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POSTAL UPDATES

11/17/26: Stay Ahead with the Latest Postal Industry Insights from GrayHair Software!

Request the full, 18 page report. Executive Summary  The USPS Board of Governors (BOG) met to review FY25 financial results and service performance, and to discuss the ongoing transformation under the "Delivering for America" plan. The key takeaway is a continued push...

Holiday Mail Delays – The USPS and the Government Shutdown: An Updated Holiday Warning

The U.S. Postal Service relies heavily on the infrastructure and personnel of other government agencies (like the FAA) and private contractors. This interdependence creates a serious indirect impact that threatens the predictable speed of your mail.

10/21/25: Stay Ahead with the Latest Postal Industry Insights from GrayHair Software!

Key Postal Update: Lower 2026 Postage Projections, Zone Pricing Denied, and Network Changes ⇓ DOWNLOAD THE NEWSLETTER (PDF) We've compiled the most critical updates from the latest postal developments to keep you informed of changes that may impact your direct mail...

No USPS Price Change

Big news from the USPS: There will be no price change in January 2026 for First-Class, Marketing Mail, and Periodicals. Here's a quick breakdown of what this announcement really means for mailers USPS Price Change Update: What Does "No January Increase" Actually Mean...

August 2025 USPS Financials

Today, September 24th, the Postal Service filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission their Unaudited Financials for the month of August 2025.   For months that do not close out a quarter USPS provides their unaudited financials revenues and volumes, reporting out the...

What’s in store for postage rates in January 2026?

The path forward for a potential USPS postage increase in early 2026 is anything but straightforward. Here's what you need to know: The Forecast: The USPS expects to have about a 1.2% rate authority available for a January price change. We'll know the final number...

Postmarks and Postal Possession Updates

The proposed rule educates, formalizes, and clarifies the public understanding of postmarks within the Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)  By Deborah Damore, Head of Postal Affairs, GrayHair Software August 13, 2025 A notice of proposed rulemaking was published in the Federal...

8/8/25: Stay Ahead with the Latest Postal Industry Insights from GrayHair Software!

Don’t miss out on critical developments affecting the postal landscape. Deb Damore, Head of Postal Affairs at GrayHair Software, brings you a concise breakdown of the most recent Board of Governors Meeting highlights, USPS financial performance, and service updates.

Milestone Dates in USPS History

Below are just a few of the dates of importance and and their significance to the Postal Service:  1639 - A former tavern in Boston becomes the first Post Office store. 1775 - Benjamin Franklin appointed as the first Postmaster General. 1815 - Steamboats begin...

USPS 250th Anniversary

The United States Postal Service turned 250 on Saturday July 26th, 2025, which is more than a year before the United States became the United States when on September 9th, 1776 the Second Continental Congress adopted the new name “United States of America” for what...

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Q3 MTAC Update

Changes to Quarterly Meetings

The quarterly MTAC meetings in Washington, DC, are being reformatted to focus on deeper, more technical discussions between the USPS and the mailing industry.

With these changes, attendance will be more restricted, and presentations or notes won’t be as widely distributed. If you’re part of an MTAC association, now is the time to ensure your MTAC Representatives are providing thorough feedback from these meetings. You can also consider becoming an MTAC Rep for a participating association. For more information, including current vacancies, visit the MTAC Membership Information page.

Emerging Mail Challenges

The ongoing issue of Undeliverable/Return mail continues to pose challenges due to increased volume and processing time. Additionally, several mailers have reported new processing issues:

  • Mail returned without Yellow stickers: Some mail has been returned without any indication of why it was undeliverable. This issue stemmed from an error with the Mail Service Provider (MSP), where the return address was mistakenly read and used to create the IMb, causing the USPS to deliver the pieces to the wrong address. Ensure Return and Addressee addresses are clearly separated and correctly placed on the mailpiece per USPS standards.
  • Marketing mail returned to sender instead of being disposed of: This issue is currently under investigation.
  • First Class mail incorrectly processed to generate a manual ACS notice: The root cause is under investigation.
  • BRM and CRM mail returned as undeliverable: Multiple potential root causes are under investigation. Mailers using unique piece identification and tracking on their reply mail can identify impacted pieces, associate them with the exact client, and mitigate negative impacts.

These updates highlight the importance of staying informed and engaged with MTAC developments. As always, we encourage you to remain connected and proactive in addressing these challenges.

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