Program Requirements 

2012 USPS Mobile Commerce and Personalization Promotion

Contents
I.     Background and Program Description
II.    Program Parameters
III.   Registration Requirements
IV.   Mailing Submission Requirements
V.    Mailpiece/Mailing Content Requirements
VI.   Restrictions on Barcode Placement
VII.  Requirements at mail acceptance and Post- mailing
VIII. Technical Information
IX.   Program Office Contact Information
X.    Revision History

Version 3
May 16, 2012

I.  Background and Program Description
The 2011 Mobile Barcode Promotion was successful in generating increased interest in the use of mobile technologies in direct mail. The Postal Service would like to continue to encourage mailers to integrate new mobile technology techniques into direct mail.  Mobile technologies continue to be one of the fastest growing marketing sectors and marketing resources will be increasingly diverted to this medium.  As technology changes the marketing landscape, the Postal Service must ensure that direct mail continues to be a relevant part of the marketing mix.  By encouraging customers to adopt and invest in technologies that enhance how consumers interact and engage with mail, we fundamentally improve the long-term value of the product which will provide substantial benefits in future years.

The 2012 Mobile Commerce and Personalization Promotion provides business mailers with an upfront two percent postage discount on Standard Mail® and First-Class Mail® letters, flats and cards (presort and automation) that include a two-dimensional (2-D) barcode or print/mobile technology that can be read or scanned by a mobile device.  The technology must directly lead the recipient to either:

1. A mobile optimized webpage that allows the recipient to purchase an advertised product or service through a financial transaction on the mobile device.  The entire purchase and checkout experience must be mobile optimized.
or
2. A mobile optimized and personalized web page that is tailored to an individual recipient.  For each mail recipient, the web address and content of the web page must be unique.

II. Program Parameters

Registration Begins: 	May 1, 2012 for participants (mail service providers will be able to register upon the June 10th PostalOne!® Release)
Program Period:	July 1 through August 31, 2012
Discount Amount: 	2% of eligible postage. The mobile barcode discount is calculated in PostalOne! and applied to the postage statement at the time of mailing. The 2% discount is deducted from the postage amounts of qualifying product categories that are paid at the time of mailing.  Normal postage prices as listed in the published Price List (Notice 123) apply to the mailing and the discount is applied to those prices. 
Eligible Mail: 		Standard Mail® letters and flats
			Nonprofit Standard Mail letters and flats
         	First-Class Mail® presort and automation letters, cards and flats 
Ineligible Mail: 	First-Class Mail paying single piece price 
Periodicals (includes Pending Periodicals mail)
Bound Printed Matter
Media Mail
First-Class Mail and Standard Mail parcels
Additional Eligibility:	Mailing may only qualify for one mailing incentive or promotion.  The Full-Service discount may still be claimed and workshare/entry (NCD/SCF/DDU) prices still apply.
Residual Pieces:	If residual, single piece First-Class Mail pieces are included on the postage statement of presort and automation mailings, the mailing will not be disqualified from the promotion, but the residual pieces will not receive the discount. (Normal postage prices - as listed in the published price schedule - apply to the mailing, and the 2% discount is applied to the qualifying product category postage prices  - at the line-item level of postage statement - at the time of mailing.)

III. Registration Requirements
Registration Period: Registration opens May 1, 2012 (for participants) and will continue through August 30, 2012.  Mail service providers will be able to register in late June.

Program Registration: Participants and/or mail service providers (MSP) must register on the Business Customer Gateway (BCG) via the Incentive Program service (gateway.usps.com) and agree to promotion terms at least 24 hours prior to presenting the first qualifying mailing and specify which permits and/or CRIDs will be participating in the promotion.  As part of terms of participation, at the end of the promotion period, mailers agree to complete a survey on the Business Customer Gateway about their participation in the promotion.

