1-5 Purpose of This Publication

This publication is intended as a user-friendly guide to the PES. It provides basic information about the statutes with common examples. In addition, it provides procedures for the establishment and maintenance of postage payment agreements when a mailer chooses to transport letters outside the mails and those letters do not qualify for any exception or suspension to the PES.

This publication is not the sole source of information about the PES. It does not supersede any regulation found in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The CFR references for the topics under discussion are listed when applicable. The CFR is available online at www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr.

The remainder of this publication is organized as follows:

1. Chapter 2 defines and illustrates terms frequently used in administering the PES.
2. Chapter 3 lists the exceptions to the PES and provides examples.
3. Chapter 4 lists the suspensions of the PES and provides examples.
4. Chapter 5 illustrates how letters can be privately carried in conjunction with a postage payment agreement.
5. Chapter 6 provides contact information.