[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 182 (Tuesday, September 21, 2010)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 57410-57412]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-23578]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111


Address Correction Notices for Letters and Flats Qualifying for 
Full-Service Intelligent Mail and Changes to Move Update Standards

AGENCY: Postal Service.TM

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Postal Service is proposing to revise Mailing Standards of 
the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) to 
change the number of days that mailers may receive additional notices 
for the same unique change-of-address or nixie record through Full-
Service Intelligent Mail[supreg] at no charge. The Postal Service also 
proposes to add new Move Update standards, regarding change-of-address 
orders.

DATES: We must receive your comments on or before October 21, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Mail or deliver written comments to the Manager, Mailing 
Standards, U.S. Postal Service, 475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW., Room 4446, 
Washington, DC 20260-5015. You may inspect and photocopy all written 
comments at USPS[supreg] Headquarters Library, 475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW., 
11th Floor N, Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through 
Friday. Comments containing the name and address of the commenter may 
be sent by e-mail to: [email protected], with a subject line of 
``Address Correction Notice and Move Update comments.'' Faxed comments 
are not accepted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Wilson at 901-681-4600, or Bill 
Chatfield at 202-268-7278.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Postal Service proposes to change the 
timeframe for providing address correction and nixie notices without 
charge for First-Class Mail[supreg], Standard Mail[supreg], and Bound 
Printed Matter (BPM) pieces that are eligible for Full-Service 
Intelligent Mail prices, and that also meet the applicable standards. 
Notices would be provided, without charge, for no longer than 95 days 
after the first notice is made available for a specific change-of-
address or nixie notification for eligible Full-Service pieces mailed 
at First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, or BPM prices. This change will 
coincide with the current Move Update standard timeframe that applies 
to First-Class Mail and Standard Mail pieces. The Postal Service would 
retain the current 60 day timeframe for Periodicals pieces.
    This proposed rule also announces that the online publication, 
Guide to Move Update, is the appropriate source for additional 
information about the policies and procedures for meeting the Move 
Update requirements. We describe a policy clarification to indicate 
that all changes of address, whether filed by customers or postal 
employees, are subject to Move Update requirements, but temporarily 
exempt certain types of change of address orders from Move Update 
verifications.

Address Correction Notices

    The Postal Service provides address correction notices, without 
charge, to mailers participating in Full-Service Intelligent Mail. For 
Full-Service First-Class Mail eligible pieces, mailers currently 
receive subsequent notices indefinitely without charge. For Standard 
Mail and Bound Printed Matter eligible pieces, the first notice for a 
particular change of address is provided without charge, and subsequent 
notices are provided without charge for 30 days. This proposed rule 
would standardize the timeframe at 95 days after the first notice for a 
specific change of address or nixie notification is provided, during 
which mailers would obtain subsequent notices without charge for Full-
Service First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, and BPM full-service pieces.
    Prices for notices provided after this timeframe for eligible full-
service pieces would be the prices listed in the Notice 123, Price List 
under ``ADDRESS CORRECTION SERVICE'' as ``per

[[Page 57411]]

automated notice issued'' for First-Class Mail and Standard Mail 
automation letters, and prices listed as ``per electronic notice 
issued'' for all other eligible full-service pieces.

Guide to Move Update

    The online USPS publication Guide to Move Update (available at 
ribbs.usps.gov) was established to provide general information about 
each authorized Move Update method. The publication was recently 
revised to provide more information on the general policies and 
procedures for complying with the Move Update standards, as well as 
specific information on the procedures and proper use of the authorized 
methods available for meeting the Move Update standards. It describes 
in detail the four primary and the two alternative Move Update methods 
available for updating mailing lists.

Change-of-Address Orders

    The Postal Service clarifies that the Move Update standards are met 
by updating address records from customer-filed change-of-address (COA) 
orders and from postal-carrier-supplied COA orders. There are occasions 
when customers move or allow their PO BoxTM service to 
expire without providing a new address to redirect their mail. In these 
instances, the customer no longer receives mail at that address, and 
the postal carrier files either a ``Moved Left No Address'' (MLNA) or a 
``Box Closed No Order'' (BCNO) COA order. These two types of COAs are 
included in all of the address change databases the Postal Service 
maintains. In order to comply with the Move Update standards, mailers 
must refrain from mailing to these undeliverable addresses once the 
effective date of the COA is older than 95 days.
    The Postal Service understands that some mailers may have 
difficulty isolating MLNAs and BCNOs in their mailing processes. 
Therefore, to allow mailers sufficient time to modify their mailing 
systems to properly handle MLNA and BCNO occurrences, MLNAs and BCNOs 
with effective dates older than 95 days will, temporarily, not be 
classified as failures to update a COA by Performance Based 
Verification (PBV) Move Update verifications. Mailers will have one 
year from the date of this notice to make needed modifications to their 
mail processing systems. After the one-year grace period, MLNA/BCNO 
addresses with effective dates between 95 days and 18 months would be 
graded by PBV verifications for commercial mailings of First-Class Mail 
and Standard Mail pieces as failures to update a COA.
    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), 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 111.1.

