[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 39, Volume 1]
[Revised as of July 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 39CFR501.27]

[Page 189-190]
 
                        TITLE 39--POSTAL SERVICE
 
                 CHAPTER I--UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
 
PART 501--AUTHORIZATION TO MANUFACTURE AND DISTRIBUTE POSTAGE METERS--Table 
of Contents
 
Sec. 501.27  Meters not located.

    Upon learning that one or more of its postage meters in service 
cannot be located, the manufacturer must undertake reasonable efforts to 
locate the meters by following a series of Postal Service-specified 
actions designed to locate the meters. If these efforts are unsuccessful 
and a meter is determined to be lost or stolen, the manufacturer must 
notify the Postal Service within 30 days by submitting a Lost and Stolen 
Meter Incident Report.
    (a) If a licensee cannot be located, the manufacturer must, at a 
minimum, complete the following actions:
    (1) Call the licensee's last known telephone number.
    (2) Call directory assistance for the licensee's new telephone 
number.
    (3) Contact the licensee's local post office for current change of 
address information.
    (4) Contact the local post office for a copy of the applicable PS 
Form 3610 and PS Form 3601-C. Verify the location of the meter or 
licensee currently maintained in those meter records.
    (5) Contact the rental agency responsible for the property where the 
licensee was located, if applicable.
    (6) Visit the licensee's last known address to see whether the 
building superintendent or a neighbor knows the meter licensee's new 
address.
    (7) Check the centralized meter inspection file for change of 
address notation.
    (8) Mail a certified letter with return receipt to the licensee at 
the last known address with the notation ``Forwarding and Address 
Correction Requested.''
    (9) If new address information is obtained during these steps, any 
scheduled meter inspections must be completed promptly.
    (b) If a meter is reported to be lost or stolen by the licensee, the 
manufacturer must, at a minimum, complete the following actions:
    (1) Ensure that the meter licensee has filed a police report and 
that copies have been provided to the appropriate Inspection Service 
Contraband Postage Identification Program (CPIP) specialist.
    (2) Withhold issuance of a replacement meter until the missing meter 
has been properly reported to the police and to the appropriate 
Inspection Service CPIP specialist.
    (c) If the manufacturer later learns that the meter has been located 
and/or recovered, the manufacturer must update lost and stolen meter 
activity records, inspect the meter promptly, initiate a postage 
adjustment or transfer if appropriate, and check the meter out of 
service if a replacement meter has been supplied to the meter licensee.
    (d) If a meter reported to the Postal Service as lost or stolen is 
later located, the manufacturer is responsible for submitting a new Lost 
and Stolen Meter Incident Report that references the initial report and 
outlines the details of how the meter was recovered. This report must be 
submitted to the Postal Service within 30 days of recovery of the meter. 
The meter manufacturer is also responsible for purging lost and stolen 
meter reports that are provided on a periodic basis to the Postal 
Service ISSC for those meters that have been recovered.
    (e) Any authorized manufacturer that fails to comply with 
standardized lost and stolen reporting procedures

[[Page 190]]

and instructions is subject to an administrative sanction under 
Sec. 501.23, as determined by the Postal Service.

[60 FR 30726, June 9, 1995. Redesignated at 66 FR 55097, Nov. 1, 2001]