There are two methods for MSPs to register their clients for the Mobile Commerce promotion: one is through the Business Customer Gateway as discussed, Mail.dat and Mail.XML eDoc submissions
•	Incentive Program Enrollment through the BCG (Incentive Program service) enables  a mailing agent to enroll and acknowledge promotion terms as an MSP. Enrollment must occur at least 24 hours prior to presenting the first qualifying mailing. 
•	eDoc enrollment using Mail.dat (or Mail.XML) enables MSP to enroll their clients in real-time when eDocs claiming the promotion are submitted. During postage statement finalization, PostalOne! will validate that the MSP CRID in the eDoc is enrolled as an MSP. The PostalOne! system will enroll the client(s) in the Mobile Commerce promotion based on the "For" field data in the eDoc, and will only then calculate the discount if there are no system Warnings. PostalOne! will perform By/For Warning validations for the Mobile Commerce promotion and generate a Warning for MSP CRIDs that are not registered and for invalid CRIDS. PostalOne! will process the eDoc in the case for Warnings (i.e., not fail files and not extend the promotion discount). Note: Mail Owner (clients) need not be pre-registered if the MSP is pre-registered and the MSP completes the By/For, and is paying for the mailing.  Mail Owners who plan to use a service provider are encouraged to enroll in the incentive program through the BCG.

IV. Mailing Submission Requirements
Documentation/Postage Statement:  Mailings must be submitted electronically via mail.dat, mail.xml or Postal Wizard. (Mailings submitted via Postal Wizard claiming the Full Service discount cannot exceed 9,999 pieces.  Basic Service pieces in Postal Wizard mailings are not subject to this limitation.)  Mailings that are prepared and entered by an entity other than the mail owner must indicate the owner’s identity in the electronic documentation ("eDoc"). The eDoc must identify the mail owner and mail preparer in the By/For fields using the Customer Registration ID (CRID) or Mailer ID for the mailer owner and Customer Registration ID (CRID) for the mail preparer. 

Participating mailers will be required to affirmatively claim this promotion in the Incentive Claimed section on electronic postage statement submissions, certifying each mailpiece contains a mobile barcode either within the contents of the mailpiece or on the outside of the mailpiece.  All mailpieces covered by a postage statement must contain a mobile barcode or equivalent print technology.

Combined and Commingled Mailings: First-Class Mail and Standard Mail commingled, combined, and co-mail mailings (including MLOCR mailings) may only qualify for the Mobile Barcode Promotion if:
•	All of the pieces commingled in the mailing have mobile barcodes, or
•	the mailings include multiple clients (or versions) but have separate postage statements generated for the mailpieces that contain mobile barcodes. 

Mailing Date: Mail must be tendered for acceptance during the promotion period, July 1, 2012, through August 31, 2012. Plant-Verified Drop Shipment (PVDS) mailings that are verified and paid for during the promotion period (July 1 to August 31, 2012), and that qualify for the Mobile Commerce and Personalization Promotion will be accepted at destination entry postal facilities through September 15, 2012, when presented with appropriate verification and payment documentation (PS Form 8125). A PVDS mailing that qualifies for the Mobile Commerce and Personalization Promotion –its verification or actual drop ship can not occur before July 1st.  Any qualifying mailing that is accepted and paid for prior to July 1st is not eligible for the promotion discount.

IMb Requirements:  Mailings of automation letters or flats must have Intelligent Mail® barcodes. Mailpieces with POSTNET™ barcodes claiming automation prices will not be eligible for the price reduction. More details about this requirement are as follows:

Mail Category	IMb Required	IMb Not Required	
First-Class Mail Letters and Cards	Automation (5-digit, 3-digit, AADC, Mixed AADC)	Presorted (Machinable and Nonmachinable)	
First-Class Mail Commercial Flats	Automation (5-digit, 3-digit, AADC, Mixed AADC)	Presorted (Machinable)	
Standard Mail Letters – Carrier Route & Automation (includes Nonprofit)	Carrier Route (Saturation, High Density & Basic)
Automation (5-digit, 3-digit, AADC, Mixed AADC)		
Standard Mail Letters – Nonautomation (includes Nonprofit)	 	Carrier Route (Saturation, High Density and Basic)
Machinable (AADC & Mixed AADC)
Nonmachinable (5-digit, 3-digit, AADC, Mixed ADC)	
Standard Mail Flats (includes Nonprofit)	Automation (5-digit, 3-digit, ADC, Mixed ADC)	Carrier Route (Saturation, High Density & Basic)
Nonautomation (5-digit, 3-digit, ADC, Mixed ADC)	

