[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 196 (Wednesday, October 10, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 51617-51619]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-25433]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111


Domestic Mail Manual Changes To Announce the Periodicals 
Accuracy, Grading, and Evaluation (PAGE) Program

AGENCY: Postal Service.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: This proposed rule changes certain sections applicable to 
Periodicals mail in the Domestic Mail Manual (DMM). It adds a new 
optional method a publisher may use to determine per-copy weights and 
to substantiate the advertising percentage in each edition of each 
issue of a periodical. The option requires Postal Service certification 
of the publisher's employees' ability to use PAGE-certified software 
accurately, and it requires the publisher to use one of the software 
programs that is PAGE-certified by the Postal Service. This option will 
eliminate the publisher's need to submit a manually marked copy showing 
the percentage of advertising for each edition of each issue at the 
time of mailing. It also eliminates to some degree the requirement for 
Postal Service acceptance employees to determine per-copy weights by 
weighing 10 copies of each edition at the time of mailing.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 9, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to the Manager, Business Mail 
Acceptance, U.S. Postal Service, 1735 North Lynn Street, Room 3011, 
Arlington, VA 22209-6030. Written comments may be submitted via fax to 
703-292-3738. Copies of all written comments will be available for 
inspection and photocopying between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles Tricamo, New York Rates and 
Classification Service Center, 212-613-8754.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: New technology innovations have been made in 
the publishing industry. In response, the Postal Service developed an 
evaluation program to test the accuracy of publishing and print 
planning (PPP) software to calculate advertising

[[Page 51618]]

percentages and copy weights. The Postal Service proposes to use the 
new certification process to reduce the time the publisher spends 
manually computing advertising percentages and the need for Postal 
Service staff to verify per-copy weights.
    This new optional program was designed in cooperation with the 
Periodicals industry. It allows publishers to submit postage statements 
entirely completed using electronically generated per-copy weights in a 
completely automated environment. The Postal Service will sample a 
limited amount of actual copies to ensure the weights are accurate. If 
the sampling determines that the publisher's weights are not within 
tolerance, a postage adjustment will be generated.
    To participate in this program, publishers must successfully 
complete three stages of authorization.

Stage One--Certification of Software Developer

    Developers may have their PPP software certified by applying to the 
National Customer Support Center (NCSC) and paying the appropriate fee. 
Developers are charged the software analysis fee of $1,000.00 for 
testing at the NCSC. One charge will cover up to three certification 
reviews of a specific software package by a software developer. If a 
developer requires an on-site analysis the fee will be $2,500.00. An 
additional $1,500.00 will be charged for each subsequent certification 
review of a specific software package required at a developer's site. A 
developer's software will be certified for one PAGE cycle only. A PAGE 
cycle is one year beginning with the date that will be announced by the 
Postal Service in the final Federal Register notice. Certification for 
the next PAGE cycle will require payment of an analysis fee of either 
$1,000.00 for NCSC analysis or $2,500.00 for an on-site analysis. 
Publishers must use PPP software certified by the Postal Service to 
generate per-copy weights and advertising percentages to progress to 
the next stage.
    The first testing cycle is planned for November 2001.

Stage Two--Certification of Publisher's Employees as Software Users

    A publisher may participate in PAGE only when its employees have 
been certified by the Postal Service to use PAGE-certified software. 
All of a publisher's employees who will input data into a PPP software 
program must be certified. Publishers will be charged $25.00 for a User 
Testing Package and Analysis Kit for each employee. There will be a 
$25.00 fee for each attempt at user certification. Every user must 
reapply for certification every two years. Any new employees who will 
use PPP software must be certified before using the software if a 
publisher has been authorized to submit Periodicals mailings using 
PAGE. At the publisher's option, a reference kit containing mailing 
standards; Postal Service Customer Service Support Rulings (and 
updates); Publication 32, Glossary of Postal Terms; and Postal Explorer 
may be purchased for $20.00.
    A users testing cycle is planned for December 2001.

