April 5, 2007

Proposed Mailing Standards for Periodicals

We posted a proposal for comment today on usps.com/ratecase to provide new mailing standards to accompany the Periodicals portion of the R2006-1 pricing change. We will also publish the proposal in print and online in the Federal Register.

Our new Periodicals prices will enhance efficiency and better ensure that all types of Periodicals mail cover their costs. Mailers will have new incentives to use efficient containers and bundles, and copalletization will become a permanent offering to encourage more publishers to combine mailings. We also add new prices for the editorial portion of a mailing to give mailers of high-editorial-content publications access to lower destination entry rates.

We are delaying the implementation of the new Periodicals prices and mailing standards until July 15, 2007, to give postal employees and mailers more time to prepare for the complex pricing structure recommended by the Postal Regulatory Commission. The Commission recommended Outside-County rates based on pieces, pounds, bundles, and containers. The new piece rates will vary based on machinability and barcoding; bundle and container rates will vary based on presort level and point of entry. We encourage all Periodicals mailers to review and comment on our proposal as they prepare for the July Periodicals pricing change.