Postage Payment Method: Postage must be paid using a Permit Imprint, or Precancelled Stamp permit.  Some Meter Permit mailings may qualify.  OMAS and “Official Government Mail” mailings are not eligible for the promotion.  Every Door Direct  Mail (EDDM) deposited at a Business Mail Entry Unit may qualify, but EDDM Retail mailings taken to local Post Office retail units are ineligible to participate.

Meter Mail Payment Option: Meter mailers with advance deposit (permit) accounts who submit qualifying mailings may receive the discount applied to net postage due.  All discounts must be claimed at the time of mailing and cannot be rebated at a later date.  Customers who wish to claim the incentive must affix the appropriate reduced promotion amounts listed below to each piece in the mailing. Note this translates into setting the electronic file to “M” for Metered Neither because the pre-denominated amount is not the amount of postage affixed.

Processing Category	Incentive Postage  Amount Affixed	
First-Class Mail Cards	$0.20	
First-Class Mail Letters auto and presort	$0.25	
First-Class Mail NM Letters	$0.45	
First-Class Mail Flats - auto and presort	$0.35	
		
Standard Mail Regular Auto/PRSRT/CR Letters	$0.12	
Standard Mail Regular Auto/PRSRT/CR Flats	$0.13	
		
Standard Mail Nonprofit Auto/PRSRT/CR Letters	$0.05	
Standard Mail Nonprofit Auto/PRSRT/CR Flats	$0.06	

The net postage due for the mailing must be paid from an advance deposit (permit) account.

The mailer must have documentation (USPS Qualification Report) to support mail preparation and piece count to determine additional postage due. 

For Mailers approved for Combined Value Added Refund or Value Added Refund mailings and who mark qualifying mailings as Metered Neither, any additional postage due will be reduced by the amount of the discount to be refunded. If the electronic file is set to "C" for Metered Correct, the discount will be forfeited, because it is assumed that the calculated amount of postage affixed is the correct published price (not the reduced promotion amount) and there is no postage due.

NOTE: THE DISCOUNT MUST BE CLAIMED AT THE TIME OF MAILING AND CANNOT BE REBATED AT A LATER DATE

V.  Mailpiece/Mailing Content Requirements
The mobile barcode or similar print technology must take a consumer to a mobile optimized site that either enables mobile commerce or is personalized for the recipient. All qualifying mail must contain a mobile barcode or equivalent technology that when scanned by a mobile device equipped with the correct reader application opens a web page.  This technology may consist of mailpieces that contain open-sourced barcodes (such as a QR Code® or Datamatrix code), a proprietary barcode or tag (such as SnapTags or MS Tags), an image embedded with a digital watermark or utilizing intelligent print image recognition.  The mailpiece must also contain text near the barcode or image providing guidance to the consumer to scan the barcode or image. Additional requirements are listed below.

Mobile Commerce 
If the barcode is used to facilitate mobile commerce:
•	The destination web page(s) must contain information relevant to the content of the mailpiece and some or all of the service(s) and/or product(s) advertised in the mailpiece must be available for purchase through a financial transaction on a mobile device.
•	The destination web pages must reside on a website platform that contains (or is deeply integrated with) a checkout functionality that allows the customer to finalize the purchase of the good or service referenced in the mailpiece through a complete mobile optimized experience.  
•	Websites used for the e-bill payment of prior purchases of goods or services, or regularly scheduled payments (weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, etc.) for goods and services are not eligible.

