, was still better than plan (by
1.6%), with expenses slightly higher than plan, resulting in a net
income of \$60 million, also better than plan.

An eight quarter moving average of volume compared to SPLY (same period
last year) has been calculated, revealing a decline in First-Class Mail
volume that accelerated in early 2002, but has turned upward in the
first quarter of 2005 (relative to SPLY). Priority Mail, in decline
since 1998, turned up beginning in late 2003. Standard Mail volume
turned the corner in late 2003 and has moved dramatically upward.
Looking at a 12 month moving average, First-Class Mail continues to
decline slightly, although Priority Mail has shown a positive increase
and Standard Mail continues to exceed volume compared to SPLY.

Year-to date- revenues are about a billion dollars over plan, a half
billion dollars better than SPLY. The most positive volume increases
came from Priority Mail (up 2.8%) and Standard Mail (up 6.1%).
Year-to-date revenues are \$1.079 billion over plan (1.2% above SPLY),
expenses are \$245 million below plan (3.7% better than SPLY), and net
income is \$2 billion (\$1.3 billion better than plan, but about \$900
million below SPLY). Delivery points have increased to 143.3 million, up
1.8 million vs. SPLY.

Mr. Strasser discussed improvements in total factor productivity (TFP),
which focuses on the change in resources as compared to the change in
workload. TFP measures resource usage, which is under the control of
management. Factors not under the control of management such as price
inflation for personnel and non-personnel are factored out. He noted
that TFP has improved each year for the past six years. The improvement
in TFP in 2005 alone has been 1.4%, which means the Postal Service saved
about \$600 million as a result of higher productivity levels.

Mr. Strasser indicated that for the third quarter, volume, revenue and
expenses are expected to be slightly better than last year and it is
anticipated that the financial result, although planned (developed last
summer) to be a deficit of \$200 million, may be a breakeven. The
current performance year-to-date and that projected for the remainder of
the year is consistent with the recent rate filing.

[Please click here to view the
presentation](../MTAC0505/strasser%20310p.ppt)

**New Customized National and Premier Account Website Launch**

**Ken Ceglowski, Manager, Customer Relationship Management**

Ken Ceglowski noted that the Postal Service considers the National and
Premier Account website an important opportunity to simplify access to
the huge amount of information and services available to major mailers.
In the past, these customers accessed multiple websites with a number of
registrations, customer IDs and passwords. A survey was conducted to
determine what larger customers really needed and a significant number
of responses were returned. These responses were particularly helpful in
developing the concept of an Internet interface that would allow
customers to access the various web service areas with much greater
convenience.

The "Customer Gateway" will provide a single entry point for major
mailers with one logon ID and password to access a wide variety of
services and data resources available on the web. Customers will
administer their own access procedures for various company
representatives, and the web site will develop a customized profile much
like the profiles of major retail websites.

The site is currently up and running (see the link at the bottom of the
USPS.com home page) and will eventually allow the customer to access any
area of the Postal Service IT network with one or two clicks. In the
future, the custom feature of the site will put the customer's primary
links on the screen upon logon, and other custom features such as
pertinent BSN information, and other information specific to the
customer's needs (such as weather information that may affect mail
service, notices of changes in the DMM, etc.) will be available. The
first version of the customized site will be launched in September 2005.

Mailers are urged to access the current site (National and Premier
account web site), test the current capabilities, and provide feedback
through a link on the National and Premier Account home page.

[Please click here to view the
presentation](../MTAC0505/340p%20ceglowski.ppt)

**Association Presentation**

**Envelope Manufacturers Association (EMA)**

**Maynard H. Benjamin, President**

Maynard Benjamin introduced the Envelope Manufacturers Association,
established in 1933, an association with 170 members in the U.S. and 30
nations from the Far East, Europe and South America. The EMA represents
96% of United States envelope manufacturers, and 60% of manufacturers
worldwide. It is focused on postal matters, technology and market-based
research. There are two major meetings each year, an extensive
educational program, and two major activities -- the Institute for
Postal Studies and the Center for Technology and Trends.

The Institute conducts research on postal issues, and played an
important role in providing information to the Office of the President
when the President's Commission on the Postal Service was being
established. It has conducted job studies one of which determined that
every 21,000 pieces of mail supports one job in the industry. It also
has developed economic models one of which showed the effect of postal
rate increases on mail volume over the long term. One study showed that
increasing rates at a 15% level would significantly and negatively
affect revenues in the future.

