Obama Administration Releases Postal Plan

The plan, introduced alongside a deficit-reduction package, also would restructure a massive annual payment to prefund retiree health benefits and refund $6.9 billion the mail carrier says it overpaid into a federal retirement fund.

Source: Reuters

UPS Alert Service Aims to Reduce Missed Deliveries

UPS (United Parcel Service) has launched a new service in the United States that promises to make life easier for consumers on the receiving end of a home delivery. The integrator has launched UPS My Choice, a membership-based service that will call, email or text consumers the day before their package or document arrives, and allow them to choose a four-hour delivery window. It also offers the ability to re-route packages for a $5 fee to another address or a UPS Store, and release a signature-only delivery electronically. UPS said a premium version of the service is also available, for a $40 annual fee, which will allow consumers to choose a two-hour delivery window. A $5 fee is then charged if the delivery is made within that two-hour window. The UPS My Choice service will be of particular interest to online shoppers, for whom the convenience of buying on the internet can be negated by having to take a day off work to receive the item. As it launched the new offering just ahead of the build-up to the festive season, UPS noted that US online sales enjoyed a 12% growth last year.

Source: Post & Parcel

First-Class Mail Promotion

The USPS will launch a TV ad campaign on Sept. 24 to promote its First-Class mail products. The campaign will feature two spots that promote the security of First-Class mail and its personal nature, respectively. The ads will run during programs including CBS' 60 Minutes, NBC's Sunday Night Football and SEC college football games, said Joyce Carrier, advertising manager at USPS. The USPS said Aug. 5 that First-Class mail volume declined 6% year-over-year to 17.7 billion pieces in the third quarter of its fiscal year. The campaign will also include direct mail, Web banners, print ads and social-media components that will drive consumers to USPS.com/mail. USPS worked with its creative agency Campbell-Ewald on the campaign.

Source: DMNews

USPS Downsizing

USPS officials announced plans to study 252 of the agency's 487 plants for potential closure, in addition to 61 locations already under consideration. Downsizing to fewer than 200 facilities by 2013 would cut $3 billion in costs, in part through terminating 35,000 positions. Because 150,000 employees are eligible for retirement agency wide, USPS officials are confident the staff reductions can be achieved through attrition. Some workers might retire, while others could be moved to new locations or job functions, but USPS aims to provide a "soft landing" for those affected.

Source: Government Executive

Two Sides Gains Support

Two Sides, a non-profit organization that promotes the responsible production, use and sustainability of print and paper, is gaining momentum in the United States thanks to the support of leading industry organizations. Early supporters include Eastman Kodak Company, key pulp and paper producers, the NPTA Alliance and its member companies which represent a large portion of the U.S. paper merchant community. "Kodak supports Two Sides in the U.S. because a key part of our business relies on the sustainable use of paper and print,” said a Director at Kodak. “We believe that both electronic and print communications will co-exist in the future, and we want to continue educating people about the sustainable life cycle of print and paper.”

Source: Two Sides Press Release