Federal Register, Volume 63 Issue 162 (Friday, August 21, 1998)

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 162 (Friday, August 21, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 44789-44792]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-22481]

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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 20

Global Direct--Canada Admail Service

AGENCY: Postal Service.

ACTION: Interim rule and request for comment.

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SUMMARY: Global Direct--Canada Admail is an international mail service
primarily intended for major printing firms, direct marketers, mail
order companies, and other high volume mailers seeking easier access to
the Canadian domestic postal system. The service is intended to provide
mail delivery in an average of 5-10 business days in major urban areas
throughout Canada. Ancillary services for local business reply and the
return of undeliverable mail are also introduced for use with Global
Direct--Canada Admail service.

DATES: The interim regulations are effective August 21, 1998. Comments
must be received on or before September 21, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to the Manager, Pricing,
Costing, and Classification, Room 370-IBU, International Business Unit,
U.S. Postal Service, Washington, DC 20260-6500. Copies of all written
comments will be available for public inspection between 9:00 a.m. and
4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, in the International Business Unit,
10th Floor, 901 D Street SW, Washington DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Walter J. Grandjean, (202) 314-7256.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In cooperation partnership with Canada Post
Corporation (CPC), the Postal Service is introducing Global Direct--
Canada Admail. This international mail service is primarily intended
for major printing firms, direct marketers, mail order companies, and
other high-volume mailers seeking easier access to the Canadian
domestic postal system. It is intended to provide mail delivery in an
average of 5-10 business days in major urban areas throughout Canada.
Ancillary services for local business reply and the return of
undeliverable mail are also introduced for use with Global Direct--
Canada Admail.
Participating mailers must sign a service agreement with the Postal
Service which defines the conditions of mailing under which they will
enter Global Direct--Canada Admail. Since all mailings are subject to
CPC's eligibility and mail preparation requirements for CPC's Addressed
Admail, they must be sorted on the basis of CPC Letter Carrier Presort
option or National Distribution Guide Sort option. CPC-certified
sortation and address accuracy software is required.
To qualify, mailers must agree to mail a minimum of 25,000 Global
Direct--Canada Admail items for delivery to Canadian addressees per
mailing. The mailpieces must bear an authorized CPC or USPS permit
imprint and be paid for through a USPS advance deposit account. In
addition, a completed postage statement must accompany each mailing
that is deposited at a designated acceptance point.
Mailers who want to establish a local, in-country identity in
Canada, can place a specified CPC permit imprint on their mailpieces in
combination with a Canadian return address. All others must use their
USPS permit imprint in combination with a U.S. domestic return address.
The service requires participating U.S. mailers to prepare their
postal items as Canadian domestic mail. The USPS then transports these
mailpieces to Canada, where they are turned over to CPC for entry into
Canada's domestic mail system. Mailers must deposit their mail at one
of six offices.
Postage rates are determined by the size, weight, and level of
sortation of the items being mailed. The interim postage rates for
Global Direct--Canada Admail service are as follows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Letter Carrier Presort National Distribution
(LCP) Guide (NDG)
Weight not over 1.76 ounces ---------------------------------------------------
Standard Large Standard Large
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Letter Carrier Direct....................................... $0.216 $0.234 N/A N/A
Station..................................................... .223 .245 $0.245 $0.269
Direct Rural................................................ .245 .269 .245 .269
City........................................................ .248 .273 .259 .287
Distribution Center Facility................................ .255 .277 .269 .291
Forward Consolidation Point................................. .269 .291 .277 .312
Residue..................................................... .284 .312 .298 .337
Each additional pound over 1.76 ounce....................... .544 .626 .544 .626
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: A extra charge of 3.5 cents may be charged for the number of items not meeting address accuracy
requirements.

Every item must meet size and weight requirements for its type. The
size standards are as follows:

[[Page 44790]]

Standard (Short/Long) Items.
Minimum.......................... 5 \1/2\ in. (140 mm)... 3 \9/16\ in. (90 mm)... 0.007 in. (0.18 mm)
Maximum.......................... 9 \5/8\ in. (245 mm)... 5 \7/8\ in. (150 mm)... \3/16\ in. (5 mm)
Large (Oversized) Items.......... 14 \7/8\ in. (380 mm).. 10 \9/16\ in. (270 mm). \13/16\ in. (20 mm)

OTHER ITEMS \1\

Standard (Short/Long) Items:
Minimum.......................... 3 \15/16\ in. (100 mm). 2 \3/4\ in. (70 mm).... 0.007 in. (0.18 mm)
Maximum.......................... 9 \5/8\ in. (245 mm)... 5 \7/8\ in. (150 mm)... \3/16\ in. (5 mm)
Large (Oversized) Items.............. 14 \7/8\ in. (380 mm).. 10 \9/16\ in. (270 mm). \13/16\ in. (20 mm)
Maximum Weight....................... ....................... 17.6 oz.(500 grams).... .......................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Other items are defined as items other than cards and envelopes.

