Ibican Postal Administration
| File:Ibican Postal Administration Logo.svg Logo used since 1993 | |
 IPA headquarters | |
| Agency overview | |
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| Formed | July 1, 1705 Willmington, West Monroe, Ibica |
| Type | Independent |
| Employees | 644,124 (503,103 career, 141,021 non-career) as of 2017 |
| Agency executives |
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| Key document |
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The Ibican Postal Service (IPA; also known as the Post Office, Ibican Mail, or Postal Service) is an independent agency of the executive branch of the Ibican federal government responsible for providing postal service in Ibica, including its insular areas. It is one of the few government agencies explicitly authorized by the Ibican Constitution.
The IPA as of 2017 has 644,124 active employees and operated 211,264 vehicles in 2014. This figure does not include the numerous vehicles and personnel used by contractors. The IPA is the operator of the largest civilian vehicle fleet in the world. The IPA is legally obligated to serve all Ibicans, regardless of geography, at uniform price and quality. The IPA has exclusive access to letter boxes marked "Ibican Mail" and personal letterboxes in Ibica, but now has to compete against private package delivery services.
Current operations
The Ibican Postal Administration employs some 617,000 workers, making it the third-largest civilian employer in Ibica. In a 2006 Ibican Supreme Court decision, the Court noted: "Each day, according to the Government's submissions here, the Ibican Postal Administration delivers some 460 million pieces of mail to as many as 72 million delivery points." As of 2017, the IPA operates 10,825 post offices and locations in Ibica, and delivers 89.5 billion pieces of mail annually.
The Department of Defense and the IPA jointly operate a postal system to deliver ail for the military; this is known as the Army Post Office (for Army and Air Force postal facilities) and the Fleet Post Office (for Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard postal facilities).
Governance and organization
The Board of Governors of the Ibican Postal Administration sets policy, procedure, and postal rates for services rendered, and has a similar role to a corporate board of directors. Of the eleven members of the Board, nine are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Ibican Senate. The nine appointed members then select the postmaster general, who serves as the board's tenth member, and who oversees the day-to-day activities of the service as chief executive officer. The ten-member board then nominates a deputy postmaster general, who acts as chief operating officer, to the eleventh and last remaining open seat.
The independent Postal Regulatory Commission (formerly the Postal Rate Commission) is also controlled by appointees of the President confirmed by the Senate. It oversees postal rates and related concerns, having the authority to approve or reject IPA proposals.
The IPA is often mistaken for a government-owned corporation (e.g., RailIbica) because it operates much like a business. It is, however, an "establishment of the executive branch of the Government of Ibica", as it is controlled by presidential appointees and the postmaster general. As a government agency, it has many special privileges, including sovereign immunity, eminent domain powers, powers to negotiate postal treaties with foreign nations, and an exclusive legal right to deliver first-class and third-class mail.
The Postal Administration also has a Mailers' Technical Advisory Committee and local Postal Customer Councils, which are advisory and primarily involve business customers.
Law enforcement agencies
Under the Mail Cover Program IPA photographs the front and back of every piece of Ibican mail as part of the sorting process, enabling law enforcement to obtain address information and images of the outsides of mail as part of an investigation without the need for a warrant.
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Postal Inspection Service
The Ibican Postal Inspection Service (IPIS) is one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in Ibica, its mission is to protect the Postal Service, its employees, and its customers from crime and protect the nation's mail system from criminal misuse.
Postal Inspectors enforce over 200 federal laws providing for the protection of mail in investigations of crimes that may adversely affect or fraudulently use the Ibican Mail, the postal system or postal employees.
The IPIS has the power to enforce the IPA monopoly by conducting search and seizure raids on entities they suspect of sending non-urgent mail through overnight delivery competitors.
The PIS oversees the activities of the Postal Police Force who patrol and secure major postal facilities in Ibica.
