[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 33 (Monday, February 22, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 10507-10509]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-29031]


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

POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111


Addressing Standards

AGENCY: Postal ServiceTM.

ACTION: Proposed rule; revision; additional comment period.

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

SUMMARY: The Postal Service is revising its pending proposal to amend 
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail 
Manual (DMM[supreg]) in various sections of Addressing, to update 
addressing standards.

DATES: Submit comments on or before March 24, 2021.

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 ``Addressing 
Standards''. 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: James Wilson at (901) 681-4600, Kai 
Fisher at (901) 681-4634, or Garry Rodriguez at (202) 268-7281.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 22, 2020, the Postal Service 
published a notice of proposed rulemaking (85 FR 59484-59486) to update 
addressing standards. In response to that proposed rule, the mailing 
industry provided many valuable comments, which has prompted the Postal 
Service to issue a revised proposed rule with an additional comment 
period. The revised proposed rule will clarify our proposal to respond 
to mailer comments by clearly outlining the ways in which the proposal 
has changed.

Comments

    Thirty-five formal responses were received. Several responses 
expressed concern that the change would create cost increases for lower 
volume mailers that currently process their lists quarterly and would 
be required to process more frequently, increasing the cost paid to 
mail service providers for address matching services. Several responses 
suggested the 60-day requirement should be increased to 95 days, which 
coincides with Move Update Standards. Other comments questioned the 60-
day requirement from address matching to the mailing date with a 
product release that is still valid for use beyond that time frame. The 
remaining comments requested an extension of the comment period.

Background

    Currently, DMM section 602.6.0, ZIP Code Accuracy Standards, 
provides that a ZIP CodeTM may be used on a mail piece 
within 12 months after verified using a Postal Service approved method. 
Once a ZIP Code is used on a mailpiece, the address associated with 
that ZIP Code is considered to meet Postal Service addressing standards 
for an additional 12 months from the date first used in the mail.
    DMM sections 602.7.0, Carrier Route Accuracy Standard, and 9.0, 
Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS), provide that Address Matching 
and Coding Update standards require coding to be performed within 90 
days before the mailing date for carrier route mailings and 180 days 
for all non-carrier route mailings using the most current USPS 
database. The current product release schedule allows for use of a 
database that is valid for 105 days and may be used for an additional 6 
months beyond that timeframe. As such, an address added or modified in 
the Postal Service database may not be updated on a mailer's mailing 
list for nearly 1 year after the change was made.
    In 2012, the Postal Service implemented address management product 
fulfillment via an electronic product fulfillment method designed to 
provide subscription products to customers more efficiently. The 
database product updates are posted each month to a secure site where 
customers can log in to simply download the product files. A recent 
survey of licensed Address Management data products indicates that CASS 
and Multiline Accuracy Support System (MASS) Certified software and 
service providers are retrieving and using the monthly updates during 
the address matching and coding processes.

Proposal

    The Postal Service proposed implementing a database product cycle 
that aligns with the release of other mailing products. This will 
provide consistency across all mailing products and the method by which 
the data files are available and distributed.
    The suggestion to increase the 60-day requirement to coincide with 
the 95 days required for Move Update Standards is not within the scope 
of this proposal.
    The updated proposed release schedule allows for 120 days of use 
and an overlap in dates for product use. Mailers that currently process 
their lists quarterly would still be compliant as long as they do not 
mail beyond the ``last permissible mailing date'' for the ``product 
date'' as shown in the USPS Product Cycle in Exhibit 9.3.1. Mailers 
will be expected to update their systems with the latest data files as 
soon as practicable and should not wait until the ``last permissible 
use'' date.
    The Postal Service is proposing to implement this change effective 
July 1, 2021. However, mailers may opt to use the new monthly update 
cycles for both carrier route and non-carrier route mailings 
immediately.
    We believe this proposed revision will provide customers with a 
more efficient process and will reduce the risk of using address 
information that is not current.
    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 
comment 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.

