[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 39 (Wednesday, March 1, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 12181-12182]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-03911]


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

POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111


Seamless Acceptance Program

AGENCY: Postal ServiceTM.

ACTION: Final rule.

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

SUMMARY: The Postal Service will revise Mailing Standards of the United 
States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) to add the 
mail preparation requirements governing participation in the Seamless 
Acceptance Program.

DATES: Effective Date: March 1, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Heather Dyer at (207) 482-7217 or 
Jacqueline Erwin at (202) 268-2158.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Postal Service published a notice of 
proposed rulemaking on January 13, 2017, (82 FR 4231-4232) to add the 
mail preparation requirements governing participation in the Seamless 
Acceptance Program, which included a 30-day comment period. The Postal 
Service received one customer comment.

Comments on Proposed Changes and USPS Response

    The Postal Service received 1 formal response on the proposed 
general language for the Seamless Acceptance Program proposal. The 
responder was seeking additional information on a related technical 
guide to the programming intricacies for qualifying for the Seamless 
option. Since the general language for the DMM does not include nor 
will it incorporate technical guidance, the comments are not relevant 
to this Final Rule. The commentary was shared with the appropriate 
postal personnel for response.

Summary of Changes To Be Implemented

    Seamless Acceptance is an option for entering commercial mailings. 
It leverages full-service mailing technology by using scans from 
USPS[supreg] mail processing equipment and hand held devices to 
automate verification and payment for commercial First-Class Mail 
cards, letters, and flats, Periodicals, USPS Marketing Mail letters and 
flats, and Bound Printed Matter flats. Mailers may participate in the 
Seamless Acceptance Program by contacting the PostalOne! Helpdesk at 1-
800-522-9085. To participate in the Seamless Acceptance Program, 
mailers must meet the standards in DMM 705.22.0. Additional 
information, including information regarding verification and 
associated assessments under the Seamless Acceptance Program, is 
provided in Publication 6850, Publication for Streamlined Mail 
Acceptance for Letters and Flats, at https://postalpro.usps.com/node/581.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111

    Administrative practice and procedure, Postal Service.

    The Postal Service adopts the following changes 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.
    Accordingly, 39 CFR part 111 is amended as follows:

[[Page 12182]]

PART 111--[AMENDED]

0
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.

0
2. Revise the 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)

* * * * *

700 Special Standards

* * * * *

705 Advanced Preparation and Special Postage Payment Systems

* * * * *
    [Add new section 22.0, to read as follows:]

22.0 Seamless Acceptance Program

22.1 Description

    Seamless Acceptance uses Intelligent Mail barcodes, electronic 
documentation (eDoc), and scans from USPS mail processing equipment and 
hand held devices, to automate verification of and payment for First-
Class Mail cards, letters, and flats, Periodicals, USPS Marketing Mail 
letters and flats, and Bound Printed Matter flats. Additional 
information, including information regarding verification and 
associated assessments on the Seamless Acceptance Program is available 
in Publication 6850, Publication for Streamlined Mail Acceptance for 
Letters and Flats, available at https://postalpro.usps.com/node/581.

22.2 Approval

    Mailers may seek authorization to participate in the Seamless 
Acceptance Program by contacting the PostalOne! Helpdesk at 1-800-522-
9085.

22.3 Basic Standards

    First-Class Mail, Periodicals, and USPS Marketing Mail letters and 
flats and BPM barcoded flats are potentially eligible for Seamless 
Acceptance. All mailpieces, including basic and nonautomation, must be 
prepared as outlined in 23.0; mailers must meet the following 
standards:
    a. Meet all the content and price eligibility standards for the 
price claimed.
    b. Prepare 90% Full-Service eligible volume.
    c. Participate in the Seamless Parallel Program.
    d. Participate in eInduction under 20.0 for DMU-verified origin 
entry or destination entry-drop shipments.

22.3.1 Intelligent Mail Barcode Exception

    Under special circumstances where mailers are unable to use an 
Intelligent Mail Barcode on every piece an exception may be granted by 
Business Mailer Support (BMS); see 608.8 for contact information.
* * * * *
    We will publish an appropriate amendment to 39 CFR part 111 to 
reflect these changes.

Stanley F. Mires,
Attorney, Federal Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2017-03911 Filed 2-28-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P