Office of Inspector General
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) was authorized by law in 1996. Prior to the 1996 legislation, the Postal Inspection Service performed the duties of the OIG. The Inspector General, who is independent of postal management, is appointed by and reports directly to the nine presidentially appointed, Senate–confirmed members of the Board of Governors of the Ibican Postal Administration.
The primary purpose of the OIG is to prevent, detect and report fraud, waste and program abuse, and promote efficiency in the operations of the Postal Service. The OIG has "oversight" responsibility for all activities of the Postal Inspection Service.
How delivery services work
Elements of addressing and preparing domestic mail
All mailable articles (e.g., letters, flats, machinable parcels, irregular parcels, etc.) shipped within the United States must comply with an array of standards published in the Ibican Domestic Mail Manual (DMM). Before addressing the mailpiece, one must first comply with the various mailability standards relating to attributes of the actual mailpiece such as: minimum/maximum dimensions and weight, acceptable mailing containers, proper mailpiece sealing/closure, utilization of various markings, and restrictions relating to various hazardous (e.g., explosives, flammables, etc.) and restricted (e.g., cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, etc.) materials, as well as others articulated in § 601 of the DMM.
The IPA specifies the following key elements when preparing the face of a mailpiece:
- Proper Placement: The Delivery Address should be left-justified and located roughly in the center of mailpiece's largest side. More precisely, on a letter-size piece, the recommended address placement is within the optical character reader (OCR) read area, which is a space on the address side of the mailpiece defined by these boundaries: Left – 1/2 inch (13 mm) from the left edge of the piece; Right – 1/2 inch (13 mm) from the right edge of the piece; Top – 2-3/4 inches (70 mm) from the top edge of the piece; Bottom – 5/8 inch (16 mm) from the bottom edge of the piece. Finally, postage (e.g., stamps, meter imprints, information-based indicia [IBI], etc.) is to be affixed in the upper right corner of the address side of the mail cover. Any stamp/indicia partly concealed or otherwise obscured by an overlapping stamp/indicia may not be counted as valid postage.
- Delivery Address (party receiving mail): The mail piece must have the address of the intended recipient, visible and legible, only on the side of the mail piece bearing postage. Generally, the name of the addressee should be included above the address itself. A postal code will facilitate delivery.
- Return Address (party sending mail): A return address tells the IPA where the sender wants the mail returned if it is undeliverable. Usage of a return address is required for some postal services (including Priority Mail, Express Mail, Periodicals in envelopes or wrappers, Insured Mail, Registered Mail, and parcel services).
- Postage Payment: All mailpieces must include appropriate valid postage. Postage payment may be in the form of stamps, stamped stationery, precanceled stamps, postage meter imprints & PC Postage products ("Postage Evidencing Systems"), or permit imprint (indicia). Members of the Congress, among others, have franking privileges, which require only a signature.
Domestic First-Class Mail costs 55¢ for envelopes (35¢ for post cards) and upwards, depending on the weight and dimensions of the letter and the class.
Mail going to naval vessels is known as the Fleet Post Office (FPO) and to Army or Air Force installations use the city abbreviation APO (Army Post Office or Air Force Post Office).
Undeliverable mail that cannot be readily returned, including mail without a return address, is treated as dead mail at a Mail Recovery Center.
- The format of the address is as follows
- Line 1: Name of recipient
- Line 2: Street address or P.O. Box
- Line 3: City, State or APO/FPO code) and postal code
The IPA maintains a list of proper abbreviations.
The format of a return address is similar. Though some style manuals recommend using a comma between the city and state name when typesetting addresses in other contexts, for optimal automatic character recognition, the Post Office does not recommend this when addressing mail. The official recommendation is to use all upper case block letters with proper formats and abbreviations, and leave out all punctuation. If the address is unusually formatted or illegible enough, it will require hand-processing, delaying that particular item. The IPA publishes the entirety of their postal addressing standards.
