[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 209 (Wednesday, October 29, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 56074-56075]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-28524]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 20


Acceptance Procedures for Global Package Link (GPL)

AGENCY: Postal Service.

ACTION: Interim rule with request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Postal Service is amending the rule on Global Package Link 
(GPL) service. New charges are being announced effective November 28, 
1997. The new charges provide a discount for mailer-provided 
transportation of packages to a GPL processing facility and add, for 
mailers located more than 500 miles from a GPL processing facility, a 
surcharge for Postal-provided transportation. In addition, the current 
option for mailer processing is eliminated.

DATES: These regulations take effect as of November 28, 1997. Comments 
must be received on or before November 28, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be mailed or delivered to 
International Business Unit, Manager, Mail Order, U.S. Postal Service, 
475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, 370-IBU, Washington, DC 20260-6500. Copies of 
all written comments will be available for public inspection and 
photocopying between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the 
above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert E. Michelson, (202) 268-5731.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

General Description

    Global Package Link (GPL) is a service that provides fast, 
economical international delivery of packages containing merchandise. 
GPL is designed to make it easier and less costly for mail-order 
companies to export goods. The Postal Service provides GPL on a 
destination country-specific basis pursuant to the terms and conditions 
stipulated in subsection 620 of the International Mail Manual and the 
Individual Country Listings.

II. GPL Acceptance

Description

Current Procedures
    Currently, if the plant from which the customer's GPL packages 
originate is within 500 miles of a GPL processing facility, the Postal 
Service will accept the packages at the mailer's plant and transport 
them by truck to the GPL facility at no additional charge. If the 
mailer's plant is located more than 500 miles from a GPL facility, the 
customer has two options. The customer may choose either to:
    a. present the packages to the Postal Service for verification at 
the customer's plant, and then transport the packages to the GPL 
facility, or
    b. process the packages using Postal-provided workstations, after 
which the Postal Service accepts the packages and transports them to a 
designated air-mail facility.
Proposed Procedures
    The new provisions will differ from the current one in the 
following aspects:
    1. If the mailer transports the packages to a GPL facility, the 
mailer will receive a $.20 per pound discount, regardless of the 
distance from the mailer's plant to a GPL facility.
    2. If the mailer's plant is more than 500 miles from a GPL 
facility, and the customer does not drop ship, the Postal Service will 
provide transportation at an additional rate of $.40 per pound. If the 
mailer's plant is within 500 miles from a GPL facility, the Postal 
Service will continue to provide transportation without any additional 
charge.
    3. The current option for mailers whose plants are more than 500 
miles from a GPL processing facility, in which the customer processes 
the packages using a Postal-provided computer system, is eliminated.
    Accordingly, the Postal Service adopts the following amendments of 
the International Mail Manual on an interim basis. Although 39 U.S. C. 
409 does not require advance notice and opportunity for submission of 
comments, and the Postal Service is exempted by 39 U.S.C. 410(a) from 
the advance notice requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act 
regarding proposed rulemaking (5 U.S.C. 553), the Postal Service 
invites interested persons to submit written data, views or arguments 
concerning this interim rule.
    The Postal Service adopts the following amendments to the 
International Mail Manual, which is incorporated by reference in the 
Code of Federal Regulations. See 39 CFR 20.1.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 20

    Foreign Relation, International Post Service.

PART 20--AMENDED

    1. The authority for 39 CFR Part 20 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a); 39 U.S.C. 401, 404, 407, 408.

    2. Effective October 29, 1997 subchapter 620 of International Mail 
Manual Issue 19 is amended to read as follows:

Global Package Link (620)

623.4  Postage

* * * * *

623.44  Base Rates

    [Renumber current ``Rate Reductions'' as 623.441 and add new 
section 623.442 as follows:]

623.442 Transportation Drop-Shipment Discount

    A discount of 20 cents per pound applies to mail that is tranported 
by the mailer to a designated GPL facility. To compute the discount, 
multiply 20 cents by the number of pounds per country and per service 
level.

623.443  USPS Transportation Charge

    If a mailer's plant is located more than 500 miles from a GPL 
facility, and the USPS tranports the mail, the mail is subject to an 
additional transportation charge of 40 cents per pound. To calculate 
the transportation charge, multiply 40 cents by the number of pounds 
per country per service level.
* * * * *

625.1  Acceptance

[Replace sections 625.1 and 625.2 and add new 625.3 as follows:]

625.1  Acceptance Location

    A GPL mailing must be verified by USPS employees assigned to a 
detached mail unit (DMU) in the mailer's plant or at the origin post 
office serving the mailer's plant, according to a schedule agreed to by 
the Postal Service and the mailer. After verification, the mailing may 
be transported to a GPL facility by either the mailer or the Postal 
Service.

625.2  Transportation to GPL facility by the Mailer

    The mailer will transport the packages as a drop-shipment to a GPL 
processing facility according to a schedule agreed to by the Postal 
Service and the customer. The mailer is eligible for a discount for 
drop shipment (see 623.442).

[[Page 56075]]

625.3  Transportation to GPL Facility by the USPS

    For mailers who do not transport the mail as a drop-shipment, the 
Postal Service will transport the packages by truck to the GPL 
processing facility according to a schedule agreed to by the Postal 
Service and the customer. For mailers whose plants are located within 
500 miles from a GPL facility, there will be no charge for the 
transportation. If the plant from which the GPL mailing originates is 
located more than 500 miles of a GPL processing facility the mailing is 
subject to a transportation charge (see 623.443).
Stanley F. Mires,
Chief Counsel, Legislative.
[FR Doc. 97-28524 Filed 10-28-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P