postalref

Stamp Fulfillment Services

Stamp Fulfillment Services, or SFS, is a USPS unit in Kansas City, Missouri, that fills stamp and philatelic orders and applies special postmarks. Business mailers can buy stamps from it directly. Priority Mail Express customers funding corporate accounts through the CAPS payment system had to switch to NCMS before its planned retirement in summer 2021.

Updated November 4, 202612 sources

What it is

SFS is a postal unit in Kansas City, Missouri, that supplies orders for stamps and other philatelic products. Its work covers five areas:

  • Orders for stamps, stationery, philatelic products and other retail merchandise, from customers worldwide.
  • Distribution of stock inside the postal network.
  • Postmarking for Post Offices, cachet manufacturers, stamp dealers and the public, with pictorial and digital color postmarks.
  • Oversight of Personalized Stamped Envelopes.
  • Technology and computer system support for tracking financial transactions, reports, data warehousing and banking.

A Personalized Stamped Envelope is a Stamped Envelope with a preprinted return address, and buyers order it through SFS. Servicers and dealers of philatelic covers can buy mail-back service at a fee SFS sets.

The National Customer Management System, or NCMS, is a system that lets SFS work with other USPS organizations on national programs.

Buying stamps from SFS

Business mailers can buy stamps directly from SFS and choose how their orders are delivered. SFS processes every order within 24 business hours of receipt. In July 2022, a standard handling fee of $1.80 applied to every order.

A business mailer orders special precanceled stamps in three steps.

  1. Open a Stamps Now account with SFS, which has no set-up fee.
  2. Choose the stamps to buy and the way to pay.
  3. Choose one of three shipping options.
OptionHow SFS ships the order
Standard ServiceBy Priority Mail to the mailer's address.
Expedited ServiceBy Priority Mail Express, for its fee on top of the $1.80 handling fee.
Priority Mail Express Hold for PickupBy Priority Mail Express to the mailer's local Post Office, station or branch, where the mailer picks it up.

SFS takes payment by credit card, check, wire transfer, or an Automated Clearing House debit from a checking account.

The USPS Corporate Account

A USPS Corporate Account is a funded or credit card–backed account that lets a mailer pay for Priority Mail Express shipments without affixing postage. The mailer receives a monthly itemized statement of pieces mailed and financial transactions. USPS also calls it an Express Mail Corporate Account, or EMCA.

CAPS, the Centralized Account Processing System, was a postage payment system that business mailers used to fund USPS Corporate Accounts and several other services. It was one of the USPS payment systems a customer could use to fund a corporate account.

Moving from CAPS to NCMS

In October 2020, USPS set CAPS to retire in the summer of 2021. Priority Mail Express customers who funded their corporate accounts through CAPS had to start funding them through NCMS. In NCMS, a customer pays by credit card or by Automated Clearing House debit or credit.

The move had two steps: open an NCMS account, then de-link the corporate account from CAPS.

  1. Complete and sign PS Form 5639.
  2. Fax the form to (816) 545-1212, or mail it to the USPS CA Coordinator in Kansas City.
  3. Write a letter on company letterhead, in Word or PDF, asking the CAPS team to de-link the account.
  4. Set the de-linking's effective date 10 business days after submitting PS Form 5639.
  5. Email the letter to SSMCTAS@email.USPS.Gov with the subject EMCA De-Link Request CAPS XXXXX.

USPS said customers would see no break in corporate account payments or Priority Mail Express service from the move. NCMS would charge any Priority Mail Express charges that had not gone through CAPS, once PS Form 5639 was processed.

Rules

Must
Current Priority Mail Express (PME) customers who are using CAPS to fund their EMCA need to start using the USPS National Customer Management System (NCMS) to fund their EMCA.

A Priority Mail Express customer who funds a corporate account through CAPS must start funding it through NCMS.

Must
CONTACT NAME ON THE FORM 5639 AND ON THE CAPS LETTER MUST HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO SIGN THE DOCUMENTS

The contact named on PS Form 5639 and on the de-link letter must have the authority to sign them.

May
Make the effective date for CAPS de-linking 10 business days after you submit your PS 5639 form

The letter sets the de-linking to take effect 10 business days after the customer submits PS Form 5639.

Must
However, Precanceled stamps cannot be purchased with a credit card.

A mailer cannot buy precanceled stamps from SFS with a credit card.

Terms

Stamp Fulfillment Services

Also called SFS

“A postal unit in Kansas City, MO, that supplies philatelic product orders (stamps and other items). It also handles orders for Personalized Stamped Envelopes and applies first-day-of-issue postmarks and other special cancellations.”

USPS Corporate Account

Also called EMCA, Corporate Account, Express Mail Corporate Account

“A funded or credit card–backed account with a corresponding account number that permits a mailer to pay postage for Priority Mail Express shipments without affixing postage. The mailer receives a monthly itemized statement showing pieces mailed for the month and financial transactions.”

Centralized Account Processing System

Also called CAPS, Centralized Accounting Processing System, Centralized Accounts Processing System

“A postage payment system that business mailers can use to fund permit imprint, Business Reply Mail service, Merchandise Return Service, postage due, USPS Corporate Accounts, and Address Element Correction. CAPS is an electronic alternative to presenting checks and cash for postage and fees at multiple Post Offices.”

Priority Mail Express

Also called PME, next-day delivery

“An expedited service for shipping any mailable matter, subject to certain standards such as size and weight limits and certain hazardous materials restrictions, with a money-back guarantee for next-day or second-day delivery in most cases.”

Precanceled Stamps

Also called Precanceled, PC

“A postage stamp canceled by marking across the face before it is sold to mailers for use with bulk mailings. Also, a stamp designated as a precanceled stamp without cancellation marks. Mailpieces with these stamps do not go through a canceling machine at the time of mail processing. Precanceled postage is an optional postage payment method for mailings at Presorted and automation First-Class Mail prices and at all Standard Mail prices.”

mail-back service

“(philatelic) A service available to servicers and dealers of philatelic covers at a fee set by the Stamp Fulfillment Services Center. It is generally permitted on pictorial, standard, or certain first-day-of-issue postmarks on Stamped Cards, Stamped Envelopes, commercial enveloped or cards, or other memorabilia.”

pictorial cancellation

“A postmark with an illustration as part of its design.”

cachet

“(philatelic) A printed decoration on mail matter (such as a design or inscription), often referring to the new postage stamp on a first day cover. The design can be hand-created, printed, rubber-stamped, or pasted, usually on the front left side of the envelope.”

Documents

User Guides

Contacts

The corporate account contacts date from October 2020, and the SFS email from July 2022.

ContactForHow to reach
SFSBuying stamps from SFSstampsnow.info@usps.gov
USPS CA Coordinator, USPS Corporate AccountSending PS Form 5639Fax (816) 545-1212, or mail to 8300 NE Underground Dr. Pillar 210, Kansas City MO 64144-0001
CAPS teamDe-link requestsSSMCTAS@email.USPS.Gov
HelpdeskQuestions on completing PS Form 56391-844-737-7826

What the sources leave out

The sources don't give the day CAPS retired, what replaces XXXXX in the subject line, or the sample letter the steps mention.

Sources