Effective June 5, 2008, the Postal Service™ is revising Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®) 503.13 to clarify the standards pertaining to Confirm® service.
Currently, mailers have the option to use an Intelligent Mail® barcode when requesting Origin Confirm service. In this case, a POSTNET™ barcode is not a required element. Until May 2010, we will continue to allow the use of a PLANET Code® barcode in conjunction with a POSTNET barcode, but we will not require a POSTNET barcode for mailpieces bearing an Intelligent Mail barcode. We are also updating DMM 503.13.4 to make reference to the use of a preshipment notification with Destination Confirm service.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
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500 Additional Mailing Services
503 Extra Services
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13.0 Confirm Service
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13.2 Basic Information
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13.2.3 Authorization
[Revise the third sentence of 13.2.3 to reflect the use of a preshipment notification as part of the application process as follows:]
***The application process also includes, if applicable, evaluating and approving of the electronic format and uploading of the preshipment notification file and the associated shipment identification barcode printed on required documentation accompanying mailings.***
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13.3 Barcodes
13.3.1 General Barcode Requirement
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[Revise the introductory sentence of 13.3.1a and item 1 to clarify that BRM mailpieces bearing an Intelligent Mail barcode are not required to include a POSTNET barcode as follows:]
a. Origin Confirm pieces must meet the following standards:
1. For Business Reply Mail, the piece must bear a PLANET Code barcode and either a POSTNET barcode or Intelligent Mail barcode that corresponds to the subscriber’s Business Reply Mail ZIP+4 codes assigned by the USPS under 507.9.0. Business Reply Mail may bear an Intelligent Mail barcode in lieu of a PLANET Code barcode and a POSTNET barcode.
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[Revise the title of 503.13.4 as follows:]
13.4 Preshipment Notification
13.4.1 Purpose
[Revise 13.4.1 to reflect the use of a preshipment notification with Destination Confirm service as follows:]
Mailers may submit a preshipment notification for mailings in which Destination Confirm information is desired. Preshipment notifications must be in a specific file format and presented before or at the time of the mailing. These electronic notices enable the USPS to generate entry scans for Confirm mail shipments. A test file transmission must be uploaded and approved before Confirm mailings may be made, as provided in 13.2.3.
13.4.2 Data Format
[Revise 13.4.2 to reflect the use of a preshipment notification with Destination Confirm service as follows:]
The preshipment notification data file is a single data file in a comma-delimited flat file format. Each record is made up of a single row of data elements (fields) as defined in Publication 197. Preshipment notification data include specific mailer-generated information about each Destination Confirm mailing, such as shipment and mailer identification.
13.4.3 Shipment ID Barcode
[Revise the first, third, and fourth sentences of 13.4.2 to reflect the use of a preshipment notification with Destination Confirm service as follows:]
In addition to an electronic preshipment notification transmission for each mailing, a Shipment ID barcode (used as shipment identification) may be printed on the documentation accompanying the mailing. ***The USPS scans the Shipment ID barcode using a hand-held scanner. Shipment ID barcode symbology is USS Code 128 Subset B and must meet the technical specifications in Publication 197.
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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, 6-5-08
