The Instant Web Companies Announces
Participation as Test Site for PostalOne!

USPS Program to Streamline Data Access
and Eliminate Paperwork to Benefit Direct Marketers

Chanhassen, Minn. (March 5, 2001) –The Instant Web Companies, a combination of printing, envelope conversion and mailing services, announced today the company’s participation as a beta test site for the United States Postal Service’s PostalOne! program that will benefit direct mail marketers.

PostalOne! is expected to streamline the mail acceptance and postage payment process, improve tracking and access to information, eliminate paperwork and provide consistent verification.

“Developing and testing PostalOne! with Instant Web allows the USPS to troubleshoot technological challenges. Instant Web’s unique ability to commingle mail, including profit and non-profit standard mail as well as all types of postage payment – meter, stamp and permit mail, into one large mailing to generate postage savings sets us apart from other mailers,” said Kevin Nielsen, Instant Web, director of operations-mailing. “Instant Web is committing significant programming resources to developing the PostalOne! solution.”

PostalOne! aims to broaden electronic data exchange between the USPS and its business customers. Upon future certification, Instant Web’s direct marketing customers will be able to access mailing information through the Internet in real time. PostalOne! will report mailing activities including postage charged, dates shipped and entry point mailing arrivals.

Mailers using PostalOne! will provide a verified electronic audit trail which will be uploaded to the USPS’s secure PostalOne! website. Detached mail unit postal workers will view the data, using it to perform the required mail acceptance procedures.

“All the paper-shuffling will be replaced with the use of PostalOne!,” said Jim Nord, Instant Web, material control and postal affairs manager. “In the future, we"ll click to a fast, secure and more environmentally friendly way of entering mail into the postal system.”

Under the current system, data is typically not available until a day after the request. Multiple forms are also the present standard resulting in mountains of paperwork and wasted staff time.

The Instant Web Companies, headquartered in Chanhassen, Minn., has served the North American printing and mailing market for over 30 years. The Instant Web Companies provides integrated printing, envelope and mailing services for direct marketers.

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