Effective April 17, 2011, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®) 123.1.5.3, 124.1.3, 125.1.1, 213.1.3, 223.1.3, 313.1.3, 323.1.3, 423.1.3, and 604.9.0 to introduce Priority Mail® Forever® Prepaid Flat Rate packaging and to clarify Shipping Services DMM revisions from January 2011.
Priority Mail Forever Prepaid Flat Rate Packaging
Priority Mail Forever Prepaid Flat Rate packaging is a new domestic Shipping Services option. All Priority Mail Forever Prepaid Flat Rate packaging is equivalent to the current price paid at retail Post Office™ locations and compares to the Forever Stamp in that it can be used even after the price of Priority Mail has increased. This new product includes electronic Delivery Confirmation™ service at no additional cost, which will allow mailers to confirm the delivery of their packages. This packaging is not available at retail Post Office locations but must be ordered online at USPS.com.®
Packages will arrive with shipping labels and Forever Prepaid postage affixed. The Forever Prepaid shipping labels will bear information-based indicia (IBI) postage meters, which denote the Forever Prepaid postage, and the purchaser’s return address will appear in the uppermost left corner of the label. This shipping label may not be removed from the existing Flat Rate packaging and placed on any other packaging.
All USPS®-produced Priority Mail Forever Prepaid Flat Rate Envelopes or Boxes are charged a flat rate regardless of the actual weight (up to 70 pounds) of the mailpiece or domestic destination and are available to all 50 states, U.S. territories and possessions, and APO/FPO and DPO locations. The discounted military Priority Mail Large Flat Rate Box is not available as a Forever Prepaid packaging option, but all Forever Prepaid packaging may be sent to APO/FPO and DPO destinations, although no APO/FPO and DPO discounted prices will apply. Forever Prepaid packaging is not available to international destinations.
Priority Mail Forever Prepaid Flat Rate packaging may be deposited in collection boxes, Automated Postal Center® (APC®) drops, and Postal Service lobby drops; picked up by carriers; or entered at retail Post Office locations (except mail weighing 16 ounces or more sent to and from U.S. territories and possessions, Freely Associated States, and APO/FPO and DPO locations). Priority Mail weighing 16 ounces or more sent to and from U.S. territories and possessions, Freely Associated States, and APO/FPO and DPO locations must bear a properly completed PS Form 2976-A, Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note — CP 72. If PS Form 2976-A will not fit on the address side of the mailpiece, the mailer must attach a PS Form 2976, Customs Declaration CN 22 — Sender’s Declaration. Items that require a customs declaration must be presented to an employee at a Post Office retail service counter.
All extra services available with retail Priority Mail service are available with Forever Prepaid packaging. Extra services may only be purchased in person at retail Post Office locations for payment of the applicable extra service fees.
There are no refunds of postage on Priority Mail Forever Prepaid Flat Rate packaging. However, unused Forever Prepaid Flat Rate packaging purchased by credit card from usps.com that arrives in damaged condition due to the fault of USPS may be exchanged for the same replacement Priority Mail Forever Prepaid Flat Rate packaging. This packaging may not be exchanged at retail Post Office locations, but must be exchanged directly through the Express and Priority Mail Supply Center (EPMSC) by calling 800-610-8734.
Priority Mail Forever Prepaid Flat Rate packaging may be ordered in packs of 3, 5, 10, and 25 and will be offered for the following retail Priority Mail Flat Rate products:
n Flat Rate Envelope.
n Padded Flat Rate Envelope.
n Legal Flat Rate Envelope.
n Small Flat Rate Box.
n Medium Flat Rate Boxes.
n Large Flat Rate Box.
Priority Mail Forever Prepaid Flat Rate packaging is not available at retail Post Office locations but must be purchased with a credit card by logging on to the USPS website at www.usps.com.
DMM Clarifications
In January 2011, the Postal Service added new shipping options and revised standards for Shipping Services products. Below, we’re clarifying some of those standards.
Express Mail
For Express Mail® commercial base prices, customers using USPS-approved IBI postage meters must print the IBI with the appropriate price marking (“Commercial Base Price,” “Commercial Base Pricing,” or “ComBasPrice”) and electronically transmit transactional data to USPS. Also, each mailpiece must bear an approved Express Mail shipping label. IBI postage meters that do not print the IBI with the appropriate price marking and electronically transmit transactional data to USPS no longer qualify for commercial base prices. We’re revising DMM 313.1.3 to remove a duplicate reference.
