USPS Intelligent Mail™ Package Barcode (IM™pb): What you Need to Know

February 11, 2014

Ryan Seipp,

United States Postal Service

Ryan works in the Shipping Information Systems group of the USPS, which supports the Product Tracking & Reporting System and certification process. He brings years of sales experience to this position and works with customers on the IMpb transition and certification process. He also oversees various Postal projects to improve package visibility and the overall customer experience.

Ryan earned his undergraduate degree at Lynchburg College and is working towards a MS in Technology Management at Stevenson University.

Your Presenters

IMpb Benefits

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WHY IMpb? • Best Prices for Packages

• Commercial Base and Commercial Plus • Avoids upcharges or fees

• End-to-End Tracking with no additional charge for most products

• Know when to expect your shipments to arrive • Improves sorting efficiency

• Baked-in Insurance up to $50 for Retail and Commercial Base Pricing and $100 for

Commercial Plus customers Priority Mail.

• Supports simplified carrier route distribution and in the future, dynamic routing

• Improves customer services by providing piece-level visibility throughout USPS™ processing and delivery operations

• Option to use a 6-digit or 9-digit numeric Mailer ID (MID) accommodates all mailers

Current IMpb Requirements

Mailing Standards Require:

• An Intelligent Mail package barcode (IMpb) on all commercial parcels (except Standard Mail)

• The electronic submission of piece-level information (destination delivery address or ZIP+4 Code) for each piece in order to be eligible for presort or destination-entry prices.

NOTE: These requirements also apply to parcels that request tracking or mailpieces that request any extra services.

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January 26, 2014

• A unique IMpb or trackable barcode on ALL

commercial parcels (including Standard Mail)

• The electronic submission of piece-level

information,

• Destination delivery address or ZIP+4 Code for

each package in a mailing

• Per-piece fee for non-compliant pieces applies to

Priority Mail Express®, Priority Mail®, First-

Class® Package Services, Parcel Select, and

Parcel Select Lightweight.

IMpb Timeline

Upcoming IMpb Requirements

July 27, 2014

• Extended transition

period for Standard Mail,

Package Services and

MRS parcels ends

January 25, 2015

• Mailers must include the complete

destination delivery address or an 11-digit

DPV ZIP Code in their SSF or other

approved electronic documentation

• Extension for metered mailers ends

• Extension for legacy tracking barcodes ends

• Extension period for BRM parcels ends

Metered Mailers

Barcode Exceptions – USPS will continue to provide pre-printed IMpb labels to all metered mailers who are unable to print their own labels

• Available for commercial base

– A special version of the Pre-printed IMpb format label (not class specific) will be available for meter customers who ship parcels yet their meter is not capable of transmitting electronic manifest and address info

– Current Commercial Base price mailers will continue to receive Commercial Base prices until the transition period ends on January 25, 2015

– To mail USPS parcel products a pre-printed or other IMpb compliant barcodes is required.

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IMpb Exception for Meter Customers

Legacy Barcode Exception

– Temporary use of a tracking barcode prepared in legacy format rather than IMpb

– Transitional period until January 25, 2015

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Legacy Tracking Barcodes

Label 400

IMpb Requirement: Unique Tracking Barcode

• Requirement to use a unique tracking barcode (either legacy or IMpb), prepared in accordance with DMM 708.5.1 (Standards for Package and Extra Service Barcodes: Intelligent Mail Package Barcode)

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• The DMM can be accessed through Postal Explorer (pe.usps.gov).

• Direct link to DMM section 708.5.1: http://pe.usps.gov/text/dmm300/708.htm#1619562

From

DMM

708.5.1

Intelligent Mail Package Barcode

IMpb - Deconstructed

The Electronic Data Behind the Scenes

• Product Tracking and Reporting (PTR) is the database that stores tracking scan data for all barcoded packages and extra services products.

• Mailers are to transmit their Shipping Services File (electronic data – called the SSF) to PTR prior to the physical presentation of the mailing

– The following information must be included in the SSF: o Unique SSF Transaction ID (TID) o Rate and Payment indicators o 5-digit ZIP Code where permit is held o Class of Mail o Processing category o Total # Mailpieces

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Note: Reference Pub 199 for more info

IMpb Compliance Exceptions:

Business Reply Mail – Business Reply Mail (BRM) permit holders will be required to transition to Merchandise Return Service (MRS) or a USPS Returns product for their parcel returns

– Postal Service will allow a 12-month transitional period until January 25, 2015, to allow mailers to obtain a MRS or USPS Returns permit

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Business Reply Mail Transition

100% Package Visibility

• What does this mean? – Barcode on every package

– Tracking built into pricing for major shipping products

– Full end-to-end tracking

– Rich information to help customers and USPS manage operations and improve customer experience

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100% Package Visibility

Rebranding and Recent Changes

Better validation for package delivery

Name changes represent move to tracking, not

just delivery confirmation:

– Delivery Confirmation to USPS Tracking

– Parcel Post to Standard Post

– Baked in tracking for Priority Mail and Standard Post

at Retail Offices.

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USPS Tracking Capabilities – Scans, Domestic Items

Increased number of scan events - better tracking

– Domestic information/scanning events: • Electronic Shipping Info Received

• Acceptance

• In-Transit / Processed

• Arrival at Unit

• Out for Delivery

• Delivered

• Notice left when packages not delivered on 1st attempt

– Additional Information available • Expected Delivery Date, Container Information

– More Domestic Scan Events • Nested events

• In / out of processing facility events

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USPS.com Track & Confirm Example

(Domestic)

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• New Labels Represent a

new look and feel for

Extra Services

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Preprinted IMpb Formatted Labels Coming Soon

Preprinted Labels

IMpb Priority Mail Preprinted Label

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• In order to receive the “baked in” insurance on

Priority Mail pieces - you can use a Label 055*

*Available at usps.com

IMpb FAQ’s can be viewed at: https://ribbs.usps.gov/intelligentmail_package/documents/tech_guides/IMPB_FAQs.pdf

Barcode, Package, Intelligent Mail (USPS2000508) document and Publication 199: Intelligent Mail Package Barcode (IMpb) Implementation Guide are posted on RIBBS and viewable at:

http://ribbs.usps.gov/index.cfm?page=intellmailpackage

Publication 205, Electronic Verification System Business and Technical Guide is also available on RIBBS at: http://ribbs.usps.gov/evs/documents/tech_guides/Pub205.PDF

The IMpb Final Rule Federal Register Notice is available at: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-12-18/pdf/2013-30023.pdf

For other questions, please email: impb@usps.gov

IMpb: Additional Information

Q & A

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