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11-2 MAC Gold Pre-Approved MMS

11-2.1 Description

Some Manifest Mailing System developers and their customers who ship packages might make a request for a pre-approved MMS. The developers want to provide a system to their customers that, once installed, needs no further approval at the local level so that the users may begin shipping packages immediately after the system is installed.

MAC Gold has been developed to meet this need. MAC Gold is a division of the MAC (Manifest Analysis and Certification) program currently administered by the National Customer Support Center (NCSC). When the NCSC approves an MMS product (software and hardware) under MAC Gold, that MMS product needs no further approval as long as it is installed and operated according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

All MAC Gold systems, regardless of developer, produce manifests, postage statements, and shipping labels in identical formats.

11-2.2 Eligibility

MAC Gold is limited to manifest mailings of the following:

  1. Single-piece rate Priority Mail.
  2. Single-piece rate First-Class Mail.
  3. Single-piece rate Parcel Post packages.

MAC Gold systems must also support the following extra services, which are the only extra services available for MAC Gold:

  1. Delivery Confirmation.
  2. Signature Confirmation.
  3. Insurance.

11-2.3 Minimum Volume Requirements

  1. Mailers using a MAC Gold system must meet the minimum volume requirements of 200 pieces or 50 pounds, except as described in 1-5.6 and 11-2.3b.
  2. MAC Gold systems may be used in conjunction with the Minimum Volume Reduction Provision (MVRP) as described in 11-1 if the MVRP is approved prior to the start-up of the MAC Gold system. The MVRP must be signed and included as an addendum to the MAC Gold MMS authorization (Exhibit 12) and sent with the other required documents in the application package as described in 11-2.5.

11-2.4 How MAC Gold Works

  1. Under the traditional MAC program, the NCSC tests a developer’s MMS software only by sending the developer an electronic test. The developer runs the test at his or her site and sends the output back to the NCSC, which then grades the results. This process has greatly improved the consistency and accuracy of MMS software, but each MMS installation still must be approved through a multi-level process.
  2. Under the MAC Gold program, however, a developer’s entire system — software and hardware — is certified as compliant. The developer sends his or her software to the NCSC along with hardware specifications and instructions for use. The NCSC puts the developer’s system through several tests to determine if it will function accurately under many conditions and on the specified hardware.
  3. If the results of the test are 100-percent accurate, then the MMS product is certified by product name and version number. The developer is given a MAC Gold certificate, and the information about the system is published in the MAC Gold Product Listing. The Product Listing states types of hardware the software will run on and the specific types of scales certified for use with that system. That list may be obtained on the Internet at http://ribbs.usps.gov/files/mac/CSP.
  4. When a MAC Gold system is sold, the supplier and the mailer follow the required MAC Gold application process. If that process is followed, then the mailer should be able to begin mailing on the mailer’s desired start date with no approval needed at the local level.
  5. The software and hardware components are specifically certified. Use of non-certified components nullifies the MAC Gold MMS authorization.
  6. If the mailer will be using either pickup service (see 1-11) or the Minimum Volume Reduction Provision (see 11-2.3b), then these options must be approved prior to the start-up of the MAC Gold system.
  7. It is important to remember that, although MAC Gold systems are pre-approved, this pre-approval does not guarantee that errors in postage payment will not occur. MAC Gold MMS are still subject to postage sampling procedures and postage adjustments if required by the results.

11-2.5 MAC Gold Application Process

  1. Supplier and Mailer Responsibilities

    2. As soon as the system is sold, the supplier and the mailer must follow these steps to ensure that the system is approved to begin mailing on the desired start date:

    1. Complete and sign the MAC Gold Application (Exhibit 11).
    2. Acquire a permit imprint account at the office of mailing, if the mailer does not already have one.
    3. Complete and sign PS Form 1357-S, Request for Computer Access, if the use of Delivery Confirmation or Signature Confirmation is desired.
    4. If applicable, include the Minimum Volume Reduction Provision signed by the regional manager of Sales (see 11-2.3b).
    5. Mail the application and PS Form 1357-S to the MAC Gold Department at the NCSC (if desired, use Express Mail service for speedier delivery).
  2. NCSC Responsibilities

    3. The National Customer Support Center (NCSC) has the following principle responsibilities:

    1. Log in receipt of the MAC Gold application.
    2. Review the application for accuracy and completeness.
    3. If there are any discrepancies with the application, contact the applicant to resolve them.
    4. If all is acceptable, forward the application packet to the administering district. The application packet includes the following:
      1. Original signed application.
      2. MAC Gold certificate and product listing.
      3. Samples of manifest, postage statements, and shipping labels.

