[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 111 (Thursday, June 10, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31325-31326]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-14637]


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POSTAL SERVICE


Renewal of Experimental Nonletter-Size Business Reply Mail 
Classifications and Fees; Changes in Domestic Classification and Fees

AGENCY: Postal Service.

ACTION: Notice of implementation of changes to the Domestic Mail 
Classification Schedule and accompanying fee changes.

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SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the changes to Domestic Mail 
Classification Schedule (DMCS) section 931 and the accompanying Fee 
Schedule section 931 changes to be implemented as a result of the May 
26, 1999, Decision of the Governors of the United States Postal Service 
on the Recommended Decision of the Postal Rate Commission on the 
Experimental Nonletter-Size Business Reply Mail Classification and 
Fees.

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 8, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Tidwell, (202) 268-2998.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 10, 1999, pursuant to its authority 
under 39 U.S.C. 3621 et seq., the Postal Service filed with the Postal 
Rate Commission (PRC) a request for a recommended decision on the 
renewal of the experimental classification and fees for weight-averaged 
nonletter-size Business Reply Mail. The PRC designated the filing as 
Docket No. MC99-1. On March 19, 1999, the PRC published a notice of the 
filing, with a description of the Postal Service's proposals, in the 
Federal Register (64 FR 13613-13617).
    On May 14, 1999, pursuant to its authority under 39 U.S.C. 3624, 
the PRC issued to the Governors of the Postal Service its recommended 
decision on the Postal Service's request. The PRC recommended the 
extension of the experimental weight averaging classification for the 
term specified in the Postal Service's Request, subject to the fees 
proposed by the Docket No. MC99-1 parties in a Stipulation and 
Agreement.
    Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 3625, the Governors of the United States 
Postal Service acted on the PRC's recommendations on May 26, 1999. 
[Decision of the Governors of the United States Postal Service on the 
Recommended Decision of the Postal Rate Commission on the Renewal Of 
Experimental Classification and Fees For Weight Averaged Nonletter-Size 
Business Reply Mail, Docket No. MC99-1.] The Governors determined to 
approve the Commission's recommendations. Set forth below are revised 
Domestic Mail Classification Schedule section 931 and Fee Schedule 931, 
which incorporate the classification and fee changes approved by the 
Governors.
    Also on May 26, 1999, the Board of Governors of the Postal Service, 
pursuant to their authority under 39 U.S.C. 3625(f), determined to make 
the classification and fee changes approved by the Governors effective 
at 12:01 a.m. on June 8, 1999 (Resolution No. 99-6).
    In accordance with the aforementioned Decision of the Governors and 
Resolution No. 99-6, the Postal Service hereby gives notice that these 
classification and fee changes will become effective at 12:01 a.m. on 
June 8, 1999. Implementing regulations also become effective at that 
time, as noted elsewhere in this issue.

Changes in the Domestic Mail Classification Schedule

    The following material reflects changes to Domestic Mail 
Classification Schedule (DMCS) section 931 approved by the Governors of 
the United States Postal Service in response to the Postal Rate 
Commission's Recommended Decision in Docket No. MC99-1. This material 
also reflects changes to DMCS section 931 which will result from the 
June 7, 1999, expiration of provisions relating to the experimental 
classification and fees for nonletter-size Business Reply Mail subject 
to the reverse manifest method of accounting.

Domestic Mail Classification Schedule Section 931--Business Reply 
Mail

931  BUSINESS REPLY MAIL
931.1  Definitions
931.11  Business reply mail is a service whereby business reply cards, 
envelopes, cartons and labels may be distributed by or for a business 
reply distributor for use by mailers for sending First-Class Mail 
without prepayment of postage to an address chosen by the distributor. 
A distributor is the holder of a business reply license.
931.12  A business reply mail piece is nonletter-size for purposes of 
this section if it meets addressing and other preparation requirements, 
but does not meet the machinability requirements specified by the 
Postal Service for mechanized or automated letter sortation.

    This provision expires February 29, 2000, or upon implementation of 
permanent fees for nonletter-size business reply mail, whichever comes 
first.

