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Published Federal Register Notices
A complete list of Postal Service-related Federal Register Notices is available on RIBBS by clicking
on Federal Register Notices in the left frame.
DATE: Pending publication in the Federal Register.
Mailing Requirement Changes for Parcel Select
AGENCY: Postal Service™
ACTION: Proposed rule.
SUMMARY:
This proposal would revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®) to
reflect changes to the mailing requirements of our Shipping Services product, Parcel Select®, by requiring new
markings on BMC-Presort or OBMC-Presort (Inter-BMC), and origin-entered Barcoded Intra-BMC and Barcoded Inter-BMC
packages.
DATES: We must receive your comments on or before [INSERT 30 days from date of publication].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bert Olsen at 202-268-7276
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Parcel Select has been redefined as a Shipping Services product using permit imprint or metered postage when mailing
50 pieces or more. In addition to destination-entered packages, Parcel Select will include BMC-Presort or
OBMC-Presort (Inter-BMC), and origin-entered Barcoded Intra-BMC and Barcoded Inter-BMC packages. To support the
expanded product make-up and the separation of Parcel Select from Parcel Post®, effective September 30, 2008,
the "Parcel Post" marking will not be allowed on any Parcel Select package. We encourage shippers to begin using
the following markings as soon as possible, but no later than September 30, 2008:
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Destination Entry – “Parcel Select.” |
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BMC – “Parcel Select BMC Presort” or “Parcel Select BMC PRSRT”. |
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OBMC Presort (Inter-BMC) – “Parcel Select OBMC Presort” or “Parcel Select OBMC PRSRT”. |
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Barcoded Intra-BMC and Barcoded Inter-BMC – “Parcel Select Barcoded” or “Parcel Select BC”. |
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WORD
DATE: Pending publication in the Federal Register.
Repositionable Notes Transitioned from an Experimental Test to a Permanent Classification
AGENCY: Postal Service™
ACTION: Final rule.
SUMMARY:
On February 27, 2008, the Postal Service™, in accordance with the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act, gave
notice to the Postal Regulatory Commission, that the Governors of the Postal Service established Repositionable
Notes (RPNs) as a permanent classification. The 3” by 3” removable, paper notes are an optional feature for
commercial First-Class Mail®, Periodicals, and Standard Mail®.
EFFECTIVE DATE: April 4, 2008, the day the experiment ended.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carol A. Lunkins at 202-268-7262
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Over a three-year testing period, RPNs have proven compatible with postal automation letter and flat processing
equipment. The removable notes can be mailed on postcards, envelopes, flats, catalogs, magazines, and newspapers
to highlight important information or special offers. The notes are easily removed so that customers can keep the
information handy.
RPNs add to the value of mail as an advertising medium and contribute directly to net postal revenue. The use of
RPNs has aided postal customers with increasing brand awareness and generated sales and repeat business for their
organizations.
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WORD
DATE: Published in the Federal Register April 30, 2008.
Implementation of New Standards for Intelligent Mail® Barcodes
AGENCY: Postal Service™
ACTION: Proposed rule
SUMMARY:
On January 7, 2008, we published in the Federal Register (Volume 73, Number 4) an advance notice of our intention
to require the use of Intelligent Mail barcodes on all letters and flats mailed at automation prices as of January,
2009. We presented our Intelligent Mail vision and asked for comments from our customers. We described two options
for using Intelligent Mail barcodes: the basic option and the full-service option. In this proposed rule, we have
summarized comments and are now publishing our revised mailing standards for the use of Intelligent Mail barcodes.
DATES: We must receive your comments on or before [INSERT 30 days from date of publication]. Early comments
are encouraged. Commenters may submit additional comments any time before [INSERT 30 days from date of publication].