Priority Mail
A new Priority Mail commercial plus account volume threshold was added for mailers who ship letters and flats. We are clarifying that Priority Mail commercial plus prices are available to mailers whose cumulative account volume exceed a combined total of 5,000 letter-size and flat-size (including Flat Rate Envelopes, but not the Padded Flat Rate Envelope) pieces in the previous calendar year. We’re revising DMM sections 323.1.3.1 and 423.1.3.1 to clarify that the Flat Rate Envelopes (but not the Padded Flat Rate Envelope) are included in the combined totals.
Additionally, commercial plus prices are available for new Priority Mail customers who have a customer commitment agreement with the USPS, and we’re revising the DMM to change the USPS contact information for customers.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
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100 Retail Letters, Cards, Flats, and Parcels
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120 Priority Mail
123 Prices and Eligibility
1.0 Priority Mail Prices and Fees
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1.5 Flat Rate Envelopes and Boxes
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[Revise 1.5 by adding new 1.5.3 as follows:]
1.5.3 Forever Prepaid Postage
Priority Mail Forever Prepaid Flat Rate packaging is available for the following Priority Mail Flat Rate products: Regular Flat Rate Envelope, Padded Flat Rate Envelope, Legal Flat Rate Envelope, Small Flat Rate Box, Medium Flat Rate Boxes, and Large Flat Rate Box. Forever Prepaid Flat Rate packaging may be purchased only online at www.usps.com and is only available to domestic and APO/FPO and DPO locations. The discounted military Priority Mail Large Flat Rate Box is not available as a Forever Prepaid packaging option, but all Forever Prepaid packaging may be sent to APO/FPO and DPO destinations, although no APO/FPO and DPO discounted prices will apply. Forever Prepaid packaging is not available to international locations. All Forever Prepaid Flat Rate packaging is equivalent in price to the retail price for Priority Mail Flat Rate packaging. Each Forever Prepaid Flat Rate Envelope or Flat Rate Box bears a shipping label with affixed Forever Prepaid postage and may not be removed from the existing packaging and placed on any other packaging. The Forever Prepaid label bears the USPS watermark, which validates the postage. All USPS-produced Priority Mail Forever Prepaid Flat Rate Envelopes or Boxes are charged a flat rate regardless to the actual weight (up to 70 pounds) of the mailpiece or domestic destination.
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124 Postage Payment Methods
1.0 Basic Standards for Postage Payment
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[Revise 1.0 by adding new 1.3 as follows:]
1.3 Forever Prepaid Flat Rate Packaging
Priority Mail Forever Prepaid Flat Rate packaging must be purchased by credit card online at www.usps.com and bear a shipping label with affixed Forever Prepaid postage. Mailers adding extra services must take packages to a retail Post Office location for payment of the associated fees for each extra service added. Delivery Confirmation (electronic option) is included at no additional cost.
125 Mail Preparation
1.0 Preparation
1.1 Priority Mail Packaging Provided by the USPS
[Revise the last sentence of 1.1 as follows:]
***USPS-produced Priority Mail Legal, Padded, and Forever Prepaid Flat Rate packaging are not available at retail Post Office locations but must be ordered online at www.usps.com.
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200 Commercial Mail Letters and Cards
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210 Express Mail
213 Prices and Eligibility
1.0 Prices and Fees
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1.3 Commercial Base Prices
[Revise introductory paragraph as follows:]
Express Mail commercial base prices are less than Express Mail retail prices (see Notice 123 — Price List). These prices are available to:
[Delete item 1.3d in its entirety and reallocate items e and f as d and e.]
