[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 153 (Tuesday, August 10, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 43292-43295]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-20555]
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POSTAL SERVICE
39 CFR Part 20
International Priority Airmail Service
AGENCY: Postal Service.
ACTION: Interim rule and request for comment.
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SUMMARY: On November 25, 1998, the Postal Service published in the
Federal Register (63 FR 65153) a proposed rule to change rates and
conditions of service for International Priority Airmail (IPA). The
Postal Service adopted the proposed rule by notice in the Federal
Register (64 FR 10219) on March 3, 1999, with an effective date of
April 4, 1999. The Postal Service is now introducing rates for mail to
Canada.
DATES: Effective Date: 12:01 a.m., August 10, 1999. Comments on the
interim rule must be received on or before September 9, 1999.
[[Page 43293]]
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to the Manager, Financial
Services, 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 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday
through Friday, in the International Business Unit, 10th Floor, 901 D
Street SW, Washington, DC.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan Singer, (202) 268-3422.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: International Priority Airmail (IPA) is a
volume airmail letter service that gives mailers the opportunity to
benefit from work-sharing with the Postal Service and to gain improved
speed of delivery for presorted mail. On November 25, 1998, by notice
in the Federal Register (63 FR 65153), the Postal Service sought
comment on proposed changes in IPA service. These changes include
increasing the minimum sack weight from 10 pounds to 11 pounds;
providing country-wide acceptance; instituting volume discounts;
providing drop ship rates; and reducing the rates for IPA service.
In response to the request for comment, the Postal Service received
one comment. The commenter fully supported the changes proposed by the
Postal Service but suggested that the Postal Service include Canada in
rate group 2.
IPA service is currently not available to Canada; however, the
Postal Service does provide a similar service to Canada--Bulk Letter
Service to Canada. The Postal Service was not able to include service
to Canada because the costs associated with sending mail to Canada
differed from those associated with sending mail to all other countries
in rate group 2 and the differences would have resulted in non-
compensatory rates. The proposed rule was adopted by notice in the
Federal Register (64 FR 10219) on March 3, 1999, with an effective date
of April 4, 1999.
Due to a change in the cost of sending mail to Canada, the Postal
Service is now able to offer IPA service for mail destined for delivery
in Canada. However, because the cost for this mail is dissimilar to
current rate groups, a separate rate group is established for Canada.
IPA service to Canada will be more flexible than Bulk Letter
Service to Canada, which will be eliminated at the end of the current
postal fiscal year. This will enable current users of Bulk Letter
Service to Canada to transition to IPA at their convenience until
September 10, 1999.
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. The International Mail Manual is amended to delete Subchapter
225, Bulk Letter Service (Canada only), effective September 11, 1999,
and to immediately incorporate program changes to Subchapter 280,
International Priority Airmail Service, as follows:
International Mail Manual (IMM)
* * * * *
2 Conditions for Mailing
* * * * *
220 Letters and Letter Packages
* * * * *
225 Bulk Letter Service (Canada Only)
[This subchapter is deleted effective September 11, 1999.]
* * * * *
280 International Priority Airmail Service
281 Description
* * * * *
281.3 Minimum Quantity Requirements
* * * * *
281.32 Presort Mail
The mailer must have a minimum of 11 pounds of presorted LC/AO mail
to a single rate group, including Canada, to qualify for the presort
rate for that rate group.
Note: Mail that cannot be made up in direct country packages
(284.521), in direct country sacks (284.61), or in trays (284.651)
does not qualify for the presort rates and is subject to the
worldwide nonpresort rates.
* * * * *
282 Postage
282.1 Rates
282.11 General
There are two rate options for International Priority Airmail
service: a presort rate option that has five rate groups, and a
worldwide nonpresort rate. For both options, there are full service
rates for mail deposited at offices other than the drop shipment
offices listed in 281.5, and drop ship rates for mail deposited at one
of the drop shipment offices. The per-piece rates and per-pound rates
are shown in Exhibit 282.11. The per-piece rate of $0.10 or $0.25
applies to each piece regardless of its weight. The per-pound rate
applies to the net weight (gross weight minus tare weight of sack) of
the mail for the specific rate group. Fractions of a pound are rounded
to the next whole pound for postage calculation.
Exhibit 282.11
[International priority airmail rates]
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Pound rate
Rate group Piece rate -------------------------------
Full service Drop ship
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Canada.......................................................... $0.25 $3.40 $2.40
1............................................................... 0.25 5.00 4.00
2............................................................... 0.10 5.25 4.25
3............................................................... 0.10 6.50 5.50
4............................................................... 0.10 7.50 6.50
Worldwide....................................................... 0.25 7.00 6.00
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[[Page 43294]]
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282.15 Presort Rates
To qualify for the presort Canada or Group 1, 2, 3, or 4 rates (see
Exhibit 282.11), a mailing must consist of a minimum of 11 pounds to a
specific rate group. This minimum applies to each rate group and not to
the entire mailing (see 281.32). Within a rate group, all mail
addressed to an individual country must be sorted into direct country
packages of 10 or more pieces (or 1 pound or more of mail) (284.521)
and/or sacked in direct country sacks of 11 pounds or more (284.61).
