Postal Service April 27, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Postal Service(TM) provides notice of its intention to resume testing of the concept of Customized Postage for a period of one year commencing 20 calendar days from the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register. PC Postage([reg]) is a method of providing evidence of pre-payment of United States postage using a personal computer and printer and Internet access to an authorized PC Postage provider infrastructure approved by the Postal Service under 39 CFR part 501. Like postage meters, PC Postage services facilitate customer access to postage payment and use of the mail. PC Postage and postage meter products that print digitally generated barcode indicia contain human readable and machine readable elements that facilitate mail processing and counterfeit detection due to identification enabling characteristics. The typical indicia design consists of two elements: a postage block and a distinctly separate block typically called an ``ad plate.'' The historical use of ad plates consists of printed advertising messages authorized, enabled, and controlled by a Postal Service approved postage meter or PC Postage provider. Customized Postage differs from conventional PC Postage in two respects: First, it utilizes the ``ad plate'' area to print a digital, graphic image. The image may be one selected from a ``library'' of images provided by the authorized PC Postage provider or a customer supplied image that meets acceptance criteria established by the PC Postage provider; and, second, instead of the customer printing the selected image on a personal computer the images are printed by the Customized Postage provider under controlled conditions and the finished product is mailed to the customer. With respect to postage meter ad plates the Postal Service will require evaluation and approval of any process established by an authorized provider which results in the printing of a graphic ``ad plate.''