September 15, 2011

USPS Network Optimization Proposal and Service Standards Changes Proposal

This morning, Susan LaChance, USPS^® Vice President Consumer & Industry Affairs, sent the following letter to mailing industry leaders. We would like to share the contents with you:

This morning at a national media event in Washington, D.C., the Postal Service™ proposed sweeping changes to its massive nationwide infrastructure and adjustments to service standards. To make accessing information about these proposals as easy as possible for you, we have created a web page specifically for the industry and mailers at:

http://about.usps.com/news/facility-studies/welcome.htm

This web page can be accessed immediately. It contains:

• Link to the media kit, which includes:
  • Press release
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs for media)
  • Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Federal Register)
  • Fact sheets
  • List of processing plants to be studied
• A video from the Postmaster General
• Industry FAQs (in process)

Because the questions and concerns expressed by the industry and mail owners are likely to be more sophisticated and technical than those of consumers and the media, materials will be developed specifically for you. The materials will be updated periodically throughout the Network Optimization study process to include FAQs reflecting the evolution of the process.

The industry and mailers are key stakeholders in everything the Postal Service undertakes. We know that these proposed changes, if implemented, will impact all of you in some way. That is why together we will continue to discuss the potential effects of the network optimization proposal and service standards changes, and work toward mutually acceptable solutions wherever possible. The exchange of information, ideas, and concerns that began in general with many of you last month will continue in earnest as the study process evolves and we all have more information.

There are a number of ways to convey your questions, comments and concerns to the Postal Service and others. Public input meetings will be scheduled in locations featuring a processing facility on the new AMP study list released today. An email address has been set up for your use in corresponding with us on the proposed service standard changes that are the subject of the Advance Notice in the Federal Register. The address is industryfeedback@usps.gov.

We will work hard to keep you updated at every step of the way during this process, and to see that your questions, ideas and concerns are reviewed and considered.

On behalf of the Postal Service, I thank you for your ongoing efforts to keep the mailing industry strong and vibrant.