ADDRESSES: Mail or deliver written comments to the Manager, Mailing Standards, U.S. Postal Service,
475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Room 3436, Washington DC 20260-3436. You may inspect and photocopy all written comments at
USPS Headquarters Library, 475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, 11th Floor N, Washington DC between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday
through Friday.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Chatfield, 202-268-7278, Karen Zachok, 202-268-8779, or Uni Han-Norton, 202-268-8437.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Current mailing standards for automation prices require either POSTNET™ barcodes or Intelligent Mail barcodes on
letters and flats. Both barcode formats contain routing information, but Intelligent Mail barcodes offer much more.
They can include indicators for added services such as Address Change Service and Confirm®, and enable tracking of
individual mailpieces throughout our processing system. This additional visibility will enable us to improve service
and efficiency, as well as add value to the mail.
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WORD
DATE: Pending publication in the Federal Register.
International Commercial Pricing Incentives
AGENCY: Postal Service™
ACTION: Final rule.
SUMMARY:
The Postal Service is revising Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual
(IMM®) to reflect the addition of commercial base pricing and commercial volume pricing incentives for Express
Mail International® and Priority Mail International®.
EFFECTIVE DATE: May 12, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Obataiye Akinwole at 703-292-5260 or Christy Bonning at 202-268-2108.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (Postal Act of 2006) gives the Postal Service increased flexibility in
pricing, product enhancements, and product introductions. Described here are the price incentives and changes in
international mailing standards.
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WORD
DATE: Published in the Federal Register May 7, 2008.
New Address Requirements for Automation, Presorted, and Carrier Route Flat-Size Mail
AGENCY: Postal Service™
ACTION: Final rule.
SUMMARY:
The Postal Service adopts new address placement and formatting requirements for Periodicals, Standard Mail®, Bound
Printed Matter, Media Mail®, and Library Mail flat-size pieces sent at automation, presorted, or carrier route
prices. We also adopt related revisions for automation and presorted First-Class Mail® flats.
EFFECTIVE DATE: March 29, 2009.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carrie Witt, 202-268-7279.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
The Postal Service is implementing a new technology, the Flats Sequencing System (FSS), to automate delivery
sequencing for flat-size mail. Currently, flat-size mail is sorted mechanically only to the 9-digit ZIP Code™ or
carrier level, and then manually sorted into delivery order by carriers. FSS can sort flat-size mailpieces into
delivery sequence, increasing efficiency by reducing carriers’ time sorting mail, and allowing carriers to begin
delivering mail earlier in the day.
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WORD
DATE: Published in the Federal Register April 16, 2008.
Pricing and Requirement Changes for Competitive Products
AGENCY: Postal Service™
ACTION: Final rule.
SUMMARY:
The Postal Service is revising Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual
(DMM®) to reflect changes to the prices and standards for the following competitive products, now referred to
as Shipping Services:
Express Mail®
Priority Mail®
Parcel Select®
Parcel Return Service®
EFFECTIVE DATE: May 12, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bert Olsen at 202-268-7276 or Monica Grein at 202-268-8411.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006 (PAEA) gives the Postal Service increased flexibility in
pricing, product enhancements, and product introductions. On March 4, 2008, the Governors of the Postal Service
established new prices and product features for Shipping Services. This Federal Register notice describes these
price and product changes and the mailing standards changes needed to implement them.
TEXT PDF
WORD
DATE: Pending publication in the Federal Register.
First-Class Mail International™ M-Bag Service, International Priority Airmail™ Service, and International Surface Air Lift® Service.
AGENCY: Postal Service™.
ACTION: Final rule.
SUMMARY:
The Postal Service adopts new mailing standards for International Priority Airmail (IPA®) service and International
Surface Air Lift (ISAL®) service. These changes reflect the shape-based standards published in the Federal Register
on February 20, 2008. Prices for IPA and ISAL will continue to be calculated by piece and pound. New prices will be
adopted, but the pricing structure will not change.
The Postal Service is also adopting new country price groups for First-Class Mail International M-Bag, Direct Sacks to
One Addressee, service. These changes reflect the nine country price groups for First-Class Mail International
published in the Federal Register on February 20, 2008.