      Note: These samples are generic samples produced from the approved MAC Gold product that the mailer will be using; they may not reflect the mailer’s particular information, such as name and address or particular rate category or combination of rate categories he or she may mail. For example, the sample manifest shows Priority Mail and Parcel Post with Delivery Confirmation, but the mailer may be mailing only Priority Mail. The samples are reference material. It is important that the mailer’s live output matches the format, but not necessarily the specific content.

  3. District Responsibilities

The district has the following principle responsibilities:

  1. Log in receipt of the application in the space provided on the reverse of the application form.
  2. Review the application packet using the MAC Gold MMS Application Review Checklist (Exhibit 11A).
    1. If there are any discrepancies with Part A, contact the MAC Gold Department at the NCSC to resolve them.
    2. Contact the administering Post Office to complete Part B and ensure that all is in order to accept the manifest mailings.
  3. Contact the mailer to confirm start date.
  4. Contact the administering Post Office to schedule training for acceptance employees. The training must be completed on or before mailer’s start date.
  5. Schedule the confirmation review.

    6. Note: The preferred time for completing the confirmation review is the mailer’s first day of mailing. If that is not possible, conduct the review within the first week of mailing.

11-2.6 MAC Gold Confirmation Process

  1. Description

    2. MAC Gold systems are pre-approved, but it is necessary for the district to confirm that each system is an authorized MAC Gold product and that no critical errors occur due to incorrect use of the system.

  2. District Responsibilities

    3. The district has the following principle responsibilities:

    1. Conduct a confirmation review using the MAC Gold Confirmation Review Checklist (Exhibit 13). The checklist is self-explanatory and describes the actions required based on the results of the review.
    2. If the review indicates discrepancies, proceed as directed by the checklist.
    3. If the review is favorable, issue the MAC Gold MMS authorization letter (Exhibit 12).

11-2.7 Administrative Requirements

  1. District Manager

    2. The district manager ensures that all administrative procedures for single-piece rate MMS described in this publication are followed unless otherwise allowed in this chapter.

  2. Business Mail Entry Manager

    3. The business mail entry manager ensures that all administrative procedures for single-piece rate MMS described in this publication are followed unless otherwise allowed in this chapter.

    1. Conduct a review of the system using the MAC Gold Manifest Mailing System Review Form (Exhibit 14) if Quarterly MMS Accuracy Worksheets indicate the need as described in chapter 10.
    2. Maintain an administrative file that contains the following:
      1. Copy of the application.
      2. Copy of the MAC Gold certificate.
      3. Copy of the authorization letter.
      4. Copies of the MAC Gold authorized sample manifest.
      5. Postage statements.
      6. Shipping labels.
      7. Quarterly MMS Accuracy Worksheets (2 years), for non-PostalOne! sites.
      8. Review forms.
      9. Any other required authorizations, such as the plant load agreement or pickup service SOP.
  3. Administering Postmaster

    4. The administering postmaster performs the following tasks:

    1. Follow all administrative procedures for single-piece rate MMS described in this publication unless otherwise allowed in this chapter.
    2. Accompany district on any needed reviews. (Note: No semiannual review is required.)
    3. Maintain the administrative file for the term of the authorization. The file contains a copy of the authorization letter, the Quarterly MMS Accuracy Worksheets (two quarters), the plant load agreement (if applicable), and the pickup SOP (if applicable).

11-2.8 Alternate Mailer Quality Control Procedures

MAC Gold Manifest Mailing Systems are by definition high-quality systems and are usually smaller-volume systems. These systems are used only for single-piece rate Priority Mail, single-piece rate First-Class Mail, and/or single-piece rate Parcel Post mailings. The risk of incorrect payment of postage is significantly reduced. Therefore, the mailer’s quality control (QC) does not need to be as extensive as it is for the standard MMS.

The mailer’s QC requirements are described in Article 5 of the authorization (Exhibit 12). These requirements may not be modified.

11-2.9 Alternate Acceptance Procedures

  1. Since the MAC Gold systems are smaller and less complex, the risk of incorrect postage payment is less. Therefore, the frequency of sampling these systems is reduced.
  2. Use Exhibit 10 to determine the sampling frequency.
  3. The sampling size does not change — only the frequency of sampling changes from the usual MMS sampling frequency.
  4. There are no changes to the appropriate actions required when a postage deficiency is detected.

11-2.10 Rescinding a MAC Gold Authorization

Follow the procedures outlined in 10-3.3.




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