Note: There are separate preparation requirements for mail to
Canada. See 284.65.
Mail that cannot be made up into direct country packages or direct
country sacks must be sent at the worldwide nonpresort rates.
282.16 Separation by Rate Group
The mailer must specify the rate group on the back of Tag 115,
International Priority Airmail, with Canada, 1, 2, 3, 4, or WW
(Worldwide), and must physically separate the sacks by rate group at
the time of mailing.
* * * * *
284 Preparation Requirements for Individual Items
* * * * *
Exhibit 284.522
[Add Canada to exhibit as follows:]
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3-Letter exchange
Rate group Country office code Exchange Office
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Canada............................. Canada................ Exhibit 284.65,
Canadian Labeling
Information.
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* * * * *
284.6 Sacking Requirements
* * * * *
284.612 Direct Country Sack Tags
Direct country sacks must be labeled with Tag 178. The tag is white
and specially coded to route the mail to a specific country and airport
of destination. The blocks on the tag for date, weight, and dispatch
information must be completed by the Postal Service and may not be
completed by the mailer. The mailer must complete the ``To'' block
showing the destination country. Tag 115, International Priority
Airmail, must also be affixed to the direct country sacks. Tag 115 is a
``Day-Glo'' pink tag that identifies the mail to ensure it receives
priority handling. The mailer must designate on the back of Tag 115 the
applicable rate group, using Canada, 1, 2, 3, 4, or WW (Worldwide).
* * * * *
284.65 Preparation Requirements for Canada
To qualify for the presort rates for Canada, a mailer must have at
least 11 pounds of mail for Canada. This includes letter-size, flat-
size, and package-size items even though such items are prepared in
separate equipment. If the mailing contains less than 11 pounds of mail
for Canada, or if the mailer chooses to do so, mail for Canada is
included in the worldwide nonpresort rate mail with that for other
countries. Worldwide nonpresort mail for Canada is prepared in
accordance with 284.63. The preparation requirements of presorted mail
to Canada follow.
284.651 Letter-Size Mail and Flat-Size Mail
Letter-size items are prepared in letter trays, either half-size or
full-size, depending on volume. Flat-size items are prepared in flat
trays. All items must be faced in the same direction, and all trays
must be full enough to keep the mail from mixing during transportation.
Do not prepare the content of the tray in packages. The mailer must
label each tray to show the destination in Canada and the dispatching
U.S. international exchange office in the following format:
Line 1: Canadian destination, U.S. exchange office code
Line 2: Contents
Line 3: Mailer, mailer location
Example:
Toronto ON FWD 11430
IPA
ABC Company, New York, NY
In addition, the mailer must complete PS Tag 115, International
Priority Airmail. Write ``Canada'' on the reverse and tape the tag to
the tray sleeve. All trays must be banded.
284.652 Packages
Items that cannot be prepared in trays because of their size or
shape must be placed loose in blue airmail sacks. Use PS Tag 115,
International Priority Airmail, and label to either Toronto or
Vancouver, as appropriate. Attached a completed PS Tag 178. See
284.612.
Exhibit 284.65
[Canadian labeling information]
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U.S.
Origin ZIP Code Exchange office Exchange Canadian destination
office code
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270-282, 286-326, 344, 350-397, 399.. ATL..................... 30320 Toronto ON FWD.
130-149.............................. BUF..................... 14240 Toronto ON FWD.
700-708, 710-738, 740-799, 885....... DFW..................... 75300 Toronto ON FWD.
430-459, 480-497..................... DTW..................... 48242 Toronto ON FWD.
967-969.............................. HNL..................... 96820 Vancouver BC FWD.
200-249, 254, 268, 283-285, 400-418, IAD..................... 20101 Toronto ON FWD.
420-427, 476-477.
004-005, 010-098, 100-129, 150-199, JFK..................... 11430 Toronto ON FWD.
250-267.
850, 852-853, 855-857, 859-860, 863- LAX..................... 90009 Vancouver BC FWD.
865, 889-891, 896, 900-908, 910-928,
930-936.
006-009, 327-334, 340, 347, 349...... MIA..................... 33159 Toronto ON FWD.
460-475, 478-479, 498-516, 520-528, ORD..................... 60666 Toronto ON FWD.
530-567, 570-578, 600-631, 633-641,
644-658, 660-662, 664-681, 683-693,
739, 800-816, 822-831, 840-847, 870-
884, 893, 898.
590-599, 821, 832-838, 970-986, 988- SEA..................... 98158 Vancouver BC FWD.
999.
[[Page 43295]]
894-895, 897, 937-966................ SFO..................... 94128 Vancouver BC FWD.
335-339, 341-342, 346-347............ TPA..................... 33630 Toronto ON FWD.
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* * * * *
Stanley F. Mires,
Chief Counsel, Legislative.
[FR Doc. 99-20555 Filed 8-5-99; 4:40 pm]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P