The Center is looking at the importance of the web, the use of
conductive inks for coding envelopes, the importance of flats in the
future of the mailing industry, and the impact of electronic substitutes
to mail (which is not as negative as some have predicted).

Mr. Benjamin noted that the EMA was a founding member of MTAC and
continues to be very involved in some of the issues important to MTAC
members (e.g., the impact of MERLIN, partnerships between industry and
the Postal Service, etc.).

[Please click here to view the
presentation](../MTAC0505/420p%20m.%20benjamin.ppt)

**Second Day**

###### THURSDAY, May 19

## Extraterritorial Offices of Exchange (ETOEs)

## Michael Regan, Director, International Postal Affairs

## 

## Michael Regan explained the development of a potentially illegal situation related to the operations of some of the legally-constituted extraterritorial offices of exchange (ETOEs), a postal exchange office set up by a postal administration in a foreign country to handle mail sent to that country by private mailers and remailers. These ETOEs are owned and operated within the borders of the United States by eight foreign postal administrations, including France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and others.  The situation was revealed when a senior Postal Service official visited Mexico and, on a tour of a Mexican postal facility, the official saw large quantities of USPS equipment (sacks, trays, flat tubs, pallets, and other containers) that did not originate at any USPS facility in the U.S. Further investigation uncovered a more widespread abuse -- e.g., air carriers were turning over ETOEs mail in USPS equipment to the USPS because of ambiguous paperwork accompanying that mail. The cost to the USPS includes the wear and tear on the equipment, the loss of equipment, charges to the Postal Service to retrieve the equipment (including storage charges and return of equipment charges). There are also security issues involved.

## 

## Mr. Regan encouraged MTAC members to be aware of the situation and to take appropriate steps to avoid becoming involved in this unauthorized use of USPS equipment. 

## Electronic Mail Improvement Reporting (eMIR) Bundle Breakage Blitz

## Bob Fisher and Marc McCrery

## 

## Marc McCrery discussed the Bundle Breakage Blitz, an important program to identify problems related to improperly prepared bundles. This program is significant because the new APPS equipment involves very little manual labor input to identify and correct bundle integrity problems prior to induction into the equipment. eMIR will be used to collect data on bundle breakage to identify systemic issues and attempt to pinpoint specific problems that can be reasonably addressed and corrected. It is a joint marketing and operations program at 34 sites that will collect data for about a month, with a possible extension of time if the first data set is inadequate to clearly define the problem area and focus attention on solutions. 

## 

## Service Measurement and Improvement

**Service Performance Reporting Process Standardization (New WG \# 94)**

**Joyce McGarvy**

Joyce McGarvy recalled the formation of Red Tag, an association that was
established to develop a monitoring system concerning periodicals
delivery problems. Since then a number of monitoring systems have been
developed by various major mailers and associations. Work Group #94 is a
new work group that has been formed under the Service Measurement and
Improvement track with the following issue statement:

The mailing industry creates many different types of service data and
service performance reports. These reports are not standardized across
the mailing industry, mail types or mail shapes. Often these reports
lack data that is actionable by the Postal Service to improve
performance. The effective use of these reports has proven to be
limited. The BSN has not integrated the customer data into their
processes. The Postal Service operations managers are often not actively
involved in responding to service performance concerns. Confirm is used
as the primary data source for many of the reports, yet there has been a
reluctance to use Confirm data in performance improvement discussions
between the Postal Service and mailers. This reluctance is generally
centered around the "start the clock" and event date. The issue impacts
other issues and procedures, impacts on Confirm, especially the
certified process, and impacts the BSN.

The work group will look at several areas. First, desired results,
criteria guidelines, and standardized formats for mailers' generated
reports would be developed. Service reports would result in actionable
data for Postal Service operations managers to improve service
performance. Second, a standardized process for sharing service
performance reports would be developed, and this process would be
centered around the BSN and involve operations management. Third,
evaluate the potential for a centralized clearinghouse for
customer-provided service performance reports. This clearinghouse would
allow central and common access to service reports, probably on a
website.

The USPS work group leader will be Bob Fisher and volunteers are invited
to participate, especially mailers with internal service measurement
tools.