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); 13 U.S.C. 301-307; 18 U.S.C. 1692-
1737; 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:

Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail 
Manual (DMM)

* * * * *

200 Commercial Letters and Cards

* * * * *

230 First-Class Mail

233 Prices and Eligibility

* * * * *

3.0 Basic Standards for First-Class Mail Letters

* * * * *

3.5 Move Update Standard

3.5.1 Basic Standards

    [Revise the introductory paragraph of 3.5.1 to read as follows:]
    The Move Update standard is a means of reducing the number of 
mailpieces in a mailing that require forwarding or return by the 
periodic matching of a mailer's address records with change-of-address 
orders received and maintained by the USPS. For the purposes of this 
standard, address means a specific address associated with a specific 
occupant name. The online USPS Guide to Move Update (available at 
ribbs.usps.gov) contains more detailed information on the procedures 
and methods for meeting this standard. Addresses subject to the Move 
Update standard must meet these requirements:
* * * * *

240 Standard Mail

243 Prices and Eligibility

* * * * *

3.0 Basic Standards for Standard Mail Letters

* * * * *

3.9 Move Update Standards

3.9.1 Basic Standards

    [Revise the introductory paragraph of 3.9.1 to read as follows:]
    The Move Update standard is a means of reducing the number of 
mailpieces in a mailing that require forwarding or return by the 
periodic matching of a mailer's address records with change-of-address 
orders received and maintained by the USPS. For the purposes of this 
standard, address means a specific address associated with a specific 
occupant name. The online USPS Guide to Move Update (available at 
ribbs.usps.gov) contains more detailed information on the procedures 
and methods for meeting this standard. Addresses subject to the Move 
Update standard must meet these requirements:
* * * * *

300 Commercial Flats

* * * * *

330 First-Class Mail

333 Prices and Eligibility

* * * * *

3.0 Eligibility Standards for First-Class Mail Flats

* * * * *

3.5 Move Update Standards

3.5.1 Basic Standards

    [Revise the introductory paragraph of 3.5.1 to read as follows:]
    The Move Update standard is a means of reducing the number of 
mailpieces in a mailing that require forwarding or return by the 
periodic matching of a mailer's address records with change-of-address 
orders received and maintained by the USPS. For the purposes of this 
standard, address means a specific address associated with a specific 
occupant name. The online USPS Guide to Move Update (available at 
ribbs.usps.gov) contains more detailed information on the procedures 
and methods for meeting this standard. Addresses subject to the Move 
Update standard must meet these requirements:
* * * * *

[[Page 57412]]

340 Standard Mail

343 Prices and Eligibility

* * * * *

3.0 Basic Standards for Standard Mail Flats

* * * * *

3.9 Move Update Standard

3.9.1 Basic Standards

    [Revise the introductory paragraph of 3.9.1 to read as follows:]
    The Move Update standard is a means of reducing the number of 
mailpieces in a mailing that require forwarding or return by the 
periodic matching of a mailer's address records with change-of-address 
orders received and maintained by the USPS. For the purposes of this 
standard, address means a specific address associated with a specific 
occupant name. The online USPS Guide to Move Update (available at 
ribbs.usps.gov) contains more detailed information on the procedures 
and methods for meeting this standard. Addresses subject to the Move 
Update standard must meet these requirements:
* * * * *

400 Commercial Parcels

* * * * *

430 First-Class Mail

433 Prices and Eligibility

* * * * *

3.0 Basic Standards for First-Class Mail Parcels

* * * * *

3.5 Move Update Standard

3.5.1 Basic Standards

    [Revise the introductory paragraph of 3.5.1 to read as follows:]
    The Move Update standard is a means of reducing the number of 
mailpieces in a mailing that require forwarding or return by the 
periodic matching of a mailer's address records with change-of-address 
orders received and maintained by the USPS. For the purposes of this 
standard, address means a specific address associated with a specific 
occupant name. The online USPS Guide to Move Update (available at 
ribbs.usps.gov) contains more detailed information on the procedures 
and methods for meeting this standard. Addresses subject to the Move 
Update standard must meet these requirements:
* * * * *

440 Standard Mail

443 Prices and Eligibility

* * * * *

3.0 Basic Standards for Standard Mail Parcels

* * * * *

3.9 Move Update Standards

3.9.1 Basic Standards

    [Revise the introductory paragraph of 3.9.1 to read as follows:]
    The Move Update standard is a means of reducing the number of 
mailpieces in a mailing that require forwarding or return by the 
periodic matching of a mailer's address records with change-of-address 
orders received and maintained by the USPS. For the purposes of this 
standard, address means a specific address associated with a specific 
occupant name. The online USPS Guide to Move Update (available at 
ribbs.usps.gov) contains more detailed information on the procedures 
and methods for meeting this standard. Addresses subject to the Move 
Update standard must meet these requirements:
* * * * *

700 Special Standards

* * * * *

705 Advanced Preparation and Special Postage Payment Systems

* * * * *

22.0 Full-Service Automation Option

* * * * *

22.4 Additional Standards

* * * * *

22.4.2 Address Correction Notices

    [Revise the introductory paragraph of 22.4.2 to read as follows:]
    Mailers presenting letters and flats (except for those noted below) 
that qualify for the full-service Intelligent Mail option will receive 
address correction notices when the pieces are encoded with Intelligent 
Mail barcodes with ``Address Service Requested'' or ``Change Service 
Requested'' under standards for the Intelligent Mail barcode and under 
the following conditions:
* * * * *
    c. * * * Address correction notices for mailpieces in full-service 
mailings are available for:
    [Revise the text of items c1 and c3 to read as follows:]
    1. First-Class Mail letters and flats, provided at no charge up to 
95 days from first notice (printed endorsement not required for 
letters).
* * * * *
    3. Standard Mail letters and flats and BPM flats, provided at no 
charge up to 95 days from first notice. See Notice 123--Price List for 
charges after 95 days. Standard Mail and BPM pieces must include a 
printed on-piece endorsement in addition to encoding the ancillary 
service request into the Intelligent Mail barcode. See 507.4.2 for 
additional standards.
* * * * *
    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. 2010-23578 Filed 9-20-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P