931.2  Description of Service
931.21  The distributor guarantees payment on delivery of postage and 
fees for all returned business reply mail. Any distributor of business 
reply cards, envelopes, cartons and labels under any one license for 
return to several addresses guarantees to pay postage and fees on any 
returns refused by any such addressee.
931.3  Requirements of the Mailer
931.31  Business reply cards, envelopes, cartons and labels must be 
preaddressed and bear business reply markings.
931.32  Handwriting, typewriting or handstamping are not acceptable 
methods of preaddressing or marking business reply cards, envelopes, 
cartons, or labels.

931.4  Fees

931.41  The fees for business reply mail are set forth in Fee Schedule 
931.
931.42  To qualify as an active business reply mail advance deposit 
trust account, the account must be used solely for business reply mail 
and contain sufficient postage and fees due for returned business reply 
mail.
931.43  An accounting fee as set forth in Fee Schedule 931 must be paid 
each year for each advance deposit business reply account at each 
facility where the mail is to be returned.
931.5  [RESERVED]

[[Page 31326]]

931.6  Experimental Weight Averaging Fees

931.61  [RESERVED]
931.62  A nonletter-size weight averaging monthly fee as set forth in 
Fee Schedule 931 must be paid each month during which the distributor's 
weight averaging account is active.

    This fee applies to the (no more than) 10 advance deposit account 
holders which are selected by the Postal Service to participate in the 
weight averaging nonletter-size business reply mail experiment.
    This provision expires February 29, 2000, or upon implementation of 
permanent fees for nonletter-size business reply mail, whichever comes 
first.

931.7 Authorizations and Licenses

931.71 In order to distribute business reply cards, envelopes, cartons 
or labels, the distributor must obtain a license or licenses from the 
Postal Service and pay the appropriate fee as set forth in Fee Schedule 
931.
931.72 Except as provided in section 931.73, the license to distribute 
business reply cards, envelopes, cartons, or labels must be obtained at 
each office from which the mail is offered for delivery.
931.73 If the business reply mail is to be distributed from a central 
office to be returned to branches or dealers in other cities, one 
license obtained from the post office where the central office is 
located may be used to cover all business reply mail.
931.74 The license to mail business reply mail may be canceled for 
failure to pay business reply postage and fees when due, and for 
distributing business reply cards or envelopes that do not conform to 
prescribed form, style or size.
931.75 Authorization to pay experimental nonletter-size business reply 
mail fees as set forth in Fee Schedule 931 may be canceled for failure 
of a business reply mail advance deposit trust account holder to meet 
the standards specified by the Postal Service for the weight averaging 
accounting method.

    This provision expires February 29, 2000, or upon implementation of 
permanent fees for nonletter-size business reply mail, whichever comes 
first.

Changes in DMCS Fee Schedule 931

    The following material reflects changes to DMCS Fee Schedule 931 
approved by the Governors of the United States Postal Service in 
response to the Postal Rate Commission's Recommended Decision in Docket 
No. MC99-1. This material also reflects changes to Fee Schedule 931 
which will result from the June 7, 1999, expiration of provisions 
relating to the experimental classification and fees for nonletter-size 
Business Reply Mail subject to the reverse manifest method of 
accounting.

                  Fee Schedule 931--Business Reply Mail
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                                                                  Fee
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Active business reply advance deposit account:
    Per piece:
        Qualified............................................      $0.05
        Nonletter-size, using weight averaging (experimental)       0.01
        Other................................................       0.08
Payment of postage due charges if active business reply mail
 advance deposit account not used:
    Per piece................................................       0.30
Annual License and Accounting Fees:
    Accounting Fee for Advance Deposit Account...............        300
    Permit fee (with or without Advance Deposit Account).....        100
Monthly Fees for customers using weight averaging for
 nonletter-size business reply:
    Nonletter-size, using weight averaging (experimental)....        600
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    Note: Experimental per piece and monthly fees are applicable 
only to participants selected by the Postal Service for the 
nonletter-size business reply mail experiment. The experimental fees 
expire February 29, 2000, or upon implementation of permanent fees 
for weight-averaged nonletter-size business reply mail, whichever 
comes first.
Stanley F. Mires,
Chief Counsel, Legislative.
[FR Doc. 99-14637 Filed 6-8-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P