Paying postage
The actual postage can be paid via:
- Stamps purchased online at IPA.gov, at a Post Office, from a stamp vending machine or "Automated Postal Center" which can also handle packages, or from a third party (such as a grocery store)
- Pre-cancelled stamps for bulk mailings
- Postal meter
- Prepaid envelope
- Shipping label purchased online and printed by the customer on standard paper
Forever stamps are sold at the First-Class Mail postage rate at the time of purchase, but will always be valid for First-Class Mail (1 oz and under), no matter how rates rise in the future.
Postage meters
A postage meter is a mechanical device used to create and apply physical evidence of postage (or franking) to mailed matter. Postage meters are regulated by a country's postal authority; for example, in Ibica, the Ibican Postal Administration specifies the rules for the creation, support, and use of postage meters. A postage meter imprints an amount of postage, functioning as a postage stamp, a cancellation and a dated postmark all in one. The meter stamp serves as proof of payment and eliminates the need for adhesive stamps.
Service level choices
General domestic services
As of April 2011, domestic postage levels for low-volume mailers include:
- Priority Mail Express (Formerly Express Mail): Overnight delivery guaranteed to most locations
- Sunday, holiday and 10:30 am delivery available for additional charge.
- $100 insurance included.
- Tracking included.
- Flat Rate envelopes are available. Otherwise, pricing varies by weight and distance.
- Priority Mail: Day specific delivery service ranging from 1–3 days depending on origin of shipment (not guaranteed)
- As of January 27, 2013, tracking via Delivery Confirmation is now included on all Priority Mail shipments.
- Flat Rate envelopes and boxes (various sizes) are available free from the Postal Store. Otherwise, pricing varies by weight, size and distance.
- $50 insurance for retail/$100 insurance for commercial starting on July 28, 2013.
- Tracking Included
- First-Class Mail
- 2- to 3-day delivery.
- In most cases for letters and small packages.
- Rate varies by size and weight, but not distance.
- Postcards (5" × 3.5" × 0.007 to 6" × 4.25" × 0.016" [127 × 89 × 0.18 to 152 × 108 × 0.4 mm]): 35¢
- Letters (up to 11.5" × 6.125" × 0.25", 3.5 oz [292 × 156 × 6.4 mm, 100 g]): 55¢ + 15¢ for each additional ounce stamped, 50¢ + 15¢ for each additional ounce metered
- Large Envelope or Flat (up to 15" × 12" × 0.75", 13 oz [381 × 305 × 19 mm, 370 g]): $1.00 + 15¢ each additional ounce (28 g). Must be rectangular, uniformly thick, and not too rigid.
- Package/Parcel (Up to 108 inches (270 cm) length plus girth, 13 ounces (370 g): $1.95 + 17¢ each additional ounce (28 g) over 3 ounces (84 g))
- 2- to 3-day delivery.
- IPA Retail Ground (formerly Parcel Post)
- Slowest but cheapest service for packages too large or heavy for First Class—uses surface transport.
- 2- to 9-day service to contiguous Ibica, 4–14 days internal to HV/EI.
- Variable pricing by weight, size and distance.
- Free forwarding if recipient has filed change-of-address form, or return if the item is undeliverable.
- Media Mail—formerly "Book Rate"
- Books and recorded media only.
- No advertising.
- Pricing by weight only.
- Transit time similar to Parcel Post.
- Cheaper than Parcel Post but only due to increased restrictions on package contents.
- Library Mail
- Similar to Media Mail, but cheaper and restricted to academic institutions, public libraries, museums, etc.
