[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 19 (Monday, February 1, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 7659-7660]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-28968]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 20


New Outbound Commercial Provider Initiative (OCPI) Program 
Information; Opportunity for Comments

AGENCY: Postal ServiceTM.

ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking; invitation to comment.

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SUMMARY: The Postal Service is providing an advance notification and 
introduction to the Outbound Commercial Provider Initiative (OCPI) 
program. This document provides general information on the OCPI 
program, related mailing requirements, and shipping standards. The 
Postal Service is exploring the advisability of the OCPI program and 
providing support to mailers to assure their ability to adhere to the 
new OCPI program guidelines.

DATES: Comments on this advance notice are due March 3, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, comments in response 
to this document will only be accepted via email--any comments or 
communications sent via fax or mail will not be accepted.
    When sending communication and comments related to the OCPI 
program, the following instructions and guidelines apply:
     All comments and questions should be sent to the Manager, 
International Products and Major Accounts, Global Business, at the 
following email address: [email protected].
     Communications must also include the following:

[cir] Subject Line: OCPI Program Advanced Notice Comments
[cir] Name of Sender

    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 Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., by calling 202-268-
2906.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Frank Cebello, 202-268-8058; or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Postal Service is providing this 
notification to set forth the following general information and 
guidelines for the OCPI program:
    1. An overview of the OCPI program with general information to 
advise and notify USPS customers, partners, and affiliates;
    2. Discussion of the countries and specific products that will be 
serviced through the OCPI program; and
    3. Specific changes and requirements associated with the OCPI 
program, relating to mail preparation, induction, and acceptance, such 
as:

i. Customs Form(s), shipping label(s), and tag(s),
ii. New, OCPI-specific Commercial Invoice, and
iii. Process changes and requirements related to OCPI service provider 
destinations

    4. References for advanced notifications of OCPI program feature 
changes.

Overview

    The Postal Service expects to implement these new program service 
enhancements on or about March 31, 2021.
    As cross-border eCommerce continues to grow and demand for a 
variety of shipping solutions continues, the Postal Service has 
encountered a need to identify alternatives for commercial shipments 
going through its international mail streams. The Postal Service relies 
entirely on foreign postal operators to deliver our customer packages 
worldwide, making outbound shipments subject to several limitations 
including shipping rates, transit times, and scan visibility. The 
rapidly expanding eCommerce market coupled with the increase in 
competition has motivated the Postal Service to explore alternate 
delivery service channels and competitive market strategies for product 
offerings in order to provide the services that customers demand, while 
remaining competitive in the global eCommerce market.
    The Outbound Commercial Provider Initiative (OCPI) is a strategic 
program designed to help the Postal Service remain competitive in the 
cross-border shipping market, whereby it can effectively compete with 
alternative providers. OCPI also enables the continuity of service in 
situations where issues arise with foreign postal operators, such as 
strikes, unfavorable bilateral negotiations, COVID-19 impacts, or 
significant service issues. Creating an alternative channel also offers 
opportunities for providing enhanced service options. Additional 
benefits of the OCPI Program include but are not limited to:
     Offering new services that are currently unavailable 
through the postal channels;
     Improving service delivery times because of options to 
deliver products by commercial suppliers to select countries; and
     Providing a more enhanced customer experience, through 
advancements in customer service and package visibility on 
international outbound operations.

[[Page 7660]]

OCPI Program Country-Product Service Enhancements

    The Postal Service will be identifying opportunities and selecting 
designated country destinations and products for the OCPI program. 
Destination product and country pairings for OCPI will be the exclusive 
delivery options, however existing service will continue for 
destinations for which OCPI solutions are not offered. The products 
offered through the OCPI program will be international shipping 
services, limited to Priority Mail Express International[supreg] 
(PMEI[supreg]), Priority Mail International (PMI), and First-Class 
Package International Service[supreg] (FCPIS[supreg]). This allows for 
a more seamless transition for existing customers and mailers and 
avoids the confusion and capital that would be required to create and 
launch new dedicated OCPI product offerings. Products such as FCMI 
letters and Flats, Military Mail, IPA, and ISAL are not within the 
scope of the OCPI program. After publishing this document, the Postal 
Service will provide a more detailed description of the applicable OCPI 
changes to the existing products and procedures for USPS customers. The 
country-product designated for the OCPI program may change depending on 
future opportunities identified and potential foreign postal operator-
related service disruptions.

Mail Preparation

    For customers that tender shipments to the Postal Service in bulk 
and or consolidations, all shipments sent to OCPI destinations must be 
presented separately and in individually prepared receptacles by 
product class and destination country. Specific products that are 
destined for OCPI destination countries may not be tendered in any 
mixed country receptacles.

OCPI Commercial Invoices

    The OCPI program will require mailers to produce commercial 
invoices and customs forms to comply with commercial customs clearance 
requirements and differentiate OCPI documentation from existing postal 
forms. The OCPI program will also require additional recipient 
information to be provided by the sender (including recipient's phone 
number and email address) to comply with commercial clearance 
processes. The OCPI forms will be made available to mailers via online 
applications and electronically at USPS retail service counters.

OCPI Receptacle Tags and Customs Forms

    The OCPI program has developed specific receptacle tags and customs 
forms which will allow operations personnel to identify and segregate 
OCPI products throughout the entire supply chain. In addition to 
International Mail Manual (IMM) updates, the Postal Service will 
provide industry notifications to inform all parties of OCPI program 
changes and provide examples of the new OCPI receptacle tags and 
customs forms to help integrate changes into the existing operational 
processes.

OCPI Program Features and Service Notifications

    The Postal Service will provide a minimum of advanced 30-day 
notification regarding upcoming OCPI services or feature changes via 
Postal Bulletins articles and PostalPro. Additionally, the Postal 
Service will provide updated mailer requirements to assist business 
mailers and provide support throughout the transition process to ensure 
a smooth transition.

Joshua J. Hofer,
Attorney, Federal Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2020-28968 Filed 1-29-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P