[[Page 10508]]

    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)

* * * * *

600 Basic Standards for All Mailing Services

* * * * *

602 Addressing

* * * * *

6.0 ZIP Code Accuracy Standards

6.1 Basic Standards

    Except for mail bearing a simplified address, addresses used on 
pieces in a mailing at all commercial First-Class Mail, nonbarcoded 
presorted Periodicals, USPS Marketing Mail, Parcel Select Lightweight, 
and Bound Printed Matter presorted and carrier route prices are subject 
to the ZIP Code accuracy standard and must meet these requirements:
    [Revise the text of items a and b to read as follows:]
    a. Each address and associated 5-digit ZIP Code on the mailpieces 
in a mailing must be verified and corrected within 6 months before the 
mailing date with one of the USPS-approved methods in 6.2.
    b. If an address used on a mailpiece in a mailing at one class of 
mail and price is verified and corrected with an approved method, the 
same address may be used during the following 6 months to meet the ZIP 
Code accuracy standard required for mailing at any other class of mail 
and price.

6.2 USPS--Approved Methods

    The following methods meet the ZIP Code accuracy standard:
* * * * *
    b. For manually maintained lists or small computerized lists, 
options include the following:
    [Delete item b1 and renumber items b2 through b5 as items b1 
through b4.]
* * * * *

7.0 Carrier Route Accuracy Standard

7.1 Basic Standards

    * * * Addresses used on pieces claiming any Periodicals carrier 
route prices, any USPS Marketing Mail Enhanced Carrier Route prices 
(including DALs or DMLs used with Product Samples), or any Bound 
Printed Matter carrier route prices are subject to the carrier route 
accuracy standard and must meet the following requirements:
    [Revise the text of item a to read as follows:]
    a. Each address and associated carrier route code used on the 
mailpieces (or DALs or DMLs) in a mailing must be updated with one of 
the USPS-approved methods in 6.2 using a product release that is within 
the USPS Product Cycle as provided in Exhibit 9.3.1.
* * * * *
    [Delete item c.]
* * * * *

9.0 Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS)

* * * * *

9.3 Date of Address Matching and Coding

9.3.1 Update Standards

    [Revise the text of 9.3.1 to read as follows:]
    Unless Z4CHANGE is used, all automation and carrier route mailings 
bearing addresses coded by any AIS product must be coded with current 
CASS-certified software and the current USPS database. Coding must be 
done using a product release that is within the USPS Product Cycle as 
provided in Exhibit 9.3.1. All AIS products may be used immediately on 
release. New product releases must be included in address matching 
systems no later than after the first of the month following the 
product date. The overlap in dates for product use allows mailers 
adequate time to install the new data files and test their systems. 
Mailers are expected to update their systems with the latest data files 
as soon as practicable and need not wait until the ``last permissible 
use'' date. The mailer's signature on the postage statement certifies 
that this standard has been met when the corresponding mail is 
presented to the USPS. The ``current USPS database'' product cycle is 
defined by the table in Exhibit 9.3.1.
    [Delete current table under 9.3.1 and add new table as Exhibit 
9.3.1 to read as follows:]

                                    Exhibit 9.3.1 USPS Database Product Cycle
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Release date (posted)          Product date      Required use date    Expiration date
------------------------------------------------------------------------- (last  permissible
                                                                               use date)       Last permissible
                                                         Must begin no   --------------------    mailing date
     Use of file released in        (Publish date)     later than . . .     And must end no
                                                                           later than . . .
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mid-November....................  December 1........  January 1.........  February 28/29....  March 31.
Mid-December....................  January 1.........  February 1........  March 31..........  April 30.
Mid-January.....................  February 1........  March 1...........  April 30..........  May 31.
Mid-February....................  March 1...........  April 1...........  May 31............  June 30.
Mid-March.......................  April 1...........  May 1.............  June 30...........  July 31.
Mid-April.......................  May 1.............  June 1............  July 31...........  August 31.
Mid-May.........................  June 1............  July 1............  August 31.........  September 30.
Mid-June........................  July 1............  August 1..........  September 30......  October 31.
Mid-July........................  August 1..........  September 1.......  October 31........  November 30.
Mid-August......................  September 1.......  October 1.........  November 30.......  December 31.
Mid-September...................  October 1.........  November 1........  December 31.......  January 31.
Mid-October.....................  November 1........  December 1........  January 31........  February 28/29.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 10509]]

* * * * *

9.5 Documentation

* * * * *

9.5.5 Using a Single List

    [Revise the text of 9.5.5 by deleting the last sentence.]
* * * * *

Joshua J. Hofer,
Attorney, Federal Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2020-29031 Filed 2-19-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P