Beginning September 22, a three-tiered, flexible pricing structure for flat- and letter-mail tracking will enable senders or recipients to follow their mail to delivery.

Confirm® is a new service using unique mailer-applied barcodes called PLANET Codes. These barcodes, along with the appropriate delivery address POSTNET barcodes, enable a participating mailer to identify where and when outgoing automation-compatible mail and incoming automation-compatible reply mail are scanned in various postal operations. This service combines barcode technology with the electronic infrastructure of automated Postal Service processing equipment to record and transmit data for successfully scanned pieces prepared according to Confirm specifications.

• The Postal Service will offer Confirm in a three-tiered subscription format, designated as "Silver," "Gold," and "Platinum" as follows:
• The Silver subscription level, with a $2,000 fee and a term of three consecutive months, entitles the subscriber to one identification code and up to 15 million scans during the term of subscription.
• The Gold subscription level, with a $4,500 fee and a term of 12 consecutive months, entitles the subscriber to one identification code and up to 50 million scans during the term of the subscription.
• The Platinum subscription level, with a $10,000 fee and a term of 12 consecutive months, entitles the subscriber to three identification codes and an unlimited number of scans during the term of the subscription.

Silver, Gold, and Platinum level subscribers can license additional identification codes for $500 for three-month intervals or until the expiration of the associated subscription, whichever occurs first. Silver and Gold level subscribers also can license additional scans at any time before the expiration of the associated subscription: Silver in blocks of 2 million scans at $500, and Gold in blocks of 6 million scans for $750.

A Gold level subscription can also be upgraded to a Platinum level subscription any time before the expiration of the Gold subscription with the payment of the difference in the subscription fees. Upgrading from Gold to Platinum does not extend the term of the initial subscription.

Vice President for Product Development Nicholas Barranca said, "Confirm not only responds to customer demand but it is an important element of our Transformation Plan to secure the future of affordable mail service to every American. Confirm’s innovative new pricing structure — subscription service rather than per-use charges — represents real value for customers and real value for the Postal Service."

For mailers interested in using Confirm as part of their business process, the USPS has several sources for exploring the various uses of this technology-based service. USPS account representatives or account managers are available to help, or mailers can obtain Information and assistance from the National Customer Support Center at 1-800-238-3150.

The USPS also maintains up-to-date information, applications, and forms on its special Web site, www.planetcodes.com.

— Mail Preparation and Standards