[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 63 (Friday, April 3, 2009)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 15226-15227]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-7479]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111


Price Marking Requirements for Commercial Base and Commercial 
Plus Pricing

AGENCY: Postal Service.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Postal Service proposes new price markings on Express 
Mail[supreg] and Priority Mail[supreg] pieces mailed at commercial base 
and commercial plus prices. The new markings are needed to fulfill our 
revenue reporting and revenue assurance requirements.

[[Page 15227]]


DATES: Submit comments on or before May 4, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Mail or deliver written comments to the Manager, Mailing 
Standards, U.S. Postal Service, 475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW., Room 3436, 
Washington, DC 20260-3436. You may inspect and photocopy all written 
comments at USPS Headquarters Library, 475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW., 11th 
Floor N, Washington, DC between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through 
Friday. E-mail comments, containing the name and address of the 
commenter, may be sent to: [email protected], with a subject 
line of ``CBP and CPP Markings Comments.'' Faxed comments are not 
accepted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Monica Grein, 202-268-8411.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    The Postal Service proposes to revise the Mailing Standards of the 
United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) to 
require price markings on Express Mail and Priority Mail pieces mailed 
at the commercial base or the commercial plus price. The new markings 
will help us determine which price was applied to these pieces, and 
verify that the pieces qualify for the price claimed. The markings must 
appear on pieces paid by any means except permit imprint or Express 
Mail Corporate Account.
    Under our proposal, mailers must print--or produce as part of the 
meter imprint or PC Postage[supreg] indicia--``Commercial Base Price,'' 
``Commercial Base Pricing,'' or ``ComBasPrice'' for pieces paid at the 
Commercial Base price, and ``Commercial Plus Price,'' ``Commercial Plus 
Pricing,'' or ``ComPlsPrice'' for pieces paid at the Commercial Plus 
price. The appropriate marking must appear directly above, directly 
below, or to the left of the postage.
    We propose to allow mailers 90 days after the publication date of 
the final rule to comply with the new standards, to afford mailers time 
to exhaust any label stock and reprogram systems.
    Although we are 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 revision to the Mailing Standards of 
the United States Postal Service, 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.

    Accordingly, 39 CFR is proposed to be amended as follows:

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, 
416, 3001-3011, 3201-3219, 3403-3406, 3621, 3622, 3626, 3632, 3633, 
and 5001.

    2. Revise the following sections of Mailing Standards of the United 
States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) as follows:
* * * * *

400 Commercial Parcels

* * * * *

402 Elements on the Face of a Mailpiece

* * * * *

2.0 Placement and Content of Markings

    [Renumber 2.1 through 2.5 as 2.2 through 2.6 and add new 2.1, 
Express Mail and Priority Mail Markings, as follows:]

2.1 Express Mail and Priority Mail Markings

    Except for pieces paid using permit imprint or an Express Mail 
Corporate Account, Express Mail and Priority Mail pieces claiming the 
commercial base or commercial plus price must bear the appropriate 
price marking, printed on the piece or produced as part of the meter 
imprint or PC Postage indicia. Place the marking directly above, 
directly below, or to the left of the postage. Markings are as follows:
    a. ``Commercial Base Price,'' ``Commercial Base Pricing,'' or 
``ComBasPrice.''
    b. ``Commercial Plus Price,'' ``Commercial Plus Pricing,'' or 
``ComPlsPrice.''
* * * * *

410 Express Mail

* * * * *

415 Mail Preparation

    [Reorganize and revise section 1.0 by adding a new 1.2 as follows:]

1.0 General Information for Mail Preparation

1.1 Express Mail Packaging Provided by the USPS

    Express Mail packaging provided by the USPS must be used only for 
Express Mail. Regardless of how the packaging is reconfigured or how 
markings may be obliterated, any material mailed in USPS-provided 
Express Mail packaging is charged the appropriate Express Mail price.

1.2 Price Marking

    Except for pieces paid using an Express Mail Corporate Account, 
Express Mail pieces claiming the commercial base or commercial plus 
price must bear the appropriate price marking, printed on the piece or 
produced as part of the meter imprint or PC Postage indicia. Place the 
marking directly above, directly below, or to the left of the postage. 
Markings are as follows:
    a. ``Commercial Base Price,'' ``Commercial Base Pricing,'' or 
``ComBasPrice.''
    b. ``Commercial Plus Price,'' ``Commercial Plus Pricing,'' or 
``ComPlsPrice.''
* * * * *

420 Priority Mail

* * * * *

425 Mail Preparation

* * * * *

2.0 Marking

    [Reorganize and revise section 2.0 as follows:]

2.1 Product Marking

    The marking ``Priority Mail'' must be placed prominently on the 
address side of each piece of Priority Mail.

2.2 Price Marking

    Except for pieces paid using permit imprint, Priority Mail pieces 
claiming the commercial base or commercial plus price must bear the 
appropriate price marking, printed on the piece or produced as part of 
the meter imprint or PC Postage indicia. Place the marking directly 
above, directly below, or to the left of the postage. Markings are as 
follows:
    a. ``Commercial Base Price,'' ``Commercial Base Pricing,'' or 
``ComBasPrice.''
    b. ``Commercial Plus Price,'' ``Commercial Plus Pricing,'' or 
``ComPlsPrice.''
* * * * *
    We will publish an appropriate amendment to 39 CFR part 111 to 
reflect these changes if our proposal is adopted.

Stanley F. Mires,
Attorney, Legislative.
[FR Doc. E9-7479 Filed 4-2-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P