Package Services mail includes Bound Printed Matter, Library Mail, Media Mail, Parcel Post®, and Parcel Select. The new standards simplify Package Services offerings and encourage more efficient handling of parcels.
The minimum charge for parcels subject to balloon-rate pricing for Parcel Post and Parcel Select has been increased to 20 pounds, and balloon-rate pricing will continue to apply to parcels addressed to all zones when measuring larger than 84 inches in combined length and girth up to 108 inches.
The barcode discount for Parcel Select–DBMC machinable parcels will be incorporated into the price, and all Parcel Select–DBMC machinable parcels will be required to bear a UCC/EAN Code 128 barcode. Nonbarcoded machinable pieces will be charged the applicable Intra-BMC/ASF rate. The mail preparation standards for Parcel Select are unchanged.
Single-piece Bound Printed Matter (BPM) has been renamed “nonpresorted BPM,” and the option to purchase postage for BPM at the retail counter has been eliminated. However, nonpresorted BPM pieces may be accepted for mailing at the retail window (as well as at collection boxes and by letter carriers, as appropriate) when the customer pre-applies postage using any of the current forms — adhesive stamps, meter strips, or PC Postage®. The 3-cent barcode discount for flats and machinable parcels remains unchanged.
To reduce sacks, 5-digit/scheme bundles, 3-digit/scheme bundles, and 5-digit/scheme sacks for presorted BPM flats are required, as well as 5-digit/scheme sacks for Presorted irregular and machinable parcels.
As with BPM, to reduce sacks, 5-digit/scheme bundles, 3-digit/scheme bundles, and 5-digit/scheme sacks for presorted Library Mail and Media Mail flats are required, as well as 5-digit/scheme sacks for presorted irregular and machinable parcels.