Stage Three--Authorization To Accept Publisher's PAGE-Certified 
Periodicals Weights and Advertising Percentages

    Publishers must be authorized to submit their PAGE-certified 
calculated copy weights and advertising percentages to participate in 
the program. To be authorized, publishers must complete an application. 
The application may be obtained from and must be returned to the New 
York Rates and Classification Service Center (RCSC), U.S. Postal 
Service, 1250 Broadway, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10095-9599. A 
publisher must report all authorized Periodicals publications and print 
sites that will use PAGE-certified software. There is no charge for 
this authorization and the publisher must reapply annually.
    Although exempt from the notice and comment requirements of the 
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553(b), (c)) regarding proposed 
rulemaking by 39 U.S.C. 410(a), the Postal Service invites comments on 
the following proposed revisions to the Domestic Mail Manual, 
incorporated by reference in the Code of Federal Regulations. See 39 
CFR Part 111.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111

    Administrative practice and procedure, Postal Service.

PART 111--[AMENDED]

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

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(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 (DMM) 
as set forth below:

P  Postage and Payment Methods

P000  BASIC INFORMATION

P010  General Standards
* * * * *
P013  Rate Application and Computation
* * * * *

7.0  COMPUTING POSTAGE--PERIODICALS

7.1  Percentage of Advertising

    [Add the following sentence at the end of 7.1:]
    * * * Advertising percentages may also be calculated through the 
Periodicals Accuracy, Grading, and Evaluation (PAGE) Program using the 
procedures in P200.4.0.

7.2  Weight Per Copy

    [Add the following sentence at the end of 7.2:]
    * * * Per-copy weights may also be calculated through the 
Periodicals Accuracy, Grading, and Evaluation (PAGE) Program using the 
procedures in P200.4.0.
* * * * *

P200  Periodicals

1.0  BASIC INFORMATION

* * * * *
1.2  Marked Copy
    [Add the following sentence at the end of 1.2:]
    * * * Mailers do not have to submit marked copies if certified by 
the Postal Service to use the Periodicals Accuracy, Grading, and 
Evaluation (PAGE) Program in 4.0.
* * * * *
    [Add new 4.0 as follows:]

4.0  PERIODICALS ACCURACY, GRADING, AND EVALUATION (PAGE) PROGRAM

4.1  Overview

    The Periodicals Accuracy, Grading, and Evaluation (PAGE) Program is 
a process to evaluate publishing and print planning (PPP) software and 
determine its accuracy in computing per-copy weights and calculating 
advertising percentages for Periodicals mail. Certification of PAGE 
software is available only to companies that use PPP software. PAGE 
certification does not guarantee acceptance of a publisher's per-copy 
weights and advertising percentages prepared with PAGE-certified 
software.

4.2  Process

    The PAGE Program evaluates and tests PPP software. In addition, the 
PAGE Program tests and qualifies publishing personnel to submit data to 
the Postal Service using PAGE and certified PPP software. The PAGE

[[Page 51619]]

Program involves the following three elements:
    a. Product Certification for Software Developers. The National 
Customer Support Center (NCSC) evaluates the accuracy of the 
calculations of PPP software by processing a test publication file 
either at the NCSC or at the developer's location (on-site visit).
    b. User Certification for PPP Software. The NCSC provides test 
packages to the users and evaluates the results.
    c. PAGE Program Authorization. Publishers who want to use PAGE-
certified software and PAGE-certified users to submit per-copy weight 
and calculated advertising percentages must apply for authorization to 
the Manager, New York Rates and Classification Service Center (RCSC). 
See G042 for address.

4.3  Participation

    For information about the PAGE certification program, publishers 
may request a program technical guide (including order forms) by 
calling 800-238-3150.
* * * * *
    If this proposal is adopted, an appropriate amendment to 39 CFR 
111.3 will be published to reflect this change.

Stanley F. Mires,
Chief Counsel, Legislative.
[FR Doc. 01-25433 Filed 10-9-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P