TEXT PDF
WORD
DATE: Published in the Federal Register March 14, 2008.
Letter-Size Booklets and Folded Self-Mailers
AGENCY: Postal Service
ACTION: Advanced notice of proposed rulemaking.
SUMMARY:
The Postal Service is developing new mailing standards for folded self-mailers, booklets,
and folded booklets mailed at automation and machinable letter prices. This notice provides
advance information about the mail preparation changes to help mailers plan for future mailings.
DATES: We must receive your comments on or before April 14, 2008.
ADDRESSES: Mail or deliver written comments to the Manager, Mailing Standards, U.S. Postal
Service, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Room 3436, Washington DC 20260-3436. You may inspect and photocopy
all written comments at USPS Headquarters Library, 475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, 11th Floor N, Washington
DC between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barry Walsh, 202-268-7595, or Bill Chatfield, 202-268-7278.
TEXT PDF
WORD Published in the Federal
Register TEXT
DATE: Published in the Federal Register March 7, 2008
New Standards Prohibit the Mailing of Replica or Inert Munitions
AGENCY: Postal Service
ACTION: Proposed rule
SUMMARY:
The Postal Service is proposing new standards to prohibit the mailing of replica or inert munitions
such as grenades or other simulated explosive devices.
DATES: We must receive your comments on or before April 7, 2008.
ADDRESSES: Mail or deliver written comments to the Manager, Mailing Standards, U.S. Postal
Service, 475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Room 3436, Washington, DC 20260-3436. You may inspect and photocopy
all written comments at USPS Headquarters Library, 475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, 11th Floor N,
Washington, DC between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael F. Lee, 202-268-7263.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Current Postal Service standards do not prohibit look-alike weapons from the mail. In order to ensure safety
of postal employees and prevent damage to postal property or other mailpieces, inert munitions have been
handled as “live ammunition” when found in the mail. In the past, facilities have been evacuated when inert
replicas have been identified in the mailstream. In 2006, the Postal Service recorded 849 suspicious incidents
involving mail that exhibited characteristics of possible explosives. Postal facilities were evacuated on 100
separate occasions due to these occurrences. Postal Inspectors or local emergency first responders reacted to
each of these occurrences to assess the items. Evacuations cost the Postal Service time and money, create
unnecessary stress for employees, and can impact service commitments.
Most importantly, employee safety can be jeopardized when facsimiles of potentially dangerous items are
permitted in the mail. Both real and replica explosives have been found in the mail and the replicas
often are not readily distinguishable from the real articles. The Postal Service is concerned that without
prohibition of these types of mail pieces, continued exposure to replicated munitions, over time, will lead
to desensitized reactions should an employee encounter items in the mail that should be regarded as dangerous.
This proposed rule is part of our ongoing commitment to increase the safety of the mail and provide a safe working
environment for our employees.
TEXT PDF
WORD Published in the Federal
Register TEXT
DATE: Published in the Federal Register February 20, 2008
Periodicals - Limited Circulation Rate
AGENCY: Postal Service
ACTION: Final rule
SUMMARY:
This final rule revises the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail
Manual (DMM®) to provide the eligibility standards for the Outside-County Limited Circulation rate,
which has been approved by the Governors of the United States Postal Service.
Eligible issues of publications entitled to use this rate will receive a 5% discount on qualifying
Outside-County copies. As set forth in the new standards, publications in each of the qualification
categories may be eligible for the rate; issues of these publications will qualify if eligible copies
are mailed at In-County rates and the total number of Outside-County copies mailed for that issue is
less than 5,000.
TEXT PDF
WORD Published in the Federal
Register TEXT
DATE: Published in the Federal Register February 20, 2008
Revised Standards for First-Class Mail International™
AGENCY: Postal Service
ACTION: Final rule
SUMMARY:
The Postal Service will adopt new mailing standards and prices for First-Class Mail
International in May, 2008 which reflects current First-Class Mail domestic shape-based standards.
