[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 238 (Monday, December 14, 2009)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 66079-66082]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-29612]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111


Eligibility for Commercial Flats Failing Deflection

AGENCY: Postal ServiceTM.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Postal Service is filing this proposed rule to describe 
the applicable prices for commercial flat-size mail failing to meet new 
deflection standards, to be effective on June 7, 2010.

DATES: We must receive your comments on or before January 13, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Mail or deliver written comments to the Manager, Mailing

[[Page 66080]]

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. Email comments concerning the proposed price eligibility, 
containing the name and address of the commenter, may be sent to: 
[email protected], with a subject line of ``Deflection 
comments.'' Faxed comments are not accepted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Chatfield, 202-268-7278.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Postal Service's final rule for new 
mailing standards to be effective in May 2009 was published in the 
Federal Register (74 FR 15380-15384) on April 6, 2009. The final rule 
included new deflection standards, previously applicable only to 
automation flats, for all commercial flat-size mail. The implementation 
of the new deflection standards was postponed from the May 2009 date 
and is being deferred further to June 2010. In this notice we provide 
background, a reiteration of the changes and revision to the applicable 
prices for pieces that do not meet the deflection standard, followed by 
changes to the mailing standards in Mailing Standards of the United 
States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]).

Background

    As a reminder, the USPS[supreg] changed the deflection standards in 
2007 by increasing the permitted deflection to 4 inches for flat pieces 
that were at least 10 inches long. The difficulties in processing flats 
that came close to that new maximum deflection made it clear that the 
change was too great to allow successful processing and handling of 
flats with a 4 inch maximum deflection. In a notice published in the 
DMM Advisory on August 18, 2009, we announced a further deferral of the 
implementation date of the revised deflection standard. The additional 
delayed implementation date of June 7, 2010 offers mailers the 
opportunity to make changes to slightly stiffen or redesign their 
``droopy'' flats to meet the new standards.

New Standards

    In the final rule published in the Federal Register (74 FR 15380-
15384) on April 6, 2009, we extended the deflection standards, 
currently applicable to automation flats, to all commercial flat-size 
mailpieces, except those mailed at saturation and high-density 
Periodicals or Standard Mail[supreg] prices. The deflection standards 
also changed to allow 1 inch less of vertical deflection (droop) than 
is currently allowed. We eliminated the current exception for oblong 
flats (those with a bound edge on the shorter side) so all flats will 
be tested with the length placed perpendicular to the edge of a flat 
surface.

Applicable Prices

    According to the original final rule in April 2009, parcel prices 
would apply to First-Class Mail[supreg], Standard Mail (option for Not 
Flat-Machinable (NFM) prices) and Bound Printed Matter flat-size pieces 
not meeting the new deflection standards. Due to changes in the pricing 
structure implemented on May 11, 2009, for Standard Mail NFMs and 
parcels, those prices do not align directly with Standard Mail flats 
prices. Although eligibility for Periodicals flats failing deflection 
was not specifically discussed, current standards would exempt 
Periodicals flats categorized as nonmachinable and mailed to outside 
county addresses from the deflection standards. Since First-Class Mail 
single-piece flats are not subject to deflection standards, mailers of 
commercial First-Class Mail flats that do not meet the deflection 
standard would have the option of presorted parcel or single-piece 
flats prices.
    Customers have expressed concerns about the potential additional 
postage due for pieces failing the deflection standard. Based on these 
concerns and to align with other quality efforts, the Postal Service 
has determined to change the price eligibilities applicable for pieces 
that fail the deflection standard. Generally, the price eligibilities 
proposed represent prices less than the parcel or NFM prices originally 
published.
    For commercial flats that fail the deflection standard, price 
eligibility by class of mail is described in the tables below. For all 
classes of mail, if the mailing is determined not to meet the 
deflection standard, the sortation for failed pieces may remain as 
prepared.

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                                           First-Class Mail Automation
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Eligibility as planned or presented:  Eligibility with failed deflection:
    Automation 5-digit flat.........     Presorted flat.
    Automation 3-digit..............     Presorted flat.
    Automation ADC..................     Presorted flat.
    Automation MADC.................     Presorted flat.
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                                   First-Class Mail Presorted (nonautomation)
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Eligibility as planned or presented:  Eligibility with failed deflection:
    Presorted flat..................  Single-piece flat or presorted parcel.
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                                           Periodicals Outside County
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Piece price eligibility as planned    Piece price eligibility with failed deflection:
 or presented:
    Basic carrier route flat........  Machinable nonbarcoded or barcoded 5-digit flat.
    Machinable barcoded 5-digit flat     Nonmachinable barcoded 5-digit flat.
    Machinable barcoded 3-digit flat     Nonmachinable barcoded 3-digit flat.
    Machinable barcoded ADC flat....     Nonmachinable barcoded ADC flat.
    Machinable barcoded MADC flat...     Nonmachinable barcoded MADC flat.
    Machinable nonbarcoded 5-digit       Nonmachinable nonbarcoded 5-digit flat.
     flat.
    Machinable nonbarcoded 3-digit       Nonmachinable nonbarcoded 3-digit flat.
     flat.
    Machinable nonbarcoded ADC flat.     Nonmachinable nonbarcoded ADC flat.
    Machinable nonbarcoded MADC flat     Nonmachinable nonbarcoded MADC flat.
    Nonmachinable barcoded or            Price claimed, if otherwise eligible.
     nonbarcoded flat.
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[[Page 66081]]

