As of May 2009, any publisher who uses the “old bar code” on postcards or envelopes will be charged a higher, non-automation postal rate. If you plan to print a large number of postcards or envelopes in the near future, consider whether these will be consumed before May 2009. If not, you will want to work with your supplier to ensure these items are IMB complaint.

At Lane Press, we are well on our way to IMB compliance. We are currently updating our printers and software to IMB standards and plan to be fully IMB compliant by the end of 2008.

As we reported recently, the Postal Service is planning this change because the 2006 Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act mandates that the USPS monitor and report on the timeliness and quality of their mail services. The USPS has settled on this barcode format as the best and most cost-efficient way to gather all the information they need on the intake, processing, and delivery of mail to meet this requirement. Currently, the Postal Service is planning to offer both basic and full-service IMB. Full service will include OneCode ACS and "start the clock" information and, hopefully, a price incentive. The Postal Service intends to announce the fall 2009 IMB prices when it announces its annual price adjustments in February 2009. Postal officials say the POSTNET barcode will be useable (at non-automation rates) until at least May 2011.