[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 201 (Thursday, October 17, 2019)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 55529-55530]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-22635]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111


New Mailing Standards for Domestic Mailing Services Products

AGENCY: Postal Service\TM\.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: On October 9, 2019, the Postal Service (USPS[supreg]) filed a 
notice of mailing services price adjustments with the Postal Regulatory 
Commission (PRC), effective January 26, 2020. This proposed rule 
contains the revisions to Mailing Standards of the United States Postal 
Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) that we would adopt to 
implement the changes coincident with the price adjustments.

DATES: Submit comments on or before November 18, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Mail or deliver written comments to the Manager, Product 
Classification, U.S. Postal Service, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Room 4446, 
Washington, DC 20260-5015. If sending comments by email, include the 
name and address of the commenter and send to 
[email protected], with a subject line of ``January 2020 
Domestic Mailing Services Proposal.'' Faxed comments are not accepted.

Confidentiality

    All submitted comments and attachments are part of the public 
record and subject to disclosure. Do not enclose any material in your 
comments that you consider to be confidential or inappropriate for 
public disclosure.
    You may inspect and photocopy all written comments, by appointment 
only, at USPS[supreg] Headquarters Library, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, 11th 
Floor North, Washington, DC 20260. These records are available for 
review on Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., by calling 202-268-
2906.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jacqueline Erwin at (202) 268-2158, or 
Dale Kennedy at (202) 268-6592.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Proposed prices will be available under 
Docket No. R2020-1 on the Postal Regulatory Commission's website at 
www.prc.gov.
    The Postal Service's proposed rule includes: Changes to prices, 
mail classification updates, product simplification efforts, and a few 
minor revisions to the DMM.

Permit Simplification

    Currently, mailers are required to pay annual presort and 
destination entry fees for certain mailings.
    The Postal Service is proposing to simplify permits in order to 
better serve customers and to utilize current and new technologies that 
have eliminated prior operational costs for permit creation, payment, 
and maintenance. The simplification would allow auto-finalization for 
Seamless Acceptance mailings without presort fees being paid. The 
annual presort fee will be required to be paid for any mailing not 
eligible for Seamless Acceptance.

P.O. Box Fee Group Reassignments

    In Docket No. R2020-1, the Postal Service is proposing to reassign 
some ZIP Codes to the next higher-priced fee group based on market 
characteristics, such as occupancy and growth rates. Consistent with 
this proposal, the Postal Service plans to add more substantive 
standards to the authorizing language in DMM 508.4.4.2, specifying the 
basis upon which such reassignments to more appropriate fee groups 
might be made.

Full-Service Exemption Calculation Change

    Currently, mailers who present automation mailings of First-Class 
Mail cards, letters, and flats, USPS Marketing Mail letters and flats, 
or Bound Printed Matter flats that contain 90 percent or more of their 
presort eligible pieces at full-service automation prices are exempt 
from paying annual presort mailing or destination entry fees, as 
applicable, for qualified full-service mailings. USPS Marketing Mail 
Saturation and EDDM flats are eligible for presort rates but ineligible 
for full-service incentives. Saturation and EDDM flats are included in 
the denominator of the calculation, but not the numerator.
    The Postal Service is proposing to change the full-service fee 
exemption calculation to exempt annual presort and destination entry 
fees for those customers who enter 90 percent or more full-service 
eligible volume as full-service. Additionally, at least 75 percent of 
all the mailer's volume must be full-service eligible. The new formula 
excludes USPS Marketing Mail Saturation flats (including EDDM) and EDDM 
letter mailings from the denominator. This change would allow more 
mailers to qualify for an exemption from paying annual mailing fees.
    Although 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 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.
    We will publish an appropriate amendment to 39 CFR part 111 to 
reflect these changes.

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.]

