[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 25 (Monday, February 7, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 5788-5790]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-2604]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111


Domestic Mail Manual Changes to Processing Instructions for 
Nonautomation Mail and Revisions to Letter Tray Labels

AGENCY:  Postal Service.

ACTION:  Final Rule.

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SUMMARY:  This final rule revises Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) sections 
M130 and M610 with amendments to optional processing instructions for 
nonautomation mail. New standards provide a means for mailers to 
exclude their letter-size mail from any automated processing involved 
with initial distribution of mail, including tabbing and labeling 
machines, barcode sorters, and optical character readers. This final 
rule also revises DMM section M013, with inclusion of an optional 
endorsement line, ``MANUAL ONLY,'' and section M032, with changes to 
the second line of tray labels for Presorted First-Class Mail letters 
and Presorted Standard Mail (A) letters.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  April 1, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Jamie Gallagher, (202) 268-4031.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  On October 25, 1999, the Postal Service 
published for public comment in the Federal Register a proposed rule 
(FR 64 57419-57421) that expanded provisions for mailers who wanted 
nonautomated (manual) processsing and revised Line 2 of letter tray 
labels for First-Class Mail and Standard Mail (A). The Postal Service 
also invited comments on the proposed rule from interested parties and 
accepted comments until December 9, 1999. This final rule contains the 
DMM standards adopted by the Postal

[[Page 5789]]

Service after review of the comments that were submitted.

Evaluation of Comments Received

    The Postal Service received eight pieces of correspondence offering 
comments on the October 25 proposed rule. Respondents included major 
mailing associations, large business mailers, and mailing agents.
    Based on additional costs expected to be incurred by mailers, four 
commenters objected to the use of facing slips on package bundles. An 
alternative to facing slips was proposed by two other commenters who 
suggested the use of optional endorsement lines with ``DO NOT 
AUTOMATE'' printed on mailpieces. For package identification of letter-
size mail, the use of optional endorsement lines will be added to the 
DMM revisions. Mailers must use either facing slips or optional 
endorsement lines printed with ``MANUAL ONLY'' on all required bundles 
that are to be excluded from automated processing.
    Three commenters objected to postal tabbing, claiming that 
marketing effectiveness could be compromised. Similarly challenged was 
the right of the Postal Service to change the physical properties of a 
mailpiece. However, according to the view of the Postal Service's 
General Counsel, the legal authority to make reasonable alterations to 
mailpieces in order to facilitate processing of the mail is implied 
within the Postal Service's express authority to provide for an 
efficient system of sorting and delivery of the mail. Tabbing by the 
Postal Service, placing labels on mailpieces, and spraying barcodes on 
letters are included in the Postal Service's authority to exercise 
powers incidental, necessary, or appropriate to the performance of its 
assigned functions.
    One commenter noted problems from postal labeling when information 
on Standard Mail (A) carrier route pieces had been covered by LMLM 
(letter mail labeling machine) labels. This commenter suggested adding 
carrier route mail to the category of mailings that could be excluded 
from automated processing. This proposal will be deferred for 
publication and comment in the Federal Register at a later time.
    Processing letter-size mail has been revolutionized during the past 
decade as the Postal Service deployed a network of automated equipment. 
Optical character readers, barcode sorters, tabbing machines, and 
labeling machines are among the pieces of automated equipment currently 
used to process mail. Today's infrastructure provides many efficiencies 
which contribute to holding postage rates down. Nationally, the average 
cost for a postal plant to process 1,000 letters through automation is 
around $5. Manual sortation, the alternative, costs the Postal Service 
nearly $60 per 1,000 letters.
    In an effort to minimize more costly and slower manual processing, 
the Postal Service will attempt to sort machineable pieces through 
automation. Letter-size mailpieces, for which an automated postage rate 
has not been paid, are considered potentially upgradeable and subject 
to automated processing. Even though 95 percent of letter-size mail is 
processed through automation, some mailers prefer to have their 
mailpieces sorted manually. New processing instructions will provide a 
means for mailers to indicate if presorted pieces should be processed 
exclusively by manual operations. To maintain the handling request 
through downstream postal processes, mailers must use facing slips or 
optional endorsement lines with ``Manual Only'' applied to required 
packages. Additionally, letter tray labels for First-Class Mail and 
Standard Mail (A) are revised, with Line 2 reflecting new information.
    The Domestic Mail Manual is revised as follows. These changes are 
incorporated by reference in the Code of Federal Regulations. See 39 
CFR part 111.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111

    Postal Service.

PART 111--[AMENDED]

    1. The authority citation for 39 CFR part 111 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority:  5 U.S.C. 5552(a): 39 U.S.C. 101, 401, 403, 404, 414, 
3001-3011, 3201-3219, 3403-3406, 3621, 3626, 5001.

