Category: Alliance Report

  • PRC Approves USPS Rates for 2017

    The Postal Regulatory Commission ruled that all categories of Market Dominant mailing services, except Special Services, are in compliance with law and may take effect on January 22, 2017. The PRC will rule on Special Services later, as it was late in receiving necessary information on complex proposed changes. This rates proposal was successful from…

  • Member Spotlight: Easterseals

    With this edition of the Alliance Report, we continue to recognize members supporting the Postal Museum and their latest online exhibit, “America’s Mailing Industry”. This week, we would like to recognize Easterseals, and how direct mail has played a vital role in their mission to bring support, resources, and comfort to children with disabilities and…

  • USPS Could Have a Board of No Governors

    The USPS Inspector General recently joined others in sounding the alarm that the Postal Service will lose its lone sitting Governor in December. There are normally nine Governors, appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, by the count has shrunk down to one and could soon be none. Most blame a ‘hold’ placed…

  • PRC Urges Congress to Help the USPS Business Model

    PRC urges Congress to help, but does not explicitly endorse several USPS requests. The 2006 Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA) requires the regulator to write a report to Congress every five years on how the law is serving the nation. This is the second of these Section 701 reports. The PRC made 17 recommendations.…

  • USPS Reports Operating Income for FY 2016

    Mail volume stable for 5th year in row The results and the USPS messaging remain the same. An operating profit of $610 million and a reported paper loss of $5.6 billion because of non-paid prefunding of retiree health benefits. USPS said it has done just about everything possible to cut costs, improve service and customer…

  • Full Service Assessments Begin November 14, 2016

    The Postal Service will begin Assessments for Electronic Verification Metrics in November 2016 for October data. The assessments result in the removal of the Full-Service discount on those pieces in error above the established thresholds.  Automated email Assessment notifications will be sent as described below on the 11th day of each month. Note:  Due to…

  • Member Spotlight: American Lung Association

    In recognition of their support of the “America’s Mailing Industry” virtual exhibit, on display online at the National Postal Museum, the Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers is spotlighting a participating member with each edition of the upcoming Alliance Report. With this edition, we spotlight the American Lung Association. For more than 110 years, the American Lung…

  • USPS Assures Mailers That “Marketing Mail” Re-branding Will Not Devalue Mail

    After receiving concerned feedback from many mailers, the Postal Service moved quickly to reassure its customers that the re-branding of Standard Mail as Marketing Mail will not harm anyone or reduce the value of mail. At the Postmaster General’s Mailers Technical Advisory Committee meeting on November 1, newly re-titled chief customer and marketing officer Jim…

  • USPS and OIG Disagree on Liquidity Measure

    Since the Great Recession of 2007-2009, the USPS has been emphasizing a financial analysis ratio as an indicator of its condition.   The Postal Service regularly and alarmingly reported that its “days of cash on hand” had dipped into the single digits during the downturn. Recently, the USPS has reported that this ratio is up…

  • PRC Orders Some Changes to Proposed Rates

    While much better than 2015, the rate case made by USPS was not perfect. The PRC flagged a mainstay issue for the Alliance, ensuring that nonprofit mailers are not discriminated against in work share discounts relative to commercial mailers. The result was a set of changes to the prices for Nonprofit Enhanced Carrier Route. The…