DMM REVISION
First-Class Mail Automation Flats — Optional Letter Tray Preparation
Effective February 1, 2007, mailers have a new option to
prepare tray-based mailings of First-Class Mail® automation flats in extended managed mail letter trays. Mailers
have asked for this option to make preparation easier, and
receiving faced, upright flats is cost effective for Postal
ServiceTM processing. We are revising 335.3.0 of the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®) to reflect the new option.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal
Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
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300 Discount Flats
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330 First-Class Mail
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335 Mail Preparation
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3.0 Flat Trays
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3.2 Standard Containers
[Revise 3.2 to add the letter tray option as follows:]
Mailings must be prepared in flat trays with green lids under
3.4, unless prepared in extended managed mail (EMM)
trays under 3.5. A postmaster may authorize nonpostal
containers for a small-volume presorted mailing if the mailing weighs no more than 20 pounds, consists primarily of
mail or bundles of mail for local ZIP Codes, and requires no
USPS transportation for processing.
[Revise title and text of 3.3 to include letter trays as follows:]
3.3 Flat Tray and Letter Tray Sizes
These approximate measurements define the USPS-
provided tray sizes that apply to mail preparation standards
in 3.4 and 3.5:
a. Flat tray. Inside bottom dimensions: 14-3/4 inches
long by 10-3/4 inches wide. Height: 8 inches to bottom of handhold, 11-1/4 inches to top of tray.
b. Letter tray. 2-foot extended MM (EMM) trays:
21-3/4 inches long by 11-1/2 inches wide (inside bottom dimensions) by 6-1/8 inches high.
[Revise title of 3.4 to specify "flat" trays as follows:]
3.4 Preparation for Flats in Flat Trays
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[Renumber 3.5 as 3.6. Add new 3.5 to specify automation
flats prepared in "letter" trays as follows:]
3.5 Preparation for Flats in EMM Letter Trays
Mailers may prepare First-Class Mail flat-size pieces in
EMM letter trays instead of flat trays if the following standards are met:
a. The pieces must fit completely within the dimensions
for height, length, and width specified in 3.3b for an
extended managed mail (EMM) letter tray. All pieces
must be upright, faced toward the end of the tray (the
short dimension), and perpendicular to the length of
the tray.
b. Trays must bear tray-size labels that meet all applicable physical and barcode standards under 4.9, with
Line 1 and Line 2 information as required for flat-size
mail in flat trays. Each label must contain a barcode
as specified in 708.6.2.3 and the content identifier
number required in Exhibit 708.6.1 for the same type
of flat-size mail prepared in flat trays.
c. All mail must be prepared under 6.6, First-Class Mail
Optional Tray-Based Preparation, and must not be
prepared in bundles, except pieces in less-than-full
trays must be bundled. Mailers using this option are
not eligible to prepare their mail under 705.9.0.
d. All other applicable standards in 6.0, Preparation for
Automation Rate Flats, must be met, including required preparation sequence and use of tray
minimums.
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We will incorporate this revision into the next printed version of the DMM and into the monthly update of the online
DMM available via Postal Explorer® at http://pe.usps.com.
— Mailing Standards,
Pricing and Classification, 2-1-07
