Effective January 25, 2015, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®) in various sections to reflect minor mail classification updates, product and service enhancements, and to eliminate outdated references, publications, and forms, as follows:
To provide a single, more comprehensive technical reference guide related to Intelligent Mail® package barcodes, including extra service barcodes, the Postal Service began incorporating information from multiple technical guides into the Intelligent Mail Package Barcode (IMpb) Implementation Guide for: Confirmation Services and Electronic Verification System (eVS) Mailers, in early 2014. As a result, Publication 91, Confirmation Services Technical Guide, was officially retired in March 2014. Subsequently, Publication 109, Special Services Technical Guide: Postal Forms and Labels (Domestic Service Only), will be retired effective January 25, 2015. The DMM will be revised to remove all references to Publication 109 and Publication 91, and replace them with Intelligent Mail Package Barcode (IMpb) Implenentation Guide for: Confirmation Services and Electronic Verification System (eVS) Mailers reference, as applicable. The guide is available on RIBBS at https://ribbs.usps.gov/index.cfm?page=intellmailpackage.
On April 18, 2013, the Postal Service published a Final Rule [FR Doc No: 2013-08721] modifying the eligibility requirements for mailers to qualify for automation prices. This included a requirement of Full-Service compliance for Bound Printed Matter flats. On December 27, 2013, the Postal Service provided notice [FR Doc No: 2013-30705] of a partial deferral of the Full-Service compliance date. Subsequently, all of the new DMM language provided in the final rule was removed, instead of being revised accordingly. This article serves to revise the DMM language for flats mailed at Bound Printed Matter prices accordingly, which allows a barcode discount when optionally prepared as a Full-Service mailing. This change will align the DMM language with the postage statements and systems changes completed at the time of the partial deferral.
The Postal Service will revise the DMM to streamline the current language for Bulk Proof of Delivery (BPOD) service. Mailers will continue to find the technical standards for BPOD in revisions to the Intelligent Mail Package Barcode (IMpb) Implementation Guide for: Confirmation Services and Electronic Verification System (eVS) Mailers Supplement for Bulk Proof of Delivery Services, available on RIBBS at: https://ribbs.usps.gov/index.cfm?.
Standards for USPS Package Intercept® service will be revised to charge the intercept fee once the USPS® successfully intercepts the mailpiece, instead of when the intercept request is initiated. Any applicable postage and fees for the mailpiece will be charged based on the customer’s method of established payment.
Alternate Postage is a regular offering following a market test, which began on January 2, 2011, as Alternate Postage Payment Method for Greeting Cards. Alternate Postage is a postage payment mechanism for single-piece First-Class Mail® letters or postcards, addressed to any domestic location by the sender, that weigh no more than one ounce each. Participation in the Alternate Postage program requires, at a minimum, that postage be debited from a Centralized Account Processing System (CAPS) account, that a signed marketing agreement exists between the mailer and the USPS, that the mailpieces are USPS-approved and bear: unique Intelligent Mail® barcodes, a special Facing Identification Mark (FIM E), and an approved permit imprint indicia (or optionally, an approved picture permit imprint indicia with applicable markings, for no additional charge). The program requires authorization through the Manager, New Solutions, Mailing Services, United States Postal Service, 475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Room 5440, Washington, DC 20260-4440.
The Postal Service will provide a clarification in the DMM language that applies to stamp exchanges for both ordinary and precanceled postage stamps affixed to unusable commercial envelopes and postcards. This revision will replace minor wording that was inadvertently condensed into the DMM text in a prior DMM revision.
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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110 Priority Mail Express
113 Prices and Eligibility
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4.0 Service Features of Priority Mail Express
4.1 General
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[Revise 4.1 item b to read as follows:]
b. Bulk proof of delivery (503.1.8b) is available to mailers using Priority Mail Express Manifesting.
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200 Commercial Letters, Cards, Flats, and Parcels
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210 Priority Mail Express
213 Prices and Eligibility
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4.0 Service Features of Priority Mail Express
4.1 General
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[Revise 4.1 item b to read as follows:]
b. Bulk proof of delivery (503.1.8b) is available to mailers using Priority Mail Express Manifesting.
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260 Commercial Mail Bound Printed Matter
263 Prices and Eligibility
1.0 Prices and Fees for Bound Printed Matter
1.1 Nonpresorted Bound Printed Matter
Apply the prices and discounts for nonpresorted Bound Printed Matter (BPM) as follows:
[Delete 1.1.4, Barcoded Discount — Flats, in its entirety, then renumber current 1.1.5 as new 1.1.4]
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1.2.4 Bound Printed Matter Presorted and Carrier Route Prices
[Revise the text of 1.2.4 to read as follows:]
Each piece is subject to both a piece price and a pound price. Deduct the Full-Service Intelligent Mail per-piece discount for each presorted flat (except pieces mailed at carrier route prices) that complies with the Full-Service Intelligent Mail option requirements under 705.23.0.