Our revisions recognize that each mailpiece shape — letter, flat, and parcel — has substantially
different processing costs that needs to be covered. Currently, the First-Class Mail International
pricing structure shows no distinction between letter-size, flat-size, and package (small packet) pricing.
Note: Table headings corrected February 21, 2008.
TEXT PDF
WORD Published in the Federal
Register TEXT
DATE: Published in the Federal Register February 1, 2008
Priority Mail® Large Flat-Rate Box – International
AGENCY: Postal Service
ACTION: Final rule
SUMMARY:
This final rule revises the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service,
International Mail Manual (IMM®), to add a new Priority Mail® Large Flat-Rate Box
that has been approved by the Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service
for domestic and international Priority Mail shipments.
The new Priority Mail large flat-rate box is approximately 50 percent larger than the
regular flat-rate boxes currently available. Two prices will apply to the large flat-rate
box when mailed to international destinations:
• $29.95 for Priority Mail International™ service to Canada and Mexico.
• $49.95 for Priority Mail International service to all other countries.
The larger flat-rate box is identified by the words “Large Flat-Rate Box” printed on the packaging.
TEXT PDF
WORD Published in the Federal
Register TEXT
DATE: Published in the Federal Register February 1, 2008
Priority Mail® Large Flat-Rate Box – Domestic APO/FPO
AGENCY: Postal Service
ACTION: Final rule
SUMMARY:
This final rule revises the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic
Mail Manual (DMM®), to add the new, Priority Mail® Large Flat-Rate Box that has been approved
by the Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service.
The new Priority Mail large flat-rate box is approximately 50 percent larger than the regular
flat-rate boxes currently available. The prices for shipping a Priority Mail large flat-rate
box to an APO/FPO ZIP Code™ destination address, or to a domestic ZIP Code address are as follows:
• $10.95 to APO/FPO destination addresses.
• $12.95 to domestic addresses.
The new flat-rate box is identified by the words “Large Flat-Rate Box” printed on the packaging.
Items to an APO/FPO address may be shipped in the Priority Mail large flat-rate box or in a special
version of the box identified with the additional logo: “Americasupportsyou.mil.”
The Priority Mail large flat-rate box also may be used for mailing to international destinations
at large flat-rate box prices specific to international items.
Domestic or international large flat-rate box prices will apply to the special version of the APO/FPO
flat-rate box if used for non-APO/FPO addresses.
TEXT PDF
WORD Published in the Federal
Register TEXT
DATE: Published in the Federal Register February 1, 2008
Express Mail Sunday/Holiday Delivery Premium
AGENCY: Postal Service
ACTION: Final rule
SUMMARY:
The Postal Service™ is revising Express Mail® service to reflect a premium of $12.50 in addition to
current postage for guaranteed Sunday or holiday delivery of Express Mail pieces.
TEXT PDF
WORD Published in the Federal
Register TEXT
DATE: Published in the Federal Register January 7, 2008
IMPLEMENTATION OF INTELLIGENT MAIL® BARCODES
AGENCY: Postal Service
ACTION: Advance Notice
SUMMARY:
In January 2009, mailers will be required to use Intelligent Mail barcodes to access automation prices
for letters and flats. To access automation prices, mailers will be required to meet one of two options
using Intelligent Mail barcodes. The first option, referred to as "Full Service" Intelligent Mail, will
require the use of unique Intelligent Mail barcodes applied to letter and flat mailpieces, trays,
sacks, and containers, such as pallets, and the submission of electronic mailing documentation.
The second option, or "Basic" Intelligent Mail, will only require mailers to apply Intelligent Mail
barcodes on mailpieces and not on trays and containers. Automation prices will no longer be available
for the use of the POSTNET barcode. This Federal Register notice provides advance information to help
mailers understand the mail preparation requirements when using Intelligent Mail barcodes and offers
insight into the additional information that will be available to mailers that comply with these requirements.
TEXT PDF
WORD Published in the Federal
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