Effective November 4, 2024, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®), in various sections, to clarify the requirements for USPS Marketing Mail® and periodicals flat-sized mailpieces when preparing bundles or loose flats in flat trays.
Although this clarification will not be published in the DMM until November 4, 2024, these standards are effective immediately.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
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200 Commercial Mail Letters, Cards, Flats, and Parcels
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207 Periodicals
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22.0 Preparing Nonbarcoded (Presorted) Periodicals
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22.2 Bundle Preparation
[Revise the introductory text of 22.2 to read as follows:]
Bundling in flat trays is optional when no mail in that tray would have been more finely sorted, if bundled. Bundles must be trayed and labeled separately from loose flats prepared in flat trays. Mailings of entirely nonbarcoded flats meeting the criteria in 201.6.0 may be prepared in 5-digit scheme bundles according to L007 and in 3-digit scheme bundles according to L008. A bundle must be prepared when the quantity of addressed mailpieces for a required presort level reaches the minimum bundle size. Smaller volumes are not permitted, except in mixed ADC bundles and under 22.4. Bundling is also subject to 19.0. Preparation sequence, bundle size, and labeling:
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22.7 Tray Preparation — Flat-Size Nonbarcoded Pieces
[Revise the introductory text of 22.7 to read as follows:]
Mailers must place machinable and nonmachinable (26.0) flat-sized pieces in flat trays (203.5.6) instead of sacks, unless prepared as the following: Direct carrier route; 5-digit scheme carrier route; 5-digit carrier route (23.4.1, 705.9.0 and 705.10.0); Nonpalletized residual 5-digit entered at a DDU along with carrier-route flats; Nonpalletizemd 5-digit flats entered at the DSCF (origin); or nonpalletized 3-digit/SCF entered at the DSCF (origin). Bundling in flat trays is optional when no mail in that tray would have been more finely sorted, if bundled. Bundles must be trayed and labeled separately from loose flats prepared in flat trays. The trays are subject to a container charge and any bundles are subject to a bundle charge. Tray preparation, sequence, and labeling:
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25.0 Preparing Flat-Size Barcoded (Automation) Periodicals
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25.5 Tray Preparation — Flat-Size Barcoded Pieces
[Revise the introductory text of 25.5 to read as follows:]
Mailers must place machinable flats (under 201.6.0) in flats trays (see 24.0) instead of sacks, unless prepared as the following: Direct carrier route; 5-digit scheme carrier route; 5-digit carrier route; Nonpalletized residual 5-digit and entered at a DDU along with carrier-route flats; Nonpalletized 5-digit flats entered at the DSCF (origin); or nonpalletized 3-digit/SCF entered at the DSCF (origin). Mailers must group together all pieces for each 5-digit scheme, 5-digit, 3-digit scheme, 3-digit, SCF, and ADC destination. Bundling in flat trays is optional when no mail in that tray would have been more finely sorted, if bundled. Bundles must be trayed and labeled separately from loose flats prepared in flat trays. The trays are subject to a container charge, and any bundles are subject to a bundle charge. Tray preparation, sequence, and labeling:
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245 Mail Preparation
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8.0 Preparing Nonautomation Flats
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8.2 Bundle Preparation
[Revise the text of 8.2. to read as follows:]
Bundling in flat trays is optional when no mail in that tray would have been more finely sorted, if bundled. Bundles must be trayed and labeled separately from loose flats prepared in flat trays. A bundle must be prepared when the quantity of addressed mailpieces for a required presort level reaches the required minimum bundle size specified in 8.3. Smaller volumes are not permitted except under 203.4.0 and for mixed ADC bundles.
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10.0 Preparing Automation Flats
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10.4 USPS Marketing Mail Bundle and Flat-Tray Preparation
10.4.1 Bundling and Labeling
[Revise the introductory text of 10.4.1 to read as follows:]
Bundling in flat trays is optional when no mail in that tray would have been more finely sorted, if bundled. Bundles must be trayed and labeled separately from loose flats prepared in flat trays. Preparation sequence, bundle size, except as allowed under 203.4.0, and labeling:
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705 Advanced Preparation and Special Postage Payment Systems
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9.0 Combining Bundles of Automation and Nonautomation Flats in Flat Trays and Sacks
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9.2 Periodicals
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[Revise the title and introductory text of 9.2.5 to read as follows:]
9.2.5 Flat-Tray Preparation — Flat-Size Machinable Pieces
See 207.20.0 for using flat trays. For machinable pieces meeting the criteria in 201.6.0, mailers must bundle or group all pieces as specified in 207.25.0 and 207.22.0 for each 5-digit scheme, 5-digit, 3-digit scheme, 3-digit, SCF, and ADC destination. Bundling in flat trays is optional when no mail in that tray would have been more finely sorted, if bundled. Bundles must be trayed and labeled separately from loose flats prepared in flat trays. The trays are subject to a container charge, and any bundles are subject to a bundle charge. Tray preparation, sequence, and labeling:
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The Postal Service will incorporate these revisions into the November 4, 2024, edition of the online DMM, which is available on Postal Explorer® at pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification,
Product Solutions, 7-25-24