Ineligible Mobile Barcode Uses (include but are not limited to)
•	Register for event/seminar/class 
•	Make payment online for prior purchases or recurring services
•	Sign up for email list, text messages or mailing list
•	Sign up for online billing or paperless statement services
•	Download a deal or coupon
•	Enter a contest or sweepstakes
•	Sign up for an newsletter (electronic or hard copy)
•	Proxy stock vote
•	Take a survey
•	Confirm a reservation (like doctor or haircut appointment)
•	Any link to a non-mobile optimized site
•	Download and or receive text information such as directions/contact info
•	Link to sign-in page for online account
•	Link to webpage with information
•	”Like” or “share” on social network site

Mobile Personalization 
If the mobile barcode leads to a personalized website:
•	The mobile barcode must lead directly to the personalized page.
•	For each mailpiece recipient, the web address is tailored to the recipient, as is the content of the web page.  
•	Unique web page content is based on relevant customer data such as prior behavior, life stage, segmentation, and demographics.

Mobile Optimization
A Mobile Optimized Site is a website which is specifically designed for optimum performance when viewed on a mobile device such as a smartphone. There are several commonly used techniques for developing mobile websites that bridge the differences between a full sized monitor and a mobile display. Participants must use some of these (or similar) techniques to qualify for the promotion.
•	Screen Size and Resolution is adjusted so that users do not have to scroll horizontally
•	Page sizes are compressed to enable faster downloading 
•	Outbound links take users only to mobile optimized pages
•	Contrast and color scheme is adjusted for viewing on smaller screens and outdoor viewing.
•	Device detection directs mobile users to appropriately formatted content
•	Use menu options as opposed to free-text entry whenever possible

VI. Restrictions on Barcode Placement
The barcode cannot be placed on a detached address label (DAL) or card that is not attached to or enclosed within the mailpiece (e.g., unattached blow-in card).

The mobile barcode cannot be placed in the indicia zone or the barcode clear zone on the outside of the mailpiece.  Additional guidance is provided below:

BARCODE CLEAR ZONE
Barcode Clear Zone for Letters:
The barcode clear zone for letters is defined in the Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®) section below. DMM design requirements (DMM Sections 202.5.1) must be met:

DMM® 202.5.1 Barcode Clear Zone
Each letter-size piece in an automation price or an Enhanced Carrier Route price mailing must have a barcode clear zone unless the piece bears a POSTNET or an Intelligent Mail barcode with a delivery point routing code (see 708.4.3) in the address block. The barcode clear zone and all printing and material in the clear zone must meet the reflectance standards in 708.4.4. The barcode clear zone is a rectangular area in the lower right corner of the address side of cards and letter-size pieces defined by these boundaries:

a. Left: 4-3/4 inches from the right edge of the piece.
b. Right: right edge of the piece.
c. Top: 5/8 inch from the bottom edge of the piece.
d. Bottom: bottom edge of the piece.

A pictorial description of the barcode clear zone on letters can be found in Quick Service Guide 602 at the link below:
http://pe.usps.com/text/qsg300/Q602.htm#1009536

Barcode Clear Zone for Flats
For flats, the mobile barcode should not be placed within 1/8” of the actual routing (POSTNET or Intelligent Mail) barcode.  

INDICIA ZONE
The “indicia zone” is two inches from the top edge by four inches from the right edge of the mailpiece; in addition the mobile barcode should not be placed within two inches of the actual postage indicia when the indicia is not placed in the described “indicia zone.”

Indicia Zone For Flats
For optimal processing, we strongly advise to avoid placing the mobile barcode in the destination address block and indicia. 

Indicia Zone for Letters
The QR codes are two-dimensional (2D) barcodes similar to the Information Based Indicia (IBI) codes used in Meter labels and PC Postage. The “Indicia Area” on letter mail is the top-right corner, the Postal Service’s Barcode Sorters look for these IBI codes in the zone 2” from the top edge x 4” from the right edge of the mailpiece.  More than one 2D code in the “Indicia Zone” will overload Postal Service barcode readers and could result in missed valid IBI scans and low read rate of routing codes.  This is why mobile barcodes are excluded from this section of the mailpiece.