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)

* * * * *

200 Commercial Mail

* * * * *

230 First-Class Mail

233 Prices and Eligibility

1.0 Prices and Fees

* * * * *

1.5 Presort Mailing Fee

    [Revise the second sentence of 1.5; to read as follows:]

[[Page 55530]]

    * * * Payment of this fee does not apply to qualified full-service 
mailings (under 705.23.3.1a).* * *
* * * * *

240 Commercial Mail USPS Marketing Mail

243 Prices and Eligibility

1.0 Prices and Fees

* * * * *

1.4 Fees

1.4.1 Presort Mailing Fee

    [Revise the second sentence of 1.4.1; to read as follows:]
    * * * Payment of this fee does not apply to mailers who present 
qualified full-service mailings (under 705.23.3.1a).* * *
* * * * *

260 Commercial Mail Bound Printed Matter

263 Prices and Eligibility

1.0 Prices and Fees

* * * * *

1.2 Presorted and Carrier Route Bound Printed Matter

* * * * *

1.2.5 Destination Entry Mailing Fee

    [Revise the last sentence of 1.2.5; to read as follows:]
    * * * Payment of this fee does not apply to mailers who present 
only qualified full-service flat-size mailings (under 705.23.3.1a).
* * * * *

500 Additional Services

* * * * *

508 Recipient Services

* * * * *

4.0 Post Office Box Service

* * * * *

4.4 Basis of Fees and Payment

* * * * *

4.4.2 Fee Changes

    [Revise the second sentence of 4.4.2; to read as follows:]
    * * * In addition, the USPS may assign a fee group to a new ZIP 
Code, may reassign one or more 5-digit ZIP Codes to the next higher or 
lower fee group based on the ZIP Codes' cost and market 
characteristics, or may regroup 5-digit ZIP Codes.* * *
* * * * *

5.0 Caller Service

* * * * *

5.5 Basis of Fees and Payment

* * * * *

5.5.3 Fee Changes

    [Revise the text of 5.5.3 by adding new last sentence; to read as 
follows:]
    * * * In addition, the USPS may assign a fee group to a new ZIP 
Code, may reassign one or more 5-digit ZIP Codes to the next higher or 
lower fee group based on the ZIP Codes' cost and market 
characteristics, or may regroup 5-digit ZIP Codes.
* * * * *

700 Special Standards

* * * * *

705 Advanced Preparation and Special Postage Payment Systems

* * * * *

22.0 Seamless Acceptance Program

* * * * *

22.3 Basic Standards

    [Revise the introductory text of 22.3, by adding new second and 
third sentences to read as follows:]
    * * * Any permits used in a Seamless acceptance mailing will not 
prevent that mailing from being finalized regardless of if an annual 
fee is due on that permit. However, the first time the permit is used 
for a non-seamless mailing the mailer will have to pay the permit fee 
if they do not meet the requirements for a fee waiver.* * *
* * * * *

23.0 Full-Service Automation Option

* * * * *

23.2 General Eligibility Standards

    [Revise the first sentence of the introductory text of 23.2; to 
read as follows:]
    First-Class Mail (FCM), Periodicals, and USPS Marketing Mail, cards 
(FCM only), letters (except letters using simplified address format) 
and flats meeting eligibility requirements for automation or carrier 
route prices (except for USPS Marketing Mail ECR saturation flats), and 
Bound Printed Matter presorted or carrier route barcoded flats, are 
potentially eligible for full-service incentives.* * *

23.3 Fees

    [Revise the title of 23.3.1; to read as follows:]

23.3.1 Eligibility for Exception to Payment of Annual Fees and Waiver 
of Deposit of Permit Imprint Mail Restrictions

    [Revise the introductory text of 23.3.1; to read as follows:]
    Mailers who present automation or presort mailings (of First-Class 
Mail cards, letters, and flats, USPS Marketing Mail letters and flats, 
or Bound Printed Matter flats) that contain 90 percent or more full-
service eligible mail as full-service, and 75 percent of their total 
mail is eligible for full-service incentives, are eligible for the 
following exception to standards:
    [Revise the text of item 23.3.1a; to read as follows:]
    a. Annual presort mailing or destination entry fees, as applicable, 
do not apply to mailings entered by mailers who meet both the 90 
percent and 75 percent full-service thresholds, for qualified full-
service mailings, as specified in 23.3.1.* * *
* * * * *

Notice 123 (Price List)

    [Revise prices as applicable.]
* * * * *
    We will publish an appropriate amendment to 39 CFR part 111 to 
reflect these changes.

Joshua J. Hofer,
Attorney, Federal Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2019-22635 Filed 10-16-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P