[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 208 (Tuesday, October 28, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 55841]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-28526]


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POSTAL SERVICE


Revised Publication 401, Guide to Manifest Mailing System

AGENCY: Postal Service.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice adopts revisions to the Postal Service's 
Publication 401, Guide to the Manifest Mailing System.

EFFECTIVE DATE: December 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Amonette, (202) 268-6258.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 8, 1997 the Postal Service published 
in the Federal Register proposed revisions to Publication 401, Guide to 
the Manifest Mailing System (62 FR 36585). These revisions update and 
reflect changes that have taken place in the past 4 years since the 
last revision of Publication 401 that affect the submission and 
acceptance of manifest mailings.
    The deadline for submitting comments on the proposed revisions was 
August 7, 1997. All comments received or mailed by that date have been 
considered.

Evaluation of Comments Received

    There was only one written response to the proposed revisions. The 
commenter addressed two of the proposed revisions. First, they welcomed 
the change for evaluating the accuracy of Standard Mail (A) piece/pound 
rate manifest mailings. They agreed that the postage-based comparison 
will be more accurate than the previous weight-based comparison.
    The second comment dealt with the revision that eliminates 
adjusting postage downwards if the accuracy level determined as a 
result of sampling by the verifying post office is lower than -1.5%. 
The commenter believes that this would adversely impact mailers of 
Standard Mail (A) piece/pound rate mailings because scale tolerance 
limits for these lighter weight pieces may cause a need for frequent 
adjustments.
    Postage sampling results are a measure of the accuracy of a 
manifest mailing system. Frequent adjustments indicate that a system is 
not meeting standards, even if those adjustments are caused by scale 
tolerance limits. Frequent adjustments increase administrative costs 
for these systems for the mailer and the Postal Service.
    Most mailers who have a problem with weight tolerances due to the 
type of scales they use have chosen to include a weight factor that 
automatically prevents underpaying postage and prevents the type of 
frequent postage adjustments being eliminated. Also, the change to 
postage-based comparison sampling procedures will make postage sampling 
more accurate. This should eliminate most errors caused by differences 
in scale tolerances.
    Given these two approaches, the Postal Service does not believe 
this revision will have an adverse impact on manifest mailers. Also, as 
stated in the previous notice, if a normally accurate system fails, and 
it can be shown why overpayment occurred, postage refunds will be 
considered on a case-by-case basis by the administering rates and 
classification service center.
    The Postal Service will adopt the Publication 401 revisions as 
proposed. These revisions will go into effect with the printing and 
public release of this document which is scheduled for December 1997.
Stanley F. Mires,
Chief Counsel, Legislative.
[FR Doc. 97-28526 Filed 10-27-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P