VII. Requirements at mail acceptance and Post- mailing
At Mail Acceptance:  The mailer must provide a hard copy, unaddressed sample of the mailpiece showing the placement of the mobile barcode to the acceptance clerk. If a mailing contains mobile barcode mail from multiple mailers, a hard copy sample of each mailer's mailpiece must be presented.  If mobile personalization is used, at least two samples must be submitted demonstrating that the web addresses are unique to each recipient. All mailings are subject to standard acceptance and verification procedures and may be inspected for use of the mobile barcode.
•	Addressed samples will not be accepted (this is especially important for First-Class Mail as it would give the appearance of a piece that was paid for, but not delivered). If pieces are variably printed, one sample that is comparable to the mailing may be presented.
•	If the mailer is unable to print an unaddressed mailpiece the mailer should remove a piece from the mailing, remove the address (e.g. place a blank address label over the address) and submit it at mail acceptance.  As an alternative, for Standard Mail an addressed piece may be accepted if the mailer marks through the address and marks "Mobile Barcode USPS Piece Sample" on the piece. 

Post Mailing Requirements:  During the promotion period and after the promotion period has ended, the Postal Service will conduct a random sample of mailpieces that qualified for the discount. All mailers who receive the discount must retain an electronic or hard copy sample of the mailpiece until October 31, 2012, and if requested by the Postal Service must forward such sample to the Mobile Barcode Promotion program office.
•	One sample must be retained for each individual mailing (postage statement) that qualifies for the discount. If a mailing contains mobile barcode mail from multiple mailers, a sample of each mailer's mailpiece must be retained.
•	If the mobile barcode links to a webpage that goes inactive prior to August 31, 2012 a screenshot of the website(s) must be retained and forwarded to the program office if requested.

The Program Office will conduct a random sampling of mailpieces collected at Business Mail Entry Units to verify that the submissions meet program requirements.  The Postal Service reserves the right to pursue a revenue deficiency for mailings that do not meet all program requirements.

VIII. Technical Information

For further technical information, please refer to the Postal Service Mail.dat Technical Specification on RIBBS at https://ribbs.usps.gov/intelligentmail_guides/documents/tech_guides/datspec/PostaloneMaildatTechSpec.pdf 
and Postal Service Mail.XML Technical Specification on RIBBS at https://ribbs.usps.gov/intelligentmail_schedule/documents/tech_guides/june2012/docs/guides/MailXMLeDoc12X.pdf

IX. Program Office Contact Information
Further questions can be directed to the Program Office.   Although not required, the Program Office will review samples and scenarios to determine if program requirements have been met.

Email: 		mobilebarcode@usps.gov
Facsimile: 	202-268-0238
Mail:  		US Postal Service
		Attn: Mobile Barcode Promotion Program Office
		475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, RM 5446
		Washington, DC 20260-5446

Information and resources will also be posted online at:  https://ribbs.usps.gov/index.cfm?page=mobilebarcode 

X.  Revision History

Date	Section	Reason For Revision	Version	
3/14/12	N/A	Initial draft	1.0	
4/10/2012	III. Registration Requirements
	Clarified enrollment methods
Removed references to MSP declaration	2.0	
4/10/2012	IV. Mailing Submission Requirements
	Clarified
•	PVDS Mailings under Mailing Date section.
•	Metered Mail Option for CVAR and VAR mailings under Meter Mail Payment Option.
	2.0	
5/16/2012	III. Registration Requirements	Removed (the message will not be fully functional)
•	For all incentives in general, an MSP can use the new Mail.XML Incentive Enrollment Create Request Message to enroll (June 2012 - Release 10 Mail.XML v12.0A).	3.0	
5/16/2012	III. Registration Requirements	Clarified
•	eDoc enrollment is for the benefit of the Mail Service Provider is enrolling their customer but is also paying for the mailing.	3.0	
5/16/2012	IV. Mailing Submission Requirements	Revised
•	The eDoc must identify the mail owner and mail preparer in the By/For fields by Customer Registration ID (CRID) or Mailer ID for the mailer owner and by Customer Registration ID (CRID for the mail preparer. 	3.0