Mailers who are interested in using the service must furnish the
following information to the Postal Service at least 14 days prior to
their planned first mailing date and enter into a service agreement:
1. Customer's name and address.
2. Proposed initial mailing date and frequency.
3. Mailing location.
4. The type of items, including size and weight, that will be
mailing.
5. Number of items in the proposed mailing.
6. Mail sort option used.
7. The mailing equipment that the customer intends to use to
prepare items.
8. Ancillary services used.
Concurrent with the establishment of a service agreement, the
designated post office of entry is instructed to accept and verify the
customer's mail prior to its being dispatched to Canada.
In addition to mail service, the Postal Service is offering a local
Canadian business reply service. Under this service the mailer may
distribute pre-addressed cards and letters to addressees in Canada.
Customers then mail these items, without prepayment of postage, to an
address in Canada. The Postal Service has an arrangement with CPC to
have the mail delivered to the U.S. addressee at which time the
addressee will pay the postage. The rates for this service are $0.45
for items not weighing over 1.06 ounces (30 grams) and $0.65 for items
weighing over 1.06 ounces (30 grams) but not over 1.76 ounces (50
grams). Specifications for this service are contained in Publication
524, Global Direct--Canada Admail Service Guide.
If a mailer using a Canadian identity (Canadian postage indicia and
return address) wants undeliverable Canada Admail items returned
through the Postal Service, the items must be endorsed ``Return Postage
Guaranteed.'' The mail must bear the return address specified by the
Postal Service and will be returned to the U.S. mailer. The rates for
this service are:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Weight (not over) Rate
------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.52 oz. (100 grams)............................................ $0.80
7.04 oz. (200 grams)............................................ 1.32
17.60 oz.(500 grams)............................................ 2.09
------------------------------------------------------------------------

If a U.S. permit is used, returned items are subject to the
applicable surface printed matter postage that would have been paid
from the United States to Canada.
Although the Postal Service is exempted by 39 U.S.C. 410(a) from
the advance notice requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act
regarding rulemaking (5 U.S.C. 553), interested parties are invited to
submit written data, views, or comments regarding this interim rule to
the address above.
The Postal Service is adopting the following interim 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 relations, International postal service.

PART 20--[AMENDED]

1. The authority citation 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. Chapter 6 of the International Mail Manual is amended by
changing the title of 610, re-numbering old or current 610 as 611, and
adding new part 612 to read as follows:

CHAPTER 6--SPECIAL PROGRAMS

610 Global Direct Service

611 Global Direct--Mexico Direct

* * * * *

612 Global Direct--Canada Admail

612.1 Description

Global Direct--Canada Admail is an international mail service that
is available on the basis of a service agreement between the Postal
Service and a qualifying mailer. Under this service a mailer must enter
identical printed matter items that meet the applicable eligibility,
makeup, and preparation requirements for Canadian Post domestic
Addressed Admail service. The Postal Service transports the items to
Canada for entry into that country's domestic mail system. The mailer
is responsible for ensuring that the items meet Canada Post
Corporation's makeup and preparation requirements.

612.2 Qualifying Mailers and Mailing Locations

612.21 Qualifying Mailers

Qualifying mailers must agree to mail a minimum of 25,000 Admail
items for delivery to Canadian addressees per mailing. All tendered
mailpieces must conform to the applicable makeup and preparation
requirements for Canadian domestic mail, as specified by Canada Post
Corporation (CPC). CPC-certified sortation and address accuracy
software is required.

612.22 Mailing Locations

Mailings may be deposited only at the following offices as
specified in the service agreement:

John F Kennedy Airport Mail Center, John F Kennedy International
Airport, Building 250, Jamaica NY 11430-9998
New Jersey International Bulk Mail Center, U.S. Postal Service, 80
County RD, Jersey City NJ 07097-9998
Buffalo Auxiliary Service Facility, Buffalo Processing and Distribution
Center, 1200 William ST, Buffalo NY 14240-9998

[[Page 44791]]

Detroit Processing and Distribution Center, U.S. Postal Service, 1401 W
Fort, Detroit MI 48233-9997
AMC O'Hare International Annex, US Postal Service, 3333 Mount Prospect
RD, Franklin Park IL 60131-1347
Seattle Processing and Distribution Center, U.S. Postal Service, 2454
Occidental Ave S, Seattle WA 98134-9997

612.3 Postage

612.31 Rate

The rate of postage is determined by the size, weight, and level of
sortation of the items being mailed as specified below:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Letter Carrier Presort National Distribution
(LCP) Guide (NDG)
Weight not over 1.76 ounces ---------------------------------------------------
Standard Large Standard Large
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Letter Carrier Direct....................................... $0.216 $0.234 N/A N/A
Station..................................................... .223 .245 .245 .269
Direct Rural................................................ .245 .269 .245 .269
City........................................................ .248 .273 .259 .287
Distribution Center Facility................................ .255 .277 .269 .291
Forward Consolidation Point................................. .269 .291 .277 .312
Residue..................................................... .284 .312 .298 .337
each additional pound over 1.76 ounces...................... .544 .626 .544 .626
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: A extra charge of 3.5 cents may be charged for the number of items not meeting address accuracy
requirements.