**Business Mail Acceptance (BMA) Days**

**Pritha Mehra**

Pritha Mehra described a major business mail acceptance event, called
BMA Days, that will be held during the July 25-29 timeframe. Held last
year and focused on internal mail operations, this year's celebration
will encourage customers to participate. The objective is to recognize
customers, encourage Postal Service executives to visit major mailers
and get to know their operations and to share information about BMEUs.
Technology will be highlighted, and issues related to bundle integrity
will be included. It will be an effort to raise customer awareness of
the BMEU process.

There will be a series of seminars, presented through the PCCs, to
increase understanding of the DMM 300, the "Perfect Bundle," Merlin,
First-Class Mail versus Standard Mail, address quality, non-profit mail,
periodicals, postage payment and presort. Finally, there will be
displays at 98 major BMEUs and pertinent publications on these topics
will be available.

[Please click here to view the
presentation](../MTAC0505/BMA%20Days%20845a%20P%20Mehra.PPT)

**Association Presentation**

**National Newspaper Association (NNA)**

**Tonda Rush, Director, Public Policy**

Tonda Rush characterized the NNA, established in 1885, as an association
of 2,500 local and community newspapers, mainly weeklies (with about 300
dailies), mainly small business/family-owned operations. From the
beginning there was a focus on postal issues, rates and service. The NNA
is very involved on Capitol Hill, working on postal policy, postal
reform, postal rates and any legislation that may affect members. For
example, the NNA is working against a proposed FCC rule that would
require obtaining a signed consent from recipients before sending any
fax with commercial (ad) content. There is also a consistent effort to
encourage open government and to defend First Amendment rights.

NNA members are typically local papers distributed and mailed in-county,
usually carrier route sorted, usually high-density mailings entered at
the DDU level. Often the member is the DDU's largest customer. A small
amount of mail does go outside -- retirees who move to sunshine, college
students, vacationers, etc.

Unlike many associations that are fully involved in the new technology,
NNA members are generally operating much as they did decades ago, some
without even using computers. Therefore, NNA has little concern for high
tech developments like mail.dat, does not participate in PACs nor make
political contributions, and much of the footwork in its advocacy role
is done by volunteers. One of the most notable is MTAC member Max Heath,
who contributes major amounts of time to postal issues of importance to
NNA members.

NNS educational and support services to members include a monthly
newsletter, a number of seminars each year, case work and one-on-one
troubleshooting and consulting. As an advocate, NNA is active in MTAC,
participating in a number of the MTAC work groups. There is an annual
NNA/USPS award to a postal employee selected through a NNA member
nomination process for outstanding service to the NNA mailing community.
It is called the Benjamin Franklin Community Award for Excellence.

Other interests include the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS)
legislative process, active representation as the last small business
group before the Postal Rate Commission (PRC) during rate case hearings,
concern about the potential impact of Flats Sequencing System (FSS) on
delivery service (especially timely delivery), and the importance of
community newspapers in what the Postal Service calls the "mail moment."
Although local newspapers constitute less than one percent of total mail
volume, it is often the only piece of "personal" mail that helps
motivate residents to sort through daily mail.

During discussion, Ms. Rush commented that, in spite of the slight
decline in the numbers, community newspapers continue to appear, partly
because, even in urban areas, there are communities of common interest.

[Please click here to view the
presentation](../MTAC0505/915a%20T%20Rush.ppt)

**Seamless Acceptance and Induction**

**Streamlining Verification (New WG \# 93)**

**Pritha Mehra**

Pritha Mehra announced the formation of new work group \# 93, under the
Seamless Acceptance and Induction Track, which was established to look
at how to apply the wide variety of technology already in existence to
simplify the entire acceptance process. The work group is made up of
four teams -- vision, barcode, implementation and measurement/reporting.

The vision team will develop a framework for a seamless acceptance
process, which will include a centralized customer account, maximum
electronic communications between customers and USPS, advance
notification of customer needs to be matched to resources in advance,
integration of the numerous barcodes and inline verification to expedite
the flow of mail. Verification might be based on a risk evaluation to
reduce the level of verification for mailers with a history of quality
submissions.

Electronic collaboration is moving ahead with Postal One!, electronic
document acceptance, links to FAST for appointments, data links (in
August) to Surface Visibility, expansion of postage statements to
include First-Class Mail, and enhanced access to accounts and service
data. The feedback loops are steadily improving.

