Effective October 11, 2007, we are revising mail preparation standards for bundles of Periodicals flat-size mailpieces on pallets and Periodicals flat-size mail in trays. The new standards allow 40-pound bundles of carrier route and 5-digit Periodicals flat-size mail on destination delivery unit pallets and require green lids on all trays of Periodicals flat-size mail.
Tray preparation is optional for flat-size Periodicals and allows mailers to prepare all machinable-rate (barcoded and nonbarcoded) pieces in flats trays, rather than in sacks. The green lids will ensure that this mail is treated expeditiously during processing. Mailers must continue to use pink tray labels to identify the contents as Periodicals mail not intended for air transportation.
The new bundle weight limit will create consistency by aligning bundle preparation for palletized mail with the current bundle preparation for bedloaded (unsacked) mail entered at a destination delivery unit, and allows mailers to create fewer bundles of 5-digit and carrier route mail.
We are revising sections 705.8.9.3 and 707.20.4 of Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®) to reflect these changes, as noted below.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
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700 Special Standards
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705 Advanced Preparation and Special Postage Payment Systems
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8.0 Preparing Pallets
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8.9 Bundles on Pallets
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8.9.3 Periodicals
Bundle size: Six-piece minimum (lower volume bundles permitted under 707.22.0, Preparing Nonbarcoded (Presorted) Rate Periodicals, and 707.23.0, Preparing Carrier Route Rate Periodicals), 20-pound maximum, except that:
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[Reletter current item c as new item d. Add new item c as follows:]
c. Carrier route and 5-digit bundles placed on 5-digit or finer pallets may weigh up to 40 pounds when entered at a DDU.
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707 Periodicals
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20.0 Sacks and Trays
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20.4 Use of Flat Trays (Optional)
20.4.1 General
[Revise 20.4.1 to require green tray lids as follows:]
When using this option (see 22.7 and 25.5), mailers must prepare mailpieces in flat trays with green lids.
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20.4.3 Flat Tray Preparation
Mailers using this option must prepare flat trays subject to these standards:
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[Revise item f to require green tray lids as follows:]
f. Each flat tray must be covered with a green lid. Each covered flat tray must be secured with two straps placed tightly around the width (shorter dimension) of the tray.
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We will incorporate these revisions 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, 10-11-07
