Effective March 5, 2018, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®), in various sections, to clarify the processing category of certain ineligible flat-sized pieces.
The DMM currently states that mailers whose retail or commercial flat-sized pieces do not meet the flexibility or uniform thickness standards must pay the applicable parcel prices. Also, mailers whose flat-sized pieces do not meet polywrap covering standards must pay the applicable parcel prices. Mailers must prepare these ineligible flat-sized pieces as parcels.
The Postal Service will revise the following:
n Sections 101.2.5, 201.4.7, and 201.5.0 to clarify that the above ineligible flat-sized pieces are considered parcels.
n Sections 233.4.0, 243.4.0, and 263.1.0 to remove redundant text. These revisions will provide clarity and consistency in the standards.
n Quick Service Guides (QSG) 201c, 207d, 207f, 230d, 240e, and 260a, to include the aforementioned revisions.
n QSG 270a to remove outdated flat-sized pieces text.
Although we will not publish these revisions in the DMM until March 5, 2018, the standards are effective immediately.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
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100 Retail Mail Letters, Cards, Flats, and Parcels
101 Physical Standards
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2.0 Physical Standards for Flats
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[Revise the title and text of 2.5 to read as follows:]
2.5 Ineligible Flat-Size Pieces
Flat-size mailpieces that do not meet the eligibility standards in 2.1 through 2.4 are considered parcels and must pay the applicable parcel prices.
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200 Commercial Mail Letters, Cards, Flats, and Parcels
201 Physical Standards
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4.0 Physical Standards for Flats
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[Revise the title and introductory text of 4.7 to read as follows:]
4.7 Ineligible Flat-Size Pieces
Flat-size mailpieces that do not meet the eligibility standards in 4.3 through 4.6 must pay the applicable prices as follows:
[Revise the introductory text of item a. to read as follows:]
a. Flat-size pieces that do not meet flexibility or uniform thickness or polywrap eligibility standards in 4.3 through 4.5 are considered parcels and must be prepared as parcels (5.0) and pay the applicable prices as follows:
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[Revise the text of item a2 to read as follows:]
2. Periodicals — parcel prices (Periodicals nonmachinable flats (under 207.26.0) are not subject to flexibility or deflection standards).
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[Revise the text of item b. to read as follows:]
b. Flat-size pieces that do not meet deflection standards in 4.6 must pay the applicable prices as noted in Exhibit 4.7b. Under the column heading “eligibility as presented,” flat-size pieces will be considered to be presented as automation flats only if they meet all other eligibility standards for automation flats.
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5.0 Physical Standards for Nonautomation Flats
5.1 First-Class Mail
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[Revise the text of item b. to read as follows:]
b. Flat-size pieces that do not meet the eligibility standards in 4.3 through 4.5 are considered parcels and must be prepared as parcels and pay the applicable parcel prices.
5.2 USPS Marketing Mail
5.2.1 Basic Physical Standards
[Revise the text of item b. to read as follows:]
b. Flat-size pieces that do not meet the eligibility standards in 4.3 through 4.5 are considered parcels and must be prepared as parcels and pay the applicable parcel prices.
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5.3 Bound Printed Matter
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[Revise the text of item a. to read as follows:]
a. Flat-size pieces that do not meet the eligibility standards in 4.3 through 4.5 are considered parcels and must be prepared as parcels and pay the applicable parcel prices.
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5.4 Media Mail and Library Mail
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[Revise the text of item a. to read as follows:]
a. Flat-size pieces that do not meet the eligibility standards in 4.3 through 4.4 are considered parcels and must be prepared as parcels.
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230 First-Class Mail
233 Prices and Eligibility
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4.0 Additional Eligibility Standards for Nonautomation First-Class Mail
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[Delete 4.4, Nonmachinable Flat-Size Pieces, in its entirety.]
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240 USPS Marketing Mail
243 Prices and Eligibility
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4.0 Price Eligibility for USPS Marketing Mail
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[Delete 4.4, Shape, Flexibility, and Uniform Thickness, in its entirety.]
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260 Bound Printed Matter
263 Prices and Eligibility
1.0 Prices and Fees
1.1 Nonpresorted Bound Printed Matter
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[Delete 1.1.2, Rigid Flat-Size Pieces, in its entirety and renumber current 1.1.3 as new 1.1.2.]
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1.2 Presorted and Carrier Route Bound Printed Matter
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[Delete 1.2.2, Rigid Flat-Size Pieces, in its entirety and renumber current 1.2.3 through 1.2.8 as new 1.2.2 through 1.2.7.]
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We will incorporate these revisions into the next online update of the DMM, which is available via Postal Explorer® at pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification, Marketing, 2-1-18