 
                                              Periodicals In-County
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Piece price eligibility as planned    Piece price eligibility with failed deflection:
 or presented:
    Basic carrier route flat........     Nonautomation or automation (if barcoded) 5-digit flat.
    Automation 5-digit flat.........     Nonautomation 5-digit flat.
    Automation 3-digit flat.........     Nonautomation 3-digit flat.
    Automation basic flat...........     Nonautomation basic flat.
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                                                  Standard Mail
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Eligibility as planned or presented:  Eligibility with failed deflection:
    Basic carrier route flat........     Nonautomation 5-digit flat.
    Automation 5-digit flat.........     Nonautomation 5-digit flat.
    Automation 3-digit flat.........     Nonautomation 3-digit flat.
    Automation ADC flat.............     Nonautomation ADC flat.
    Automation MADC flat............     Nonautomation MADC flat.
    Nonautomation flat (all sort         Nonautomation MADC flat.
     levels).
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                                              Bound Printed Matter
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Eligibility as planned or presented:  Eligibility with failed deflection:
    Carrier route flat..............     Carrier route parcel.
    Barcoded presorted flat.........     Presorted parcel.
    Nonbarcoded presorted flat......     Presorted parcel.
    Nonbarcoded nonpresorted flat...     Price as claimed, if otherwise eligible.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Although we are exempt from the notice and comment requirements of 
the Administrative Procedure Act [5 U.S.C of 553(b), (c)] regarding 
proposed rulemaking by 39 U.S.C. 410(a), we invite public comments on 
the following proposed revisions to Mailing Standards of the United 
States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), 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 Part 111 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:
* * * * *

300 Commercial Mail Flats

301 Physical Standards

1.0 Physical Standards for Flats

* * * * *
    [Renumber current 1.7 as new 1.9. Renumber current 301.3.2.3 in its 
entirety as new 1.7, revise heading and text to extend maximum 
deflection standards to all flat-size mailpieces, and delete item c as 
follows:]

1.7 Maximum Deflection for Flat-Size Mailpieces

    Flat-size mailpieces must be flexible (see 1.3) and must meet 
maximum deflection standards. Flat-size pieces mailed at saturation or 
high-density carrier route prices are not required to meet these 
deflection standards. Test deflection as follows:
    a. For pieces 10 inches or longer (see Exhibit 1.7a):
    1. Place the piece on a flat surface with the address side facing 
up and the length perpendicular to the edge of the surface, and extend 
the piece 5 inches off the edge of the surface. Test square bound flats 
by placing the bound edge parallel to the edge. Turn the piece around 
180 degrees and repeat the process.
    2. The piece is mailable at flat prices if it does not droop more 
than 3 inches vertically at either end.

Exhibit 1.7a Deflection Test--Flats 10 Inches or Longer

    [Placeholder for new exhibit.]
    b. For pieces less than 10 inches long (see Exhibit 1.7b):
    1. Place the piece on a flat surface with the address side facing 
up and the length perpendicular to the edge of the surface, and extend 
the piece one-half of its length off the edge of the surface. Test 
square bound flats by placing the bound edge parallel to the edge. Turn 
the piece around 180 degrees and repeat the process.
    2. The piece is mailable at flat prices if it does not droop more 
than 2 inches less than the extended length. For example, a piece 8 
inches long would extend 4 inches off a flat surface. It must not droop 
more than 2 inches vertically at either end.

Exhibit 1.7b Deflection Test--Flats Less Than 10 Inches Long

    [Placeholder for new exhibit.]
    [Add new 1.8 to read as follows:]

1.8 Eligibility for Flat-Size Pieces Not Meeting Deflection Standards

    Commercial flat-size mailpieces that do not meet the deflection 
standards in 1.7 must pay applicable prices as follows:
    a. First-Class Mail--price claimed:
    1. Automation flats: pay presorted flats prices.
    2. Nonautomation flats: pay presorted parcel prices or single-piece 
flats prices, at the mailer's option.
    b. Periodicals--price claimed:
    1. Outside County noncarrier route flats: pay nonmachinable flats 
piece prices, as allowed under 707.26.0.
    2. Outside County basic carrier route flats: pay 5-digit machinable 
flats piece prices.
    3. In-County noncarrier route flats: pay nonautomation flats piece 
prices.
    4. In-County basic carrier route flats: pay 5-digit flats piece 
prices.
    c. Standard Mail--price claimed:
    1. Automation flats: pay nonautomation flats prices at same sort 
level.
    2. Nonautomation noncarrier route flats: pay mixed ADC flats prices 
regardless of sort level.
    3. Basic carrier route flats: pay 5-digit nonautomation flats 
prices.

[[Page 66082]]

    d. Bound Printed Matter--parcel prices.
    e. In all cases above, pieces may remain sorted as per price 
originally claimed, if otherwise eligible.
* * * * *
    We will publish an appropriate amendment to 39 CFR Part 111 to 
reflect these changes if our proposal is adopted.

Stanley F. Mires,
Chief Counsel, Legislative.
[FR Doc. E9-29612 Filed 12-11-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P