Customer Support Ruling

Repositionable Notes – Application for Destination Delivery Unit Carrier-Route Newspapers and Flats

August 2010

PS-335 (202.7)

This Customer Support Ruling discusses attaching repositionable notes (RPNs) to newspapers and other flats prepared as Carrier-Route, destination delivery unit entry only mail.

Working in conjunction with the mailing industry, postal engineers conducted extensive tests on the properties of repositionable notes. Their findings revealed that RPNs attached to mailpieces processed on automated sorting equipment remain intact when applied by machine. To ensure machine application, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) 202.7.3e, RPN Characteristics, provides that RPNs must not be manually affixed.

Carrier-Route flats and newspapers are often drop shipped to the facility that delivers them. Carrier-Route flats must be prepared in line-of-travel or walk-sequence order, so generally this type of mail is not subject to processing on automated flat sorting equipment. Customers may apply RPNs by hand on carrier-route flats and newspapers drop-shipped to Destination Delivery Units if those flats will not be combined with other flats in an automated process.

(Signed)

Lizbeth Dobbins

Manager

Mailing Standards

Headquarters, U.S. Postal Service

Washington DC  20260-4446