[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 202 (Thursday, October 20, 2022)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 63696-63698]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-22726]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111


USPS Connect Local Mail

AGENCY: Postal ServiceTM.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Postal Service is amending Mailing Standards of the United 
States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) in various 
sections to add a new price category designed to enhance access to our 
delivery network at the local level to deliver envelopes the same-day 
or the next-day.

DATES: Effective date: January 22, 2023.

[[Page 63697]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Krista Becker at (202) 268-