    2. Revise the following sections of the Domestic Mail Manual as set 
forth below:

M  Mail Preparation and Sortation

M000  General Preparation Standards

M010  Mailpieces

* * * * *

M013  Optional Endorsement Lines

    1.0  USE
    1.1  Basic Standards
* * * * *
[Add a new category with the following Sortation Levels and OEL 
examples to end of table.]
    Optional Tray Level for Manual Processing:

5-digit--5-DIGIT 23456 MANUAL ONLY
3-digit--3-DIGIT 090 MANUAL ONLY
ADC (3-digit ZIP Code Prefix)--ALL FOR ADC 103 MANUAL ONLY
ADC (5-digit ZIP Code)--ALL FOR ADC 98765 MANUAL ONLY
Mixed ADC (3-digit ZIP Code prefix)--MIXED ADC 630 MANUAL ONLY
Mixed ADC (5-digit ZIP Code)--MIXED ADC 12345 MANUAL ONLY
* * * * *

M030 Containers

* * * * *

M032 Barcoded Labels

* * * * *
    [Amend Exhibit 1.3a as follows:]

[[Page 5790]]



            Exhibit 1.3a.--3-Digit Content Identifier Numbers
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Human-readable content
        Class and mailing              CIN                line
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FIRST-CLASS MAIL
FCM Letters--Presorted (Basic Preparation)
[Revise the following CIN and human-readable content lines:]
    5-digit trays................          250  FCM LTRS 5D NON BC.
    3-digit trays................          253  FCM LTRS 3D NON BC.
    ADC trays....................          256  FCM LTRS ADC NON BC.
    mixed ADC trays..............          259  FCM LTRS NON BC WKG.
 
 [Add a new category:]
FCM Letters--Presorted (Nonautomation Processing)
    5-digit trays................          267  FCM LTRS 5D MANUAL.
    all other required trays.....          268  FCM LTRS MANUAL ONLY.
 
 STANDARD MAIL (A)
STD Letters--Presorted (Basic Preparation)
[Revise the following CIN and human-readable content lines:]
    5-digit trays................          550  STD LTRS 5D NON BC.
    3-digit trays................          553  STD LTRS 3D NON BC.
    ADC trays....................          556  STD LTRS ADC NON BC.
    mixed ADC trays..............          559  STD LTRS NON BC WKG.
 
 [Add a new category:]
STD Letters--Presorted (Nonautomation Processing)
    5-digit trays................          604  STD LTRS 5D MANUAL.
    all other required trays.....          605  STD LTRS MANUAL ONLY.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

* * * * *

M100 First-Class Mail (Nonautomation)

* * * * *

M130 Presorted First-Class Mail

1.0  BASIC STANDARDS
* * * * *

1.5  Processing Instructions

    [Revise 1.5 to read as follows:]
    If a mailer prefers that the USPS not automate letter-size pieces 
presented at Presorted rates, then the mailer must use the Line 2 tray 
label information in 2.4. The mailer must prepare all required trays in 
2.2.
2.0  REQUIRED PREPARATION--LETTER- AND CARD-SIZED PIECES
* * * * *
    [Revise 2.3 to read as follows:]

2.3  Tray Line 2

    Line 2:
    a. 5-digit: ``FCM LTRS 5D NON BC.''
    b. 3-digit: ``FCM LTRS 3D NON BC.''
    c. ADC: ``FCM LTRS ADC NON BC.''
    d. Mixed ADC: ``FCM LTRS NON BC WKG.''
    [Add new 2.4 and 2.5 to read as follows:]

2.4  Optional Tray Line 2

    For trays that mailers do not want automated under 1.5:
    a. 5-digit: ``FCM LTRS 5D MANUAL.''
    b. All other required trays: ``FCM LTRS MANUAL ONLY.''

2.5  Package Identification

    Required 5-digit, 3-digit, ADC, and mixed ADC packages must be 
identified with facing slips on which ``MANUAL ONLY'' is printed or 
with optional endorsement lines under M013.
* * * * *

M600 Standard Mail (Nonautomation)

M610 Presorted Standard Mail (A)

1.0  BASIC STANDARDS
* * * * *

1.4  Processing Instructions

    [Revise 1.4 to read as follows:]
    If a mailer prefers that the USPS not automate letter-size pieces 
presented at Presorted rates, then the mailer must use the Line 2 tray 
label information in 2.4. The mailer must prepare all required trays in 
2.2.
2.0  REQUIRED PREPARATION--LETTER- AND CARD-SIZED PIECES
* * * * *
    [Revise 2.3 to read as follows:]

2.3  Tray Line 2

    Line 2:
    a. 5-digit: ``STD LTRS 5D NON BC.''
    b. 3-digit: ``STD LTRS 3D NON BC.''
    c. ADC: ``STD LTRS ADC NON BC.''
    d. Mixed ADC: ``STD LTRS NON BC WKG.''
    [Add new 2.4 and 2.5 to read as follows:]

2.4  Optional Tray Line 2

    For trays that mailers do not want automated under 1.5:
    a. 5-digit: ``STD LTRS 5D MANUAL.''
    b. All other required trays: ``STD LTRS MANUAL ONLY.''

2.5  Package Identification

    Required 5-digit, 3-digit, ADC, and mixed ADC packages must be 
identified with facing slips on which ``MANUAL ONLY''is printed or with 
optional endorsement lines under M013.
* * * * *
    [An appropriate amendment to 39 CFR 111.3 will be published to 
reflect these changes.]

Stanley F. Mires,
Chief Counsel, Legislative.
[FR Doc. 00-2604 Filed 2-4-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P