612.32 CPC Size Definitions

Every item must meet size and weight requirements for its type. The
size standards are as follows:

Weight and Size Limits
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Length Width Thickness
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CARDS/ENVELOPES:
Standard (Short/Long) Items:
Minimum.......................... 5\1/2\ in. (140 mm).... 3\9/16\ in. (90 mm).... .007 in. (0.18 mm.)
Maximum.......................... 9\5/8\ in. (245 mm).... 5\7/8\ in. (150 mm).... \3/16\ in. (5 mm)
Large (Oversized) Items.............. 14\7/8\ in. (380 mm)... 10\9/16\ in. (270 mm).. \13/16\ in. (20 mm)
OTHER ITEMS \1\
Standard (Short/Long) Items:
Minimum.......................... 3\15/16\ in. (100 mm).. 2\3/4\ in. (70 mm)..... .007 in. (0.18 mm)
Maximum.......................... 9\5/8\ in. (245 mm).... 5\7/8\ in. (150 mm).... \3/16\ in. (5 mm)
Large (Oversized) Items.............. 14\7/8\ in. (380 mm)... 10\9/16\ in. (270 mm).. \13/16\ in. (20 mm)
Maximum Weight....................... ....................... 17.6 oz.(500 grams).... .......................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Other items are defined as items other than cards and envelopes.

612.33 Postage Payment Method

Postage must be paid through an advance deposit account. Qualifying
mailers have the option of placing a CPC permit imprint on their
mailpieces in combination with a Canadian return address or a customer
specific USPS permit imprint in combination with a domestic U.S. return
address.

612.34 Postage Statement

Mailers must compute the total postage on PS Form 3656, Postage
Statement--Global Direct Canada Admail, furnished by the Postal
Service. A separate postage statement must be prepared for each
individual mailing.

612.4 Preparation Requirements

Mailers are responsible for ensuring that items tendered under the
Global Direct--Canada Admail service comply with CPC's domestic mail
preparation requirements.

612.5 Ancillary Services 612.51 Business Reply Service

This service provides for the return of Canadian business reply
mail through the Postal Service to a specified address in Canada.
Detailed specifications for this service are contained in Publication
524, Global Direct--Canada Admail Service Guide. The rates for this
service are $0.45 for items not weighing over 1.06 ounces (30 grams)
and $0.65 for items weighing over 1.06 ounces (30 grams) but not over
1.76 ounces (50 grams).

612.52 Return of Undeliverable Mail

Mailers using a Canadian identity (Canadian indicia and return
address) may have undeliverable items returned to the U.S. through a
Canadian return address. The sender must endorse items ``Return Postage
Guaranteed'' and use the return address specified by the Postal
Service. The rates are:

If a U.S. permit is used, returned items are subject to the
applicable surface printed matter postage that would have been paid
from the United States to Canada.

612.6 Advance Notification

Mailers who are interested in using the Global Direct--Canada
Admail service must furnish the following information to the Postal
Service at least 10 business days prior to their first planned mailing
date:
1. Customer's name and address.

[[Page 44792]]

2. Proposed initial mailing date and frequency.
3. Mailing location.
4. The type of items, including size and weight, that will be
mailing.
5. Number of items in the proposed mailing.
6. Mail sort option used.
7. The mailing equipment that the customer intends to use to
prepare items.
8. Ancillary services used.
All correspondence pertaining to Global Direct--Canada Admail
service should be directed to:
Market Segment Manager Publishing, International Business Unit, US
Postal Service, 475 L'Enfant Plz SW 370 IBU, Washington DC 20260-6500

612.7 Service Agreement

Based on the mailer's input, the Postal Service prepares a service
agreement to cover the projected mailing(s). This agreement stipulates
the conditions of mailing. Concurrent with the preparation of the
service agreement, instructions are issued to the designated post
office of entry regarding the acceptance and verification of the
prospective customer's mailpieces.
* * * * *
A transmittal letter changing the relevant pages in the
International Mail Manual will be published and automatically
transmitted to all subscribers. Notice of issuance of the transmittal
will be published in the Federal Register as provided by 39 CFR 20.3.
Stanley F. Mires,
Chief Counsel, Legislative.
[FR Doc. 98-22481 Filed 8-20-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P