[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 1 (Monday, January 3, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 141-142]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-34051]


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POSTAL SERVICE


Quality Control Reviews for Discounted Letters (Presorted/
Automation Rate Mail)

AGENCY: Postal Service.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Postal Service is implementing more efficient quality 
control procedures to check letter mail preparation for rates claimed 
on postage statements. An automated, in-depth review of selected letter 
size mailings will be conducted using the Mail Quality Analysis (MQA) 
program, in addition to verification procedures now in use for all 
mailings. MQA will use existing automated equipment and reports to 
compare actual presort to mailer documentation for sampled mail. MQA 
also will provide feedback on the readability of mailer-applied 
barcodes. The Postal Service seeks comments on the Mail Quality 
Analysis (MQA) program.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Phase one of the Mail Quality Analysis Program will 
begin on January 3, 2000. All written comments must be received on or 
before February 2, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be mailed or delivered to Rates and 
Classification Service Center, U.S. Postal Service, 5904 Richmond 
Highway, Suite 500, Alexandria VA 22303-2736.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Richards, (703) 329-3684.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Improperly prepared mail results in 
additional USPS handling and related costs that eventually are passed 
on to all customers in the form of rate increases. Since 1982, the 
Postal Service has applied quality controls in the form of standardized 
mail acceptance and mail verification procedures to support the goal of 
keeping postage rates stable. Along with the National Bulk Mail 
Verification Program (NBMVP) in 1982, the Postal Service has taken many 
steps to control operating costs, assess postage fairly for each 
mailer, and charge postage commensurate with the preparation of the 
mail. Classification reform in 1996 and the last rate case (R97-1) gave 
rate incentives for properly preparing mail that is compatible with 
automated processing and presorted to avoid certain processing 
operations.
    As further background, revisions to the National Bulk Mail 
Verification Program through two Postal Bulletin articles in 1989 
reduced the acceptable tolerance level for presort errors from 10 
percent to 5 percent before a postage adjustment was calculated. 
Mailers were later advised in a Postal Bulletin article in 1989 that 
tolerance levels for errors would be reduced to 2 percent at a future 
date. Further, in 1996, classification reform formalized the 
requirement that only mail meeting automation requirements is eligible 
for automation rates. MQA does not involve a change in the current 5 
percent presort error tolerance level.
    Today, both mailer production and Postal Service processing are 
highly automated processes. Large mailings are more easily created and 
produced with each advance in mail production hardware and software. It 
has become increasingly important for mailers to introduce quality 
assurance features into mail production operations in the design and 
set-up stages. Once production of a mailing begins, problems not 
identified through internal quality controls may not be easily 
corrected. Problems discovered by the Postal Service related to 
presorting and automation specifications generally surface during mail 
processing, which is often far from the acceptance point for the 
mailing. It is therefore critical for mailers to use the tools noted 
below and effective quality assurance procedures to produce mail that 
follows Domestic Mail Manual requirements for the postage rates 
claimed.
    Using mailer's input, the Postal Service has provided a variety of 
tools to improve mail quality in the design and set-up stages. Included 
are a variety of address management programs, Presort Accuracy 
Validation and Evaluation (PAVE), the Mailpiece Quality Control Program 
(MQC), the Mail Preparation Total Quality Management Program (MPTQM), 
various handbooks and brochures, the Domestic Mail Manual, and Customer 
Support Rulings. Information on many of these tools is available on the 
Postal Service Internet sites. Postal business centers, business mail 
entry managers, mailpiece design analysts, and the National Customer 
Service Center are available to assist customers in design of mail. The 
net effect of these efforts is the expectation that today's business 
mailings should be of exceptionally high quality.
    Current Postal Service quality controls focus on manual 
verification of a small number of mail pieces and were designed when 
mail production and mail processing environments were not highly 
automated. Under MQA, larger portions of selected mailings will be 
reviewed as they are run on Postal Service barcode sorters. MQA will 
use reports already available from this equipment (which has been 
performing this function with documented accuracy for years) to compare 
the mailing, or a portion of the mailing, to the postage statement and 
supporting mailer documentation for that specific mailing. MQA will 
assist the Postal Service in providing improved diagnostic feedback to 
mailers on the quality of sampled mail. These procedures will lead to 
improved mail quality, reduction in costs, and correct payment of 
postage.
    Mail will be isolated at postal facilities and detached mail units. 
The business mail entry unit, revenue assurance, and mail processing 
will work together using automated equipment already in place to 
perform the analysis of MQA samples. Initial runs will focus on large 
volume

[[Page 142]]

mailings, with subsequent mail selection determined by the results of 
MQA reports and feedback from mail processing, mail acceptance, and 
other sources.
    MQA will be implemented in two phases. Phase one will implement the 
MQA program on a national basis in December 1999, collect data, and 
develop improvements to MQA procedures. During phase one, mailers will 
receive diagnostic reports only. The reports will allow the mailer to 
correct quality problems. Phase one will run through June 2, 2000. 
Phase two will begin on June 3, 2000, and as of this date postage 
adjustments will be made when presort error rates over 5 percent are 
found. Even during this phase, a mailer's first MQA report (for mailers 
who received no report during phase one) will be for diagnostic and 
notification purposes only, with no postage adjustment cited. 
Additionally, errors discovered through MQA that amount to less than 
$50 in additional postage will not be assessed at any point in time. 
Mailers will have their normal appeal rights regarding postage 
adjustments. Domestic Mail Manual PO 11.4-11.5. In both phase one and 
two, MQA will provide feedback on barcode readability. A decision will 
be made at a later date as to whether postage adjustments eventually 
will apply.
    By necessity, MQA will extract data about a mailing after 
acceptance of the mail, as it is entered into postal processing. The 
numerous postage rates and discounts available, automation of mail 
production, and acceptance and processing procedures, combined with 
more mail requesting specific in-home delivery dates, mean that 
reworking mail after initial acceptance has become less viable. Mailers 
will not have the option of reworking mail to avoid a postage 
adjustment after June 2, 2000.
    Now and in the past, Domestic Mail Manual G020.2 has described how 
all mailers are required to comply with applicable postal standards. 
DMM G020.2.2 and each postage statement also show that when proper 
postage is not claimed on the postage statement, the Postal Service 
must collect correct postage, at or after the time of acceptance. 
Mailers with effective quality assurance procedures resulting in 
accurate representation of their mail on each postage statement will 
not encounter postage adjustments and therefore will not be affected by 
MQA.
    The Postal Service and mailers have worked together for many years 
to improve the quality of mail, which ultimately benefits all customers 
through lower USPS processing costs and more stable postage rates. MQA 
extends this effort further by incorporating an improved feedback 
procedure into the process. Mailers have for some time requested 
regular feedback concerning their mail. MQA will provide this feedback 
for selected mailings.
    MQA procedures will be described in an upcoming issue of Mailers 
Companion.
Stanley F. Mires,
Chief Counsel, Legislative.
[FR Doc. 99-34051 Filed 12-30-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P