About PostalOne! and the PostalOne! Assignment Support System

What is PostalOne!?

PostalOne! is an initiative to link the United States Postal Service (USPS) to its Major Mailer customers through changes in verification, acceptance, transportation, technical support, and business support activities. It provides benefits in the form of operations, quality, and marketing improvements, and changes the entire Postal Service production focus from management by dispatch to management by commitment.

PostalOne! streamlines the acceptance process at the mailer's plant. Electronic information replaces paper-based documentation. Advanced surface and air transportation assignments are made, routing mail to the most cost effective and timely transportation possible. What PostalOne! means to participants is improved service.

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What is a PostalOne! Transportation Assignment System?

An essential element of PostalOne! is the PostalOne! Transportation Assignment System, a tightly integrated set of tools which work in concert to prepare sorted mail trays for transportation by the most expeditious surface or air transportation method. The basic PostalOne! Transportation Assignment System includes a scale, scanner, and printer connected to a system controller at the mailer's site. It is connected to the USPS Surface-Air Management System (S-AMS) application via modem to enable electronic transportation assignment and management. Some other features a PostalOne! Transportation Assignment System may include are a Fully Automated Scan-Where-You-Band (FASWYB) system, tray handling and sortation, electronic manifest reconciliation, automatic tray log-out, and adjustable tolerances for weight reconciliation. The PostalOne! Transportation Assignment System specifically refers to the hardware, software, and data needed to prepare trays and designate their most efficient transportation method. Figure 1 shows an example of a basic PostalOne! Transportation Assignment System.

Figure 1: A PostalOne! Transportation Assignment System

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What is PASS?

The PostalOne! Assignment Support System (PASS) is a new program for existing and prospective PostalOne! partners and PostalOne! Transportation Assignment System vendors. The objective of the program is to maximize the benefits of PostalOne! through standardization, process improvement, and quality control. PostalOne! partners who demonstrate through testing that their facilities or systems have attained the optimal operating conditions are awarded PASS Certification.

What are the benefits of PASS?

If you are a Major Mailer, attaining certification means that you have optimized your PostalOne! Transportation Assignment System and are getting the maximum return on your investment in equipment. It means your staff not only understand PostalOne!, but have mastered it. It means that you have maximized the value added work your employees perform and demonstrates the return on your investment in training. It is a way to show your customers that you are doing your best to serve them.

If you are a PostalOne! Transportation Assignment System manufacturer or vendor, certification assures your customers that your system has been tested and proven to meet all PostalOne! requirements and standards.

Whether you are a mailer or vendor, certification means you are maximizing your potential.

Major Mailers participating in the PostalOne! program are required to obtain certification within three months of entering the program. Mailers who were in the program before March 2002 are also required to obtain certification. Certification of mailers is necessary to ensure that the scarce resources of the S-AMS system are utilized to their fullest potential to the benefit of the mailers, and is required under authority from the PostalOne! Program Office.

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What types of PASS certification are offered?

The Postal Service offers two types of PASS Certification:

• Vendor System Certification, and
• Major Mailer Certification.

This document is concerned with Major Mailer Certification. Mailer Certification is granted to PostalOne! participating plants which have met the certification standards. Certification applies to individual plants, rather than the entire company. Major changes in staff or equipment may require re-certification.

Mailer Certification is achieved in phases. Phase 1 is pre-qualification; its purpose is to ensure that the mailer is qualified and capable of participating in PostalOne!. Passing Phase 1 permits the mailer to install a PostalOne! Transportation Assignment System.

The mailer then enters Phase 2, post-installation testing. Passing Phase 2 indicates that the system has been installed and operates correctly and meets PostalOne! standards. Upon the successful conclusion of Phase 2 testing, the mailer has satisfied the requirements for PostalOne! and is effectively utilizing the shipping system. The mailer is then awarded PASS Mailer Certification.

On an ongoing basis, the mailer is periodically re-certified. In Phase 3 the mailer is tested to verify that it is continuing to use the system correctly, that its staff understand the PostalOne! program, and are able to use the transportation assignment system to its fullest potential. Upon passing Phase 3 testing, the facility's certification is renewed.

Figure 2 summarizes the tasks and milestones to achieving Mailer Certification.

Figure 2: Mailer Certification Timeline

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Major Mailer Certification

Certification Criteria

The overall objective of Mailer Certification is to ensure that the Mailer's facility is in compliance with PostalOne! regulations and standards.

The Phase 1 Pre-Qualification Interview seeks to ensure that:

• the mailer is qualified to participate in PostalOne!, and
• the mailer is capable of participating in PostalOne!.

The Phase 2 Post-Installation Test seeks to ensure that:

• the system has been installed properly,
• the system is operating correctly,
• the system is able to dial in and connect to the USPS Transaction Concentrator, and
• the system is able to assign transportation correctly,
• the mailer is adhering to the PostalOne! implementation guidelines,
• the mailer is maintaining the system log consistently and accurately,
• the mailer's staff are adequately trained,
• the mailer has sufficient contingencies to handle system failures,
• the mailer operates the equipment properly, and
• the mailer maximizes its use of the PostalOne! Transportation Assignment System.
  

Phase 3 Post-Implementation Follow-Up seeks to ensure that:

• the mailer is adhering to the PostalOne! implementation guidelines,
• the mailer is maintaining the system log consistently and accurately,
• the mailer's staff are adequately trained,
• the mailer has sufficient contingencies to handle system failures,
• the mailer operates the equipment properly, and
• the mailer maximizes its use of the PostalOne! Transportation Assignment System.

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Applying for Mailer Certification

After you fill out the Mailer Certification application form in this booklet, you will be contacted by your local PostalOne! coordinator and an interview date will be arranged. If you are already a PostalOne! participant, you are automatically Phase 1 qualified. If you pass the Phase 1 interview, you may proceed with the installation of your PostalOne! System. After installation and at least one month experience operating the system, you may schedule the Phase 2 installation test. Depending on the level of certification awarded, the mailer may opt to retake the test. After successful completion of the test, the mailer will be awarded PASS Mailer Certification. Phase 3 provides periodic ongoing certification to verify that the mailer is effectively and properly utilizing the PostalOne! Shipping System.

The application procedure is detailed in the flowchart in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Applying for Mailer Certification

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Certification Renewal

Certification automatically expires based on the results of your last certification test. Prior to the expiration date, you should submit an application for certification renewal along with your log book detailing maintenance, upgrades, and any other changes to the system or facility. The PostalOne! Program Office will review your application and documentation and decide the extent of re-testing required and arrange a test date.

Re-certification

Re-certification of your facility may be required if any of the following occur:

• PostalOne! Transportation Assignment System hardware is changed. Applies to major components only, not to spare parts, identical replacements, or minor upgrades.
• PostalOne! Transportation Assignment System software is changed. Applies to the individual applications and excludes minor upgrades and maintenance.

It is the responsibility of the mailer to maintain a system log and notify its National Account Manager or Business Center if any of these events occur. The PostalOne! Program Office will decide if re-certification will be required and the extent of re-testing.

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Contact Information

For more information about PASS Certification, ask your National Account Manager, Business Center, or contact:

PostalOne! - MEI
UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
1735 NORTH LYNN STREET, SUITE 3015
ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA 22209
703-292-3660

or

NATIONAL CUSTOMER SUPPORT CENTER
UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
6060 PRIMACY PKWY SUITE 201
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE 38188-0001
800-331-5746

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