Effective March 14, 2010, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®) pursuant to the ongoing transition of USPS® bulk mail centers (BMC) to network distribution centers (NDC), by replacing all text references to “BMC” with “NDC.” We are similarly revising other related manuals and publications in addition to our regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations to reflect the “BMC” to “NDC” terminology change.
The BMC network was established in the 1970s to process Parcel Post®, Bound Printed Matter, Media Mail®, Standard Mail® and Periodicals. Fluctuations in volume and changes in the mailing habits of the public and large mailers have necessitated changes to the USPS business model relative to BMC processing and transportation. To fully utilize our existing BMC facilities and consolidate transportation, we are changing our mail flow processes through the new NDC network.
As part of this change, we are converting BMCs to NDCs. We began implementation of the NDC concept in May 2009, and this transition continues to date.
This revision will be limited to the change in nomenclature only. There will be no changes to mailing standards, service standards, or USPS processes resulting from this action. The Postal Service expects to be proposing changes to the standards for the preparation, entry, and deposit of mailpieces pursuant to final implementation of the NDC concept. Any such changes will be announced through future Federal Register notices, Postal Bulletin articles, and other channels of communication.
With this action, the Postal Service will be revising the text of the DMM, including all applicable Publication 95, Quick Service Guide, and Notice 123, Price List, references as follows:
As a reminder, on August 3, 2009, the Postal Service changed all of its applicable labeling lists to effect the name change from “BMC” to “NDC.” At that time, mailers were provided a 73-day transitional period to make the changes to their software applications. Mailers are now urged to review their operations to ensure that these software changes have been made.
This revision will update the description of the “BMC Presort” (or “BMC PRSRT”) and “OBMC Presort” (or “OBMC PRSRT”) price markings, for Parcel Select® mailpieces, in DMM 402.2.5.2. Mailers will be required to change these markings to “NDC Presort” (or “NDC PRSRT”) and “ONDC Presort” (or “ONDC PRSRT”) respectively. Mailers will also be required to make changes to the human-readable content line, corresponding to the content identifier number (CIN), of those sack and tray labels bearing a BMC reference, as displayed in DMM Exhibit 708.6.2.4, 3-Digit Content Identifier Numbers. Similar to the period allowed for changes to labeling lists, mailers will be provided a 73-day transitional period to make changes to their software applications. Mailers will therefore have until May 26, 2010, to make the applicable changes resulting from this action.
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, 2-25-10