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220 Priority Mail
223 Prices and Eligibility
1.0 Prices and Fees
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1.3 Commercial Plus Prices
1.3.1 Basic Eligibility
[Revise the introductory paragraph of 1.3.1 as follows:]
For prices, see Notice 123 — Price List. Commercial plus prices are available to Priority Mail (including Critical Mail) customers who qualify for commercial base prices and whose cumulative account volume exceeds a combined total of 5,000 letter-size and flat-size pieces (including Flat Rate Envelopes, but not the Padded Flat Rate Envelope) or 75,000 total pieces (see 423) in the previous calendar year (except Priority Mail Open and Distribute) or who have a customer commitment agreement with USPS, and are:
* * * * *
1.3.2 New Priority Mail Customers
[Revise 1.3.2 to change the contact information as follows:]
Commercial plus prices are available for new Priority Mail customers who have a customer commitment agreement with the USPS. Shippers must contact their account manager or the manager, Shipping Support, Shipping Services (see 608.8.0 for address) for additional information.
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300 Commercial Flats
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310 Express Mail
313 Prices and Eligibility
1.0 Prices and Fees
* * * * *
1.3 Commercial Base Prices
[Revise introductory paragraph as follows:]
Express Mail commercial base prices are less than Express Mail retail prices (see Notice 123 — Price List). These prices are available to:
[Delete item 1.3d in its entirety and reallocate items e and f as d and e.]
* * * * *
320 Priority Mail
323 Prices and Eligibility
1.0 Prices and Fees
* * * * *
1.3 Commercial Plus Prices
1.3.1 Basic Eligibility
[Revise the introductory paragraph of 1.3.1 as follows:]
For prices, see Notice 123 — Price List. Commercial plus prices are available to Priority Mail (including Critical Mail) customers who qualify for commercial base prices and whose cumulative account volume exceeds a combined total of 5,000 letter-size and flat-size pieces (including Flat Rate Envelopes, but not the Padded Flat Rate Envelope) or 75,000 total pieces (see 423) in the previous calendar year (except Priority Mail Open and Distribute) or who have a customer commitment agreement with USPS, and are:
* * * * *
1.3.2 New Priority Mail Customers
[Revise 1.3.2 to change the contact information as follows:]
Commercial plus prices are available for new Priority Mail customers who have a customer commitment agreement with the USPS. Shippers must contact their account manager or the manager, Shipping Support, Shipping Services (see 608.8.0 for address) for additional information.
* * * * *
400 Commercial Parcels
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420 Priority Mail
423 Prices and Eligibility
1.0 Prices and Fees
* * * * *
1.3 Commercial Plus Prices
1.3.1 Existing Priority Mail Customers
[Revise the introductory paragraph of 1.3.1 as follows:]
Commercial plus prices are available to Priority Mail (including Critical Mail) customers who qualify for commercial base prices and whose cumulative account volume exceeds a combined total of 5,000 letter-size and flat-size pieces (including Flat Rate Envelopes, but not the Padded Flat Rate Envelope) or 75,000 total pieces in the previous calendar year (except Priority Mail Open and Distribute) or who have a customer commitment agreement with USPS, and are:
* * * * *
1.3.2 New Priority Mail Customers
[Revise 1.3.2 to change the contact information as follows:]
Commercial plus prices are available for new Priority Mail customers who have a customer commitment agreement with the USPS. Shippers must contact their account manager or the manager, Shipping Support, Shipping Services (see 608.8.0 for address) for additional information.
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600 Basic Standards for All Mailing Services
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604 Postage Payment Methods
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9.0 Refunds and Exchanges
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9.2 Postage and Fee Refunds
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9.2.6 Unallowable Refunds
***Refunds are not made for the following:
[Revise 9.2.6 by adding new item e as follows:]
e. Unused Priority Mail Forever Prepaid Flat Rate packaging (may only be exchanged in accordance with 9.3.5).
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9.3 Refund Request for Postage Evidencing Systems and Metered Postage
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9.3.5 Unused, Undated PC Postage Indicia
[Revise 9.3.5 by adding three new last sentences as follows:]
***Refunds will not be provided for Priority Mail Forever Prepaid Flat Rate packaging. Same packaging replacement exchanges will only be authorized when the unused packaging purchased by credit card from www.usps.com arrives in damaged condition (done while in transit) due to the fault of USPS. Priority Mail Forever Prepaid Flat Rate packaging may not be exchanged at retail Post Office locations, but must be exchanged directly through the Express and Priority Mail Supply Center (EPMSC) by calling 800-610-8734.
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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, 3-24-11
