[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 135 (Friday, July 13, 2012)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 41336]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-17067]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 501


Authorization to Manufacture and Distribute Postage Evidencing 
Systems; Discontinued Indicia

AGENCY: Postal Service\TM\.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Postal Service proposes to amend the rules concerning the 
manufacture and distribution of postage evidencing systems to clarify 
that effective January 1, 2016, all postage evidencing systems (postage 
meters and PC Postage[supreg] products) will be required to produce 
Information-Based Indicia (IBI) or Intelligent Mail[supreg] Indicia 
(IMI) for evidence of pre-paid postage, and that indicia from 
noncompliant systems will not be recognized as valid postage.

DATES: Submit all comments on or before September 11, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Mail or deliver written comments to the Manager, Payment 
Technology, U.S. Postal Service, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW., Room 3660, 
Washington, DC 20260-4200. 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 Payment Technology office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marlo Ivey, Business Programs 
Specialist, Payment Technology, U.S. Postal Service, (202) 268-7613.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 1999, the Postal Service introduced the 
Information Based Indicia Program (IBIP). Under IBIP, postage 
evidencing systems submitted for Postal Service test and evaluation 
were required to produce IBI--digital indicia that use a two-
dimensional (2-D) barcode. In 2012, the next generation of postage 
evidencing was introduced through the publication of the IMI 
performance criteria. Both IBI and IMI contain a 2-D barcode that 
includes revenue security-related data elements and product and service 
information.
    Effective January 1, 2016, all postage evidencing systems (postage 
meters and PC Postage products) will be required to produce IBI or IMI 
for evidence of pre-paid postage. Indicia from postage evidencing 
systems that are not IBI-compliant or IMI-compliant will not be 
recognized as valid after December 31, 2015. The following proposed 
amendment to 39 CFR part 501 is intended to clarify that noncompliant 
indicia will be decertified, and will not be recognized as valid after 
that date.
    Although exempt from the notice and comment requirements of the 
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553), the Postal Service invites 
public comment on the following proposed revisions to the Code of 
Federal Regulations.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 501

    Postal Service.

    Accordingly, the Postal Service proposes to amend 39 CFR part 501 
as follows:

PART 501--AUTHORIZATION TO MANUFACTURE AND DISTRIBUTE POSTAGE 
EVIDENCING SYSTEMS

    1. The authority citation for 39 CFR part 501 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a); 39 U.S.C. 101, 401, 403, 404, 410, 
2601, 2605, Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended (Pub. L. 95-
452, as amended); 5 U.S.C. App. 3.

    2. Add section 501.20 to read as follows:


Sec.  501.20  Discontinued Postage Evidencing Indicia.

    (a) Decertified indicia (evidence of pre-paid postage) are indicia 
that have been withdrawn by the Postal Service as valid forms of 
postage evidence through publication by the Postal Service in the 
Federal Register, or by voluntary withdrawal undertaken by the 
provider.
    (b) Effective January 1, 2016, all Postage Evidencing Systems 
(postage meters and PC Postage products) will be required to produce 
Information-Based Indicia (IBI) or Intelligent Mail Indicia (IMI) for 
evidence of pre-paid postage. Non-IBI and non-IMI indicia will be 
decertified effective January 1, 2016, and may not be used as a valid 
form of postage evidence. These decertified indicia will not be 
recognized as valid postage after December 31, 2015.

Stanley F. Mires,
Attorney, Legal Policy & Legislative Advice.
[FR Doc. 2012-17067 Filed 7-12-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P