Effective August 14, 2008, the Postal Service™ is revising Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®) 235, 245 and 707 to clarify that automation or machinable card- and letter-sized pieces, in correctly labeled overflow or less-than-full trays must be bundled for the purpose of retaining the orientation of the pieces within the tray. These bundles do not require an optional endorsement line or a barcoded pressure-sensitive bundle label.
We are also removing obsolete preparation standards regarding the use of tic marks and separator cards in automation mailings.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
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200 Commercial Mail Letters and Cards
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230 First-Class Mail
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235 Mail Preparation
1.0 General Definition of Terms
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1.4 Preparation Definitions and Instructions
For purposes of preparing mail:
[Revise 1.4 to remove the reference to the use of tic marks by deleting item m in its entirety, relettering item n as item m, and revising item l as follows:]
l. A bundle is a group of addressed pieces secured together as a unit. Bundle preparation is described in 2.0, Bundles.
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2.0 Bundles
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2.3 Preparing Bundles
Cards and letter-size pieces are subject to these bundling standards:
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[Revise 2.3 by revising item c, relettering item e as item f, and adding new item e as follows:]
c. Bundles must be prepared for mail in all less-than-full trays (including overflow trays) and for nonmachinable Presorted First-Class Mail.
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e. Bundling of automation and machinable letters or cards under 2.3d is required to retain the orientation of the pieces within the tray. Bundles are not required to be identified with an optional endorsement line or a barcoded pressure-sensitive bundle label when placed into a correctly labeled tray.
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240 Commercial Letters and Cards Standard Mail
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245 Mail Preparation
1.0 General Information for Mail Preparation
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1.4 Preparation Definitions and Instructions
For purposes of preparing mail:
[Revise 1.4 to remove the reference to the use of tic marks by deleting item m in its entirety and relettering item n as item m:]
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2.0 Bundles
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2.3 Preparing Bundles
Cards and letter-size pieces are subject to these bundling standards:
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[Revise 2.3 by revising item c, deleting item d, relettering item e as item d, and adding a new item e as follows:]
c. Bundles must be prepared for mail in all less-than-full trays (including overflow trays) and for nonmachinable Standard Mail.
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e. Bundling of automation and machinable letters or cards under 2.3d is required to retain the orientation of the pieces within the tray. Bundles are not required to be identified with an optional endorsement line or a barcoded pressure-sensitive bundle label when placed into a correctly labeled tray.
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300 Commercial Mail Flats
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330 First-Class Mail
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335 Mail Preparation
1.0 General Definition of Terms
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1.4 Preparation Definitions and Instructions
For purposes of preparing mail:
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[Revise item k of 1.4 to remove the reference to the use of tic marks as follows:]
k. A bundle is a group of addressed pieces secured together as a unit. Bundle preparation is described in 2.0, Bundles.
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360 Bound Printed Matter
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365 Mail Preparation
1.0 General Information for Mail Preparation
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1.5 Preparation Definitions and Instructions
For purposes of preparing mail:
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[Revise item k of 1.5 to remove the reference to the use of tic marks as follows:]
k. A bundle is a group of addressed pieces secured together as a unit. Bundle preparation is described in 2.0, Bundles.
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400 Commercial Mail Parcels
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460 Commercial Parcels Bound Printed Matter
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465 Mail Preparation
1.0 General Information for Mail Preparation
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1.5 Preparation Definitions and Instructions
For purposes of preparing mail:
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[Revise item i of 1.5 to remove the reference to the use of tic marks as follows:]
i. A bundle is a group of addressed pieces secured together as a unit. Bundle preparation is described in 2.0, Bundles.
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700 Special Standards
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707 Periodicals
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18.0 General Mail Preparation
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18.4 Mail Preparation Terms
For purposes of preparing mail:
[Revise 18.4 to remove the reference to the use of tic marks by deleting item z in its entirety and relettering items aa through ad as items z through ac.]
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24.0 Preparing Letter-Size Barcoded (Automation) Price Periodicals
24.1 Basic Standards
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24.1.5 General Preparation
[Revise 24.1.5 to provide consistent bundling labeling standards as follows:]
Grouping, bundling, and labeling are not generally required or permitted, except that bundles must be prepared in any mailing consisting entirely of card-size pieces and for mail in all less-than-full trays (including overflow trays) as specified in 707.24.2, Additional Standards. Bundles are not required to be identified with an optional endorsement line or a barcoded pressure-sensitive bundle label when placed into a correctly labeled 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, 8-14-08