The approach to a more complete electronic collaboration will be based
on Mail.dat (files), web services (forms) and a web browser wizard (for
postage statements online). Once fully operational the entire process
will be electronic with virtually no need for customers to physically
connect with the Postal Service.

The barcode team will look at integrating all of the various barcodes
(trucks, pallets, trays, four-state, intelligent barcode) to form the
seamless process from acceptance through the entire mailstream.

The implementation team will develop the blueprint for automated
verification for Standard and Periodical mailers, an important part of
the migration to an electronic 8125. A proof of concept pilot is planned
for August 2005.

Finally, the measurement and reporting team will develop the process by
which data will flow to and from customers and the Postal Service, a
process that will focus on quality improvement and not audit.

[Please click here to view the
presentation](../MTAC0505/Streamlining%201000a%20P%20Mehra.ppt)

**Postal One! Postage Payment and Statements -- Approach and Design (WG
\# 84)**

**Pritha Mehra and Phil Thompson**

Phil Thompson, newly appointed MTAC Industry Work Group Leader for Work
Group #84, commented that the broad strategic focus of the previous
"PostalOne!" work group had been changed to a more tactical and
operational focus for the current work group. The work group is
release-based, working on release 9.0, the current release, and release
10.0, the next release. It is planned that around next October, the
current work group will sunset and make way for a probable new work
group which will provide for the next release.

Release 9.0 deployed on May 1, and major changes resulted in a number of
bugs and glitches, most of which have been resolved. The release
incorporated mail.dat 05-1, brought electronic 3541s into the matrix,
and integrated Standard Mail 3602s into the web-based system. Release
10.0 is due in late August and, to reduce the possibility for another
9.0 experience, more cooperation between the Postal Service and users
will be needed in the test phase. The postage statement will be enhanced
to provide more flexibility (e.g., allowing customers to design a more
custom report format). The electronic 8125 will be part of release 10.0
with integration of container data drawn from Postal One!, Surface
Visibility and FAST. Permit information will be improved for greater
flexibility and accuracy. Finally, there will be increased integration
of customer data reporting.

[Please click here to view the
presentation](../MTAC0505/MTAC%20WRKGRP_84-05-17-2005%201020a%20P%20Mehra.ppt)

**Address Accuracy**

**Improving the Change of Address System for Colleges and Universities
(WG \# 90)**

**Thom Roylance**

Thom Roylance reported that the work group had determined that student
housing is understandably seasonal, dorms house multiple residents,
addresses at many universities lack uniformity, and volume varies widely
during the year. There are typically manual systems for handling student
changes of address. The work group has identified five universities
(which happen to have reasonably standard address formats) that have
agreed to participate in a data collection process. About 2,000 students
filled out Change of Addresses, and the incoming mail to those students
will bypass the university system and go directly to Memphis, where the
Postal Service will gather data on what systems handled the changes and
forwarding (PARS, Fast Forward, NCOA). That data should be available in
August and analysis should lead to development of recommendations in a
final work group report for the November meeting. The result should help
universities improve mail delivery on campuses and overcome the many
unique issues that they face. Then the work group would sunset.

[Please click here to view the
presentation](../MTAC0505/1040a%20WG%2090%20Roylance.ppt)

**Coding Accuracy Support System -- Refinements and Awareness (WG \#
89)**

**Cynthia Harrelson and Ruth Jones.**

Ruth Jones noted that the work group had met ten times in the last nine
months, looking at consistency among the various CASS software versions,
software standards, the role of industry in parsing and matching, the
process of developing and using the software, and the importance of
industry awareness of what CASS can and cannot offer.

A main objective was to educate industry. A presentation was made at the
2005 Nashville National Postal Forum, a CASS Awareness brochure was
recently published, a technical users guide (more advanced than the
brochure) is being prepared, as is a CD presentation, which should prove
useful for further education efforts.

Both Ruth Jones and Cynthia Harrelson expressed appreciation to the
nearly sixty individuals who contributed to the work group's progress,
and especially to both Wanda Senne and Joel Thomas. Cynthia Harrelson
stated that the work group would be sunset.

[Please click here to view the
presentation](../MTAC0505/1100a%20J%20McGarvy.ppt)

## Adjournment 

## 

Marty Emery announced the National PCC Day will be held on September 14,
2005 in Middleton, Wisconsin. It will be sponsored by the five PCCs from
the Lakeland District.

## 

## The meeting was adjourned at 11:00 a.m.