Full-Service Intelligent Mail^® barcodes are currently optional. While the USPS^® has not yet stated when they will try again to require Full-Service IMb^™ (note: the PRC “prevented” the USPS from implementing this in January of this year), many mailers have decided to participate in Full-Service now.

By leveraging the BCC Mail Manager family of Full-Service IMb certified solutions, customers can take advantage of the additional postage discounts, improved piece tracking visibility, free address correction services, participation in the Mail Anywhere program, and Seamless Acceptance.

However, mailers must still ensure they are preparing the Full-Service mail properly in order to retain these discounts. Beginning in July 2014, the USPS will begin expanding their verification thresholds. In January 2015, when the total mailings submitted for a calendar month contain electronic verification error types that exceed these expanded thresholds, the full-service discount will be removed for all pieces in excess of the threshold for the calendar month.

We strongly urge customers to look carefully at the PostalOne!^® micro strategy reports now to determine where potential errors may occur. January 2015 is just around the corner. And while our BCC Mail Manager family of solutions are CASS^™, PAVE^™, and TEM certified, we still rely heavily upon the users to prepare the mailings per the USPS standards.