The article titled “IMM Revision: Changes to Pricing and Mailing Standards for International Shipping Services” in Postal Bulletin 22378 (12-12-13, pages 17–28 and 49–61) included many revisions that incorporated the mailing standards for the newly introduced shaped-based pricing for International Priority Airmail® (IPA®) service and International Surface Air Lift® (ISAL®) service, which became effective January 26, 2014.
However, in that article and in the edition of Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM®) published January 26, 2014, the section about eligibility requirements for mixed country containers is inconsistent. Currently, IMM 292.233 and 293.233 state that mixed country containers must contain a minimum of 5 pounds of presort mail; however, IMM 292.471 and 293.471 state that each mixed country price group must contain at least 5 pounds of presorted mail that is separated by shape (letter-size, flat-size, and package-size items) and prepared in separate containers.
Accordingly, we are revising IMM 292.233 and 293.233 to stipulate that, for price groups 9–14, only an individual price group with a minimum of 5 pounds qualifies for the mixed country price.
In addition, we are revising 292.481 and 293.481 to distinguish the two 5-pound options when mailers prepare mixed country sacks for price groups 15–19.
Finally, we are revising the titles of IMM 292.483 and 293.484 to correctly indicate that each section concerns optional sack preparation for direct country sacks as well as mixed country sacks.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM)
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2 Conditions for Mailing
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290 Commercial Services
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292 International Priority Airmail (IPA) Service
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292.2 Eligibility
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292.23 Minimum Quantity Requirements
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292.233 Presort Eligibility — ISC Drop Shipment
[Revise the text of 292.233 to read as follows:]
Eligibility for the presort price is as follows:
a. Direct country price. For price groups 1–19, a minimum of 2 pounds for each direct country container.
b. Mixed country price. For price groups 9–14, a minimum of 5 pounds for each price group; for price groups 10–15, a minimum of 5 pounds for each price group prepared under 292.482a, or a minimum of 5 pounds for each sack prepared under 292.482b.
All remaining mail must be prepared and paid at the worldwide nonpresort price.
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292.4 Mail Preparation
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292.48 Presort Mailings — Price Groups 15 through 19
292.481 General
[Revise the third sentence to read as follows:]
***Each mixed country price group must contain a minimum of 5 pounds when prepared under 292.47, or a minimum of 5 pounds for each sack when sorted under 292.483.***
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[Revise the title of 292.483 to read as follows:]
292.483 Direct Country and Mixed Country — Optional Sack Preparation
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293 International Surface Air Lift (ISAL) Service
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293.2 Eligibility
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293.23 Minimum Quantity Requirements
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293.233 Presort Eligibility — ISC Drop Shipment
[Revise the text of 293.233 to read as follows:]
Eligibility for the presort price is as follows:
a. Direct country price. For price groups 1–19, a minimum of 2 pounds for each container.
b. Mixed country price. For price groups 9–14, a minimum of 5 pounds for each price group; for price groups 10–15, a minimum of 5 pounds for each price group when prepared under 293.482a, or a minimum of 5 pounds for each sack when prepared under 293.482b.
All remaining mail must be prepared and paid at the worldwide nonpresort price.
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293.4 Mail Preparation
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293.48 Presort Mailings — Price Groups 15 through 19
293.481 General
[Revise the third sentence to read as follows:]
***Each mixed country price group must contain a minimum of 5 pounds when prepared under 293.47, or a minimum of 5 pounds for each sack when sorted under 293.483.***
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[Revise the title of 293.483 to read as follows:]
293.483 Direct Country and Mixed Country — Optional Sack Preparation
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We will incorporate this corrected information into the next update of the online IMM, which is available via Postal Explorer® at http://pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification,
Pricing, 2-20-14