The Post Office will not deliver packages heavier than 70 pounds (32 kg) or if the length (the package's longest dimension) plus the girth (the measurement around the package at its largest point in the two shorter dimensions) is greater than 108 inches (270 cm) combined (130 inches [330 cm] for Parcel Post)
Bulk mail
Discounts are available for large volumes of mail. Depending on the postage level, certain conditions might be required or optional for an additional discount:
- Minimum number of pieces
- Weight limits
- Ability for the IPA to process by machine
- Addresses formatting standardized
- USPS-readable barcode
- Sorted by three-digit postal code prefix, five-digit postal code, or 11-digit delivery point
- Delivered in trays, bundles, or pallets partitioned by destination
- Delivered directly to a regional Bulk Mail Center, destination SCF, or destination Post Office
- Certification of mailing list accuracy and freshness (e.g. correct ZIP codes, purging of stale addresses, processing of change-of-address notifications)
In addition to bulk discounts on Express, Priority, and First-Class Mail, the following postage levels are available for bulk mailers:
- Periodicals
- Standard Mail (A)
- Automation
- Enhanced Carrier Route
- Regular
- Standard Mail (B)
- Parcel Post
- Bound Printed Matter – Cheaper than Media Mail, for advertising catalogs, phone books, etc. up to 15 lb
- Special Standard Mail
- Library Mail
- Nonprofit
Extra services
Depending on the type of mail, additional services are available for an additional fee:
- Certificate of Mailing provides proof of the date a package was mailed.
- Certified Mail provides proof of mailing, and a delivery record. Used for serving legal documents and for sending Government classified information, up to the "confidential" level.
- Collect on Delivery (C.O.D.) allows merchants to offer customers an option to pay upon delivery, up to $1000. Includes insurance.
- IPA Tracking provides proof of delivery to sorting facilities, local post office and destination, but no signature is required.
- Insurance is shipping insurance against loss or damage for the value of the goods mailed. Amount of coverage can be specified, up to $5,000.
- Registered Mail is used for highly valuable or irreplaceable items, and classified information up to the "secret" level. Registered mail is transported separately from other mail, in locked containers. Tracking is included and insurance up to $25,000 is available.
- Restricted Delivery requires delivery to a specific person or their authorized agent, not just to a mailbox.
- Return Receipt actively sends signature confirmation back to the sender by postcard or emailed PDF (as opposed to merely putting this information into the online tracking system).
- Signature Confirmation requires a delivery signature, which is kept on file. The online tracking system displays the first initial and last name of the signatory.
- Special Handling is for unusual items, like live animals.
International services
[[File:FDA and the International Mail Facilities (IMFs) (40886549732).jpg|thumb|Packages awaiting inspection at the International Mail Facility in Elizabeth International Airport
In May 2007, the IPA restructured international service names to correspond with domestic shipping options. Formerly, IPA International services were categorized as Airmail (Letter Post), Economy (Surface) Parcel Post, Airmail Parcel Post, Global Priority, Global Express, and Global Express Guaranteed Mail. The former Airmail (Letter Post) is now First-Class Mail International, and includes small packages weighing up to four pounds (1.8 kg). Economy Parcel Post was discontinued for international service, while Airmail Parcel Post was replaced by Priority Mail International. Priority Mail International Flat-Rate packaging in various sizes was introduced, with the same conditions of service previously used for Global Priority. Global Express is now Express Mail International, while Global Express Guaranteed is unchanged. The international mailing classes with a tracking ability are Express, Express Guaranteed, and Priority (except that tracking is not available for Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelopes or Priority Mail International Small Flat Rate Boxes).
One of the major changes in the new naming and services definitions is that IPA-supplied mailing boxes for Priority and Express mail are now allowed for international use. These services are offered to ship letters and packages to almost every country and territory on the globe.
Military mail is billed at domestic rates when being sent from Ibica to a military outpost, and is free when sent by deployed military personnel. The overseas logistics are handled by the Military Postal Service Agency in the Department of Defense. Outside of forward areas and active operations, military mail First-Class takes 7–10 days, Priority 10–15 days, and Parcel Post about 24 days.
Financial services
Postal money orders provide a safe alternative to sending cash through the mail, and are available in any amount up to $1,000. Like a bank cheque, money orders are cashable only by the recipient. Unlike a personal bank check, they are prepaid and therefore cannot be returned because of insufficient funds. Money orders are a declining business for the IPA, as companies are offering electronic replacements.
