Customer Support Ruling

Standard Parcels
REVISED March 2010

PS-312 (440)

This Customer Support Ruling determines when mailers may enter Standard Mail (STD) parcels at Destination Delivery Units (DDUs) and claim the 3/5 Presorted rate and the Destination Network Distribution Center (DNDC) discount.

The mailings may contain less than the minimum volume required for the STD Mail 5-digit sort (e.g., 10 pounds to a 5-digit Scheme/5-digit).  It also includes the option to combine STD Mail machinable and irregular parcels in the same container with Package Services parcels when presented at a DDU.

Pieces in a mailing are eligible for the DNDC rate when they, 1) are deposited at a NDC or ASF, 2) are addressed for delivery to one of the 3-digit ZIP Codes serviced by the NDC or ASF, and, 3) are containerized based on the standards for the rate claimed.  Allowing both the 3/5 rate and the DNDC discount for containers with less than 10 pounds of STD Mail recognizes that the mailing would meet the minimum volume requirement of 200 addressed pieces or 50 pounds of addressed pieces for the DNDC separation, that it has bypassed several processing points in postal operations and, as a result, has reduced costs.

Mailers wishing to deposit STD Mail parcels that have less than the minimum required for the STD Mail 5-digit sort (e.g., 10 pounds to a 5-digit Scheme/5-digit) at DDUs and/or combine STD Mail parcels and Package Services parcels for entry at DDUs must meet the following requirements:

• Mailers may combine STD Mail machinable and irregular parcels on pallets with Package Services parcels when tendered under an approved manifesting system for permit imprint mail under Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) 705.2.  All conditions of the authorization must be met in order for the authorization to remain in effect.
• The manifest agreement must include procedures for combined mailings approved by Business Mail Acceptance and the combined mailings must be supported by a Form 8125-C that indicates the number and weight of pieces for each class of mail, as well as the total volume and weight of the parcels included in the shipment.
• STD Mail machinable parcels must meet the dimensions for a machinable parcel in DMM 401.1.5.
• STD Mail irregular parcels must meet the dimension for an irregular parcel in DMM 401.1.6.
• The STD Mail parcels prepared separately in sacks (not combined with Package Services parcels) may also be deposited at DDUs.  All sacks must meet the required minimums of 125 pieces or 15 pounds for irregular parcels, or 10 pounds for machinable parcels or combined machinable and irregular parcels.  Such parcels may be claimed at the 3/5 Presorted rates and may claim the Destination Sectional Center Facility (DSCF) entry discount.
• Pallets entered at DDUs containing STD Mail parcels and Parcel Select parcels must be balanced to ensure that pallet integrity is maintained and that small or lightweight parcels are not damaged by heavier parcels.
• Pallets may be entered at facilities capable of handling pallets.

Under current Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) standards, the DSCF rate for STD parcels is allowed if the minimum volume for a 5-digit STD Mail container (e.g., 10 pounds to the 5-digit/5-digit Scheme) is met.  If a mailer combines STD parcels with Parcel Select parcels in containers and can document on the manifest supporting the mailing that there are 10 or more pounds of STD parcels for a 5-digit/scheme destination, that mail would be eligible for the DSCF discount.  At this time, the Postal Service will not allow the DSCF rate for mail that does not meet current DMM eligibility standards.

It will be necessary for the mailer to substantiate to the Postal Service, upon request, that these conditions are met.

(Signed)
Lizbeth Dobbins
Manager
Mailing Standards
United States Postal Service
Washington DC 20260-3436