Effective January 26, 2020, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®), to reflect changes to prices and mailing standards for the following Competitive products:
n Priority Mail Express®.
n Priority Mail®.
n First-Class Package Service®.
n Parcel Select®.
n USPS Retail Ground®.
n Extra Services.
n Return Services.
n Mailer Services.
n Recipient Services.
n Other.
This article describes Competitive products’ new prices and product features approved by the Governors of the United States Postal Service®. Information on new prices is available on the Postal Explorer® website at pe.usps.com.
There are no product changes scheduled for the following Competitive products:
n Priority Mail Express.
n Priority Mail.
n First-Class Package Service.
n Parcel Select.
n Extra Services.
n Return Services.
n Recipient Services.
The Postal Service is implementing Dimensional Weight (DIM) pricing for USPS Retail Ground parcels. Postage for USPS Retail Ground parcels addressed for delivery to zones 1 through 9 and exceeding 1 cubic foot (1,728 cubic inches) will be based on the actual weight or the dimensional weight, whichever is greater.
USPS Retail Ground DIM weight pricing will be calculated using one of two formulas: rectangular or nonrectangular, with a DIM divisor of 166.
USPS Retail Ground — Limited Overland Routes pricing will not be subject to DIM pricing.
As a result of the implementation of DIM pricing for USPS Retail Ground parcels in zones 1 through 9, the Postal Service will eliminate balloon pricing.
USPS Retail Ground — Limited Overland Routes pricing will continue to be subject to balloon pricing.
The Postal Service is introducing “Premium Data Retention and Retrieval” service, which allows customers to request that the Postal Service retain for their packages the following (beyond the Postal Service’s standard data retention period, for up to 10 years):
1. Scan data, or
2. Scan and signature data.
Premium Data Retention service is available for packages shipped via Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, First-Class Package Service, Parcel Select, and packages with Adult Signature Services. For Scan and Signature Retention on products other than Priority Mail Express, the customer must have purchased an underlying signature service, such as Signature Confirmation™ service. Customers can request Premium Data Retention and Retrieval service online at usps.com or through a Shipping Services File.
The Postal Service is introducing an “eVS Unmanifested” fee to discourage the shipment of eVS unmanifested eligible pieces, reduce occurrences of lower postage assessments, and offset additional reconciliation, manual processes, and operational costs. The fee will apply to Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, First-Class Package Service, and Parcel Select commercial pieces.
The Postal Service provides additional resources to assist customers with this price change for Competitive products. These tools, available at pe.usps.com, include price lists, downloadable price files, and Federal Register notices.
These standards become effective January 26, 2020.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
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100 Retail Mail Letters, Cards, Flats, and Parcels
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150 Retail Mail USPS Retail Ground
153 Prices and Eligibility
1.0 Prices and Fees
1.1 Price Eligibility
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[Revise the text of item d. to read as follows:]
d. Customers mailing USPS Retail Ground — Limited Overland Routes parcels that weigh less than 20 pounds but measure more than 84 inches (but not more than 108 inches) in combined length and girth are charged the applicable price for a 20-pound parcel (balloon price).
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[Add new section 1.4 to read as follows:]
1.4 Dimensional Weight Price for Low-Density Parcels to Zones 1–9
Except for USPS Retail Ground — Limited Overland Routes parcels as specified in 1.3, postage for parcels addressed for delivery to zones 1–9 and exceeding 1 cubic foot (1,728 cubic inches) is based on the actual weight or the dimensional weight (as calculated in 1.4.1 or 1.4.2), whichever is greater.
1.4.1 Determining Dimensional Weight for Rectangular Parcels
Follow these steps to determine the dimensional weight for a rectangular parcel:
a. Measure the length, width, and height in inches. Round off (see 604.7.0) each measurement to the nearest whole inch.
b. Multiply the length by the width and then that total by the height.
c. If the result exceeds 1,728 cubic inches, divide the result by 166 and round up (see 604.7.0) to the next whole number to determine the dimensional weight in pounds.
d. If the dimensional weight exceeds 70 pounds, the customer pays the 70-pound price.
1.4.2 Determining Dimensional Weight for Nonrectangular Parcels
Follow these steps to determine the dimensional weight for a nonrectangular parcel:
a. Measure the length, width, and height in inches at their extreme dimensions. Round off (see 604.7.0) each measurement to the nearest whole inch.
b. Multiply the length by the width and then that total by the height.
c. Multiply the result by an adjustment factor of 0.785.
d. If the final result exceeds 1,728 cubic inches, divide the result by 166 and round up (see 604.7.0) to the next whole number to determine the dimensional weight in pounds.
e. If the dimensional weight exceeds 70 pounds, the customer pays the 70-pound price.
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200 Commercial Mail Letters, Cards, Flats, and Parcels
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210 Commercial Mail Priority Mail Express
213 Prices and Eligibility
1.0 Prices and Fees
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[Add new section 1.9 to read as follows:]
1.9 eVS Unmanifested Fee
Eligible eVS Priority Mail Express pieces omitted from the eVS manifest are subject to the eVS unmanifested fee (see Notice 123 — Price List), unless the piece is subject to the IMpb noncompliance fee specified in 3.2.
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220 Priority Mail
223 Prices and Eligibility
1.0 Prices and Fees
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[Add new section 1.11 to read as follows:]
1.11 eVS Unmanifested Fee
Eligible eVS Priority Mail pieces omitted from the eVS manifest are subject to the eVS unmanifested piece fee (see Notice 123 — Price List), unless the piece is subject to the IMpb noncompliance fee specified in 3.2.
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250 Parcel Select
253 Prices and Eligibility
1.0 Prices and Fees
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[Add new section 1.5 to read as follows:]
1.5 eVS Unmanifested Fee
Eligible eVS Parcel Select pieces omitted from the eVS manifest are subject to the eVS unmanifested fee (see Notice 123 — Price List), unless the piece is subject to the IMpb noncompliance fee specified in 3.3.
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280 Commercial Mail First-Class Package
Service — Commercial
283 Prices and Eligibility
1.0 Prices and Fees
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[Add new section 1.4 to read as follows:]
1.4 eVS Unmanifested Fee
Eligible eVS First-Class Package Service — Commercial pieces omitted from the eVS manifest are subject to the eVS unmanifested fee (see Notice 123 — Price List), unless the piece is subject to the IMpb noncompliance fee specified in 3.4.
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500 Additional Mailing Services
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507 Mailer Services
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[Add new section 11.0 to read as follows:]
11.0 Premium Data Retention and Retrieval Service
Premium Data Retention and Retrieval service allows customers to request for their packages that the Postal Service retain scan data, or scan and signature data, beyond the Postal Service’s standard data retention period, for up to 10 years. Premium Data Retention and Retrieval service is available for commercial packages shipped via Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, First-Class Package Service, Parcel Select, and commercial packages with Adult Signature Services. For Scan and Signature Retention on products other than Priority Mail Express, the customer must have purchased an underlying signature service, such as Signature Confirmation service (see Notice 123 — Price List). Customers can request Premium Data Retention and Retrieval service online at usps.com or through a Shipping Services File.
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The Postal Service will incorporate these revisions into the next edition of the online DMM, which is available via Postal Explorer at pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification, Marketing, 12-19-19
