[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 60 (Thursday, March 28, 2002)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 14864-14866]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-7388]


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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: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This final rule provides a change to 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 new option is called the Periodicals 
Accuracy, Grading, and Evaluation (PAGE) Program.

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 11, 2002.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In this rulemaking, the Postal Service 
announces the adoption of an optional method that will eliminate a 
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 the requirement for Postal Service 
acceptance employees to determine per-copy weights by weighing 10 
copies of each edition at the time of mailing.
    Because of technology innovations made in the publishing industry, 
the

[[Page 14865]]

Postal Service developed an evaluation program to test the accuracy of 
Publishing and Print Planning (PPP) software to calculate advertising 
percentages and copy weights. This new optional program, designed in 
cooperation with the Periodicals industry, allows publishers to submit 
postage statements completed entirely with electronically generated 
per-copy weights in a totally 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.
    On October 10, 2001, the Postal Service published for public 
comment in the Federal Register a proposed rule (66 FR 51617-51619) 
regarding the new optional Periodicals Accuracy, Grading, and 
Evaluation (PAGE) Program. The Postal Service received four comments 
during the 30-day comment period. One mailer commented that the company 
applauds the initiative of the PAGE Program claiming it is a more 
efficient way to determine weights and it reduces workhours for both 
the mailers and the Postal Service. A second mailer submitted a 
statement of support to establish the new optional method for 
determining per-copy weights and advertising percentages electronically 
and considers PAGE a major step forward in reduction of longtime costs 
associated with the processing of Periodicals mail. The third and 
fourth mailers ``fully support'' and ``fully agree'' with 
implementation of the PAGE Program.
    After full consideration of the comments received, and for the 
reasons cited above, the Postal Service believes it appropriate to 
adopt a rulemaking for the Periodicals Accuracy, Grading, and 
Evaluation (PAGE) Program.

Program Information and Participation

    To participate in this program, publishers must successfully 
complete three stages of authorization.

Stage One--Product Certification for Software Developers

    Developers may have their PPP software PAGE-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. 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 is $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 March 11, and ending March 10 of the 
following year. 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 stage 2.
    The first testing cycle will begin March 11, 2002.

Stage Two--User Certification for PPP Software.

    A publisher may participate in the PAGE Program only when its 
employees or agents who use the PPP software have been certified by the 
Postal Service to use PAGE-certified software. Publishers must apply to 
the NCSC to be certified for all employees who will input data into 
their PPP software program. 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. Each user must 
reapply for certification every 2 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 the PAGE 
Program. As an option, a publisher may purchase a reference kit 
containing mailing standards, Postal Service Customer Service Support 
Rulings (and updates), Publication 32, Glossary of Postal Terms, and 
Postal Explorer for $20.00.
    Users testing cycle begins April 11, 2002.

Stage Three--PAGE Program Authorization

    Publishers must complete an application for authorization to submit 
PAGE-certified calculated copy weights and advertising percentages to 
participate in the program. 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 is 
required to reapply annually.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111

    Postal Service.

    Accordingly, the Postal Service adopts the following amendments to 
the Domestic Mail Manual, which is incorporated by reference in the 
Code of Federal Regulations (see 39 CFR part 111).

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, 407, 
3001-3011, 3201-3219, 3403-3406, 3621, 5001.

    2. Revise the following sections of the Domestic Mail Manual as 
follows:

Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)

* * * * *

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.

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.
* * * * *

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 P200.4.
* * * * *

[[Page 14866]]

    [Add new 4.0 as follows:]
4.0  PERIODICALS ACCURACY, GRADING, AND EVALUATION (PAGE) PROGRAM

4.1  Basic Information

    The Periodicals Accuracy, Grading, and Evaluation (PAGE) Program is 
a process to evaluate Publishing and Print Planning (PPP) software and 
to determine its accuracy in computing per-copy weights and calculating 
advertising percentages for Periodicals mail using DMM standards. 
Certification of PAGE software is available only to those companies 
that develop or write PPP software. PAGE certification does not 
guarantee acceptance of the 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-certified PPP software. The Postal 
Service National Customer Support Center (NCSC) in Memphis, Tennessee, 
is the Postal Service location for certifying developer's software and 
a publisher's employees to use certified PPP software to submit 
Periodicals mailings. The PAGE Program involves the following three 
elements:

Stage One--Product Certification for Software Developers

    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 (through an on-site visit).

Stage Two--User Certification for PPP Software

    NCSC provides test packages to the users and evaluates the results.

Stage Three--PAGE Program Authorization

    Only publishers who have PAGE-certified users and use PAGE-
certified software to submit per-copy weight and calculated advertising 
percentages may apply for authorization to the Manager, New York Rates 
and Classification Service Center.

4.3  Participation

    For information about charges and the PAGE Program, publishers may 
request a technical guide (including order forms) from the NCSC by 
calling 1-800-238-3150. Additional information is also available from 
the New York Rates and Classification Service Center at (212) 613-8676.
* * * * *

Stanley F. Mires,
Chief Counsel, Legislative.
[FR Doc. 02-7388 Filed 3-27-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P