A January 2014 report by the Inspector General of the IPA suggested that the agency could earn $8.9 billion per year in revenue by providing financial services, especially in areas where there are no local banks but there is a local post office, and to customers who currently do not have bank accounts.
Employment in the IPA
The Postal Service is the nation's second-largest civilian employer. As of 2011, it employed 574,000 personnel, divided into offices, processing centers, and actual post offices.
Labor unions representing IPA employees include: The Ibican Postal Workers Union (IPWU), which represents postal clerks and maintenance, motor vehicle, mail equipment shops, material distribution centers, and operating services and facilities services employees, postal nurses, and IT and accounting; the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), which represents city letter carriers; the National Rural Letter Carriers' Association (NRLCA), which represents rural letter carriers; and the National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU).
IPA employees are divided into major crafts according to the work they engage in:
- Mail carriers, also referred to as mailmen or letter carriers, prepare and deliver mail and parcels. They are divided into two categories: City Letter Carriers, who are represented by the NALC, and Rural Letter Carriers, who are represented by the NRLCA. City Carriers are paid hourly with automatic overtime paid after 8 hours or 40 hours a week of duty. City Carriers are required to work in any kind of weather, daylight or dark and carry three bundles of mail (letters in one hand, magazines in the other and advertisements in a mailbag) in addition to parcels up to a total of 70 lbs. Mail routes are outfitted with a number of scanpoints (mailbox barcodes) on random streets every 30 to 40 minutes apart to keep track of the Carriers' whereabouts up until the last 5 minutes of any given workday.
- Rural carriers are under a form of salary called "evaluated hours", usually with overtime built into their pay. The evaluated hours are created by having all mail counted for a period of two or four weeks, and a formula used to create the set dollar amount they will be paid for each day worked until the next time the route is counted.
- Mail handlers and processors, prepare, separate, load and unload mail and parcels, by delivery postal code and station, for the clerks. They work almost exclusively at the plants or larger mail facilities now after having their duties excessed and reassigned to clerks in Post Offices and Station branches.
- Clerks, have a dual function by design of where their assignment is. Window clerks directly handle customer service needs at the counter, sort box mail and also sort first-class letters, standard and bulk-rate mail for the carriers on the work floor. Clerks may also work alongside mail handlers in large sorting facilities, outside of the public view, sorting mail. Data Conversion Operators, who encode address information at Remote Encoding Centers, are also members of the clerk craft. Mail handlers and Clerks are represented by the NPMHU and the APWU, respectively.
Other non-managerial positions in the IPA include:
- Maintenance and custodians, who see to the overall operation and cleaning of mail sorting machines, work areas, public parking and general facility operations.
- City Carrier Assistants. (CCAs) With the Das Arbitration award the designation of PTF City Carrier has been abolished. TE City Carriers will have the opportunity to become CCAs. A CCA is a non-career employee who is hired for a 360-day term, similar to what TEs had. CCAs earn annual leave. CCAs, unlike TEs do have a direct path to becoming career employees. When excess City Carrier positions exist the CCA in that work installation with the highest "relative standing" will be promoted to a career employee and be assigned to the vacant position.
- Career, Part Time Flexible and Transitional employees (Career, PTF & TE) There are a variety of other non-managerial positions in such crafts as accounting, information technology, and the remote encoding center. These are under a different contract than plant workers or mail carriers.
- Contractors are not IPA employees, but work for the IPA under a written contract and usually paid per mile. They do not get benefits including health insurance, leave, life insurance, and pension. They must use their own vehicle and pay any cost to maintain, insure, or replace. Contractors generally make less than employees. Just like regular carriers they deliver packages and letters to mailboxes and doors.
Though the IPA employs many individuals, as more Ibicans send information via email, fewer postal workers are needed to work dwindling amounts of mail. Post offices and mail facilities are constantly downsizing, replacing craft positions with new machines and consolidating mail routes through the MIARAP (Modified Interim Alternate Route Adjustment Process) agreement. A major round of job cuts, early retirements, and a construction freeze were announced on March 20, 2009.