1.2.5 Bound Printed Matter Destination Entry Prices
[Revise the text of 1.2.5 to read as follows:]
Each piece is subject to both a piece price and a pound price. Deduct the Full-Service Intelligent Mail per-piece discount for each presorted flat (except pieces mailed at presorted DDU prices) that complies with the Full-Service Intelligent Mail option requirements under 705.23.0. Presorted DDU prices are not available for flats that weigh 1 pound or less.
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4.0 Price Eligibility for Bound Printed Matter
4.1 Price Eligibility
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[Delete 4.1 item d. in its entirety.]
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5.0 Additional Eligibility Standards for Presorted and Carrier Route Bound Printed Matter
5.1 Basic Standards
[Revise the text of 5.1a item 2 to read as follows:]
2. The additional address matching and coding standards in 6.4, and 708.3.0.
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6.0 Additional Eligibility Standards for Barcoded Bound Printed Matter Flats
6.1 Basic Eligibility Standards for Barcoded Bound Printed Matter
[Revise the text of 6.1 to read as follows:]
Barcoded BPM flat-size pieces must bear an Intelligent Mail barcode encoded with the correct delivery point routing code, matching the delivery address, and meeting the standards in 202.5.0 and 708.4.0. The pieces must be part of a presorted mailing of at least 300 BPM flats prepared under 265.7.0, 705.8.0, and 705.14.0.
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[Revise the heading of 6.4 to read as follows:]
6.4 Address Standards for Barcoded Bound Printed Matter
6.4.1 Basic Address Standards
[Revise the first sentence of 6.4.1 to read as follows:]
Addresses must be sufficiently complete to enable matching to the current USPS ZIP+4 Product when used with current CASS-certified address matching software.***
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500 Additional Mailing Services
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503 Extra and Additional Services
1.0 Basic Standards for All Extra Services
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1.8 Obtaining Delivery Information and Delivery Records
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[Revise the text of 1.8 item b to read as follows:]
b. Bulk proof of delivery allows mailers using privately printed labels to receive proof of delivery signature data electronically. The proof of delivery records are sent in a signature extract file format. Bulk proof of delivery records are available to mailers meeting the standards provided in Intelligent Mail Package Barcode (IMpb) Implenentation Guide for: Confirmation Services and Electronic Verification System (eVS) Mailers, available on RIBBS.
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[Delete 7.0, Bulk Proof of Delivery, in its entirety, then, renumber current 8.0 through 16.0 as new 7.0 through 15.0.]
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505 Return Services
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5.0 Parcel Return Service
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5.4 Label Formats
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5.4.4 Label Format Elements
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[Revise the last sentence of 5.4.4 item f to read as follows:]
f. ***The barcode must meet the standards for barcodes in Intelligent Mail Package Barcode (IMpb) Implenentation Guide for: Confirmation Services and Electronic Verification System (eVS) Mailers, available on RIBBS, with the following exceptions:
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507 Mailer Services
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5.0 Package Intercept
5.1 Description of Service
5.1.1 Basic Standards
[Revise the text of 5.1.1 to read as follows:]
Package Intercept service provides a method for customers to authorize redirection of any mailable domestic mailpiece with a tracking barcode under 5.1.2, unless otherwise ineligible under 5.1.3. Only the sender or authorized representative can request Package Intercept. If the item is found and redirected to the sender, to a new delivery address, or to a Post Office as Hold For Pickup, the Package Intercept fee is collected and the item is subject to additional postage charged under 5.2. Package Intercept requests are active for seven business days from the date of the request. Interception of eligible mailpieces is not guaranteed. Requests must be made as provided under 5.4.
5.1.2 Eligibility
[Revise the text of 5.1.2 to read as follows:]
Except under 5.1.3, Package Intercept service is available for Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, First-Class Mail, First-Class Package Service, Parcel Select, Standard Post, Bound Printed Matter, Media Mail, or Library Mail mailpieces with a tracking barcode, addressed to, from, or between domestic destinations (608.2.0) that do not require a customs declarations label, and measuring not more than 108 inches in length and girth combined. Package Intercept, redirect to sender option only, is available for eligible matter mailed using Registered Mail service.
5.1.3 Ineligible
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[Revise the text of 5.1.3 item e to read as follows:]
e. Mailpieces that do not contain a tracking barcode (including those for extra services).
[Insert new item f to read as follows:]
f. Redirecting matter mailed using Registered Mail service to a new delivery address, or to a Post Office as Hold For Pickup.
5.2 Postage and Fees
[Revise the text of 5.2 to read as follows:]
Customers must pay a nonrefundable per-piece fee once the USPS successfully intercepts the mailpiece. Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, and First-Class Mail pieces being redirected to the sender are not relabeled or subject to additional postage. Intercepted Parcel Select, Standard Post, Bound Printed Matter, Media Mail, or Library Mail pieces that are redirected to the sender, and all intercepted mailpieces that are redirected to a new delivery address or a Post Office as Hold For Pickup (508.7.0), are relabeled and handled as a new Priority Mail piece. The new Priority Mail piece is charged Priority Mail Commercial Base prices from the location where intercepted to the new destination based on the dimensions, weight, and zone of the piece or the flat rate price, if applicable, along with any applicable extra services fees. Postage and fee payments are as follows:
a. For retail customers, the Package Intercept fee may be paid by credit or debit card at www.usps.com. Payment of any applicable postage and fees for the new mailpiece will be charged at the time of the intercept when possible, or otherwise will be collected from the recipient as postage due upon delivery.
b. For commercial customers, payment of the Package Intercept fee and any applicable postage and fees for the new mailpiece must be processed through the mailer's Centralized Account Processing System (CAPS) account.
5.3 Adding Extra Services
[Revise the text of 5.3 to read as follows:]
Customers may request, and pay additional postage under 5.2, for extra services on the new Priority Mail piece being redirected to a new address or a Post Office for Hold For Pickup. Extra services may not be added to items being redirected to the sender. The relabeled item will be assigned a new Intelligent Mail package barcode (IMpb) applicable to the extra service purchased. All available USPS scans for the extra service will be available to the customer at no charge. Only the following extra services may be added:
a. Adult Signature Required.
b. Adult Signature Restricted Delivery.
c. Insurance (if the original shipment included insurance and only for the original value stated).
d. Signature Confirmation.
[Delete 5.4, Registered Mail, in its entirety, (context of text relocated to 5.1.2), Eligibility, then renumber current 5.5 as new 5.4.]
[Revise the title of 5.4 to read as follows:]
5.4 Requests for Intercept
[Revise the text of renumbered 5.4 to read as follows:]
Retail customers may register and make their request at www.usps.com to have their package intercepted. Commercial customers may register and make their request at https://gateway.usps.com/bcg/login.htm. Packages designated for redirection to a new address provided by the mailer that are undeliverable as addressed will be returned to sender as provided in 2.0.
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604 Postage Payment Methods
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5.0 Permit Imprint (Indicia)
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5.4 Picture Permit Imprint Indicia
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5.4.2 Postage and Fees
Except when used under 5.5, picture permit imprint is charged a per-piece fee, in addition to the postage applicable for the class of mail. See Notice 123 — Price List.
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[Insert new item 5.5 to read as follows:]
5.5 Alternate Postage
Alternate Postage is an electronic postage payment mechanism for single-piece First-Class Mail letters or postcards, addressed to any domestic address by the sender, that weigh no more than one ounce each. Customers wishing to participate in this program must submit their request in writing to the Manager, New Solutions, Mailing Services, USPS, 475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Room 5440, Washington, DC 20260-4440. Customers participating in the Alternate Postage payment program, must, at a minimum, meet the following requirements:
a. Have a Centralized Account Processing System (CAPS) account link with USPS;
b. Have a signed marketing agreement between the mailer and the USPS;
c. Submit production-quality mailpieces to USPS for pre-approval and have received subsequent USPS approval; and
d. Have approved mailpieces that bear unique Intelligent Mail barcodes, an approved permit imprint indicia or picture permit imprint indicia and any associated required markings located in the upper-right hand corner of the mailpiece, and a special facing identification mark (FIM E) (see 708.9.2e).
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6.0 Payment of Postage
6.1 Basic Standards
[Revise the text of item a. and item b. to read as follows:]
a. Reply mail and return services under 505.0.
b. Alternate Postage payment under 5.5.
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9.0 Exchanges and Refunds
9.1 Stamp Exchanges
[Revise the title of 9.1.2 as follows:]
9.1.2 Unusable, Damaged Stamps, or Stamped Paper
[Revise the fourth sentence of 9.1.2 to read as follows:]
***Except as provided in items d. and e., each such transaction is limited to $100 worth of postage from each customer.***
[Revise the first sentence of 9.1.2 item d. to read as follows:]
d. Postage stamps (ordinary or precanceled when applicable) affixed to commercial envelopes and postcards: 90% of postage value.***
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700 Special Standards
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705 Advanced Preparation and Special Postage Payment Systems
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18.0 Priority Mail Express Open and Distribute and Priority Mail Open and Distribute
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18.5 Preparation
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18.5.7 Address Label Service Barcode Requirement
[Revise the sixth sentence of 18.5.7 to read as follows:]
***NCSC contact information, formatting specifications for barcodes and electronic files, and certification, are included in Intelligent Mail Package Barcode (IMpb) Implenentation Guide for: Confirmation Services and Electronic Verification System (eVS) Mailers, available on RIBBS. Mailers can use the following options available to create a label with a service barcode for Priority Mail Express Open and Distribute and Priority Mail Open and Distribute address labels:
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[Revise the text of 18.5.7 item d to read as follows:]
d. Use Intelligent Mail Package Barcode (IMpb) Implenentation Guide for: Confirmation Services and Electronic Verification System (eVS) Mailers, available on RIBBS for technical specifications and requirements.
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We will incorporate these revisions into the January 2015 update of the DMM, which is available via Postal Explorer® at http://pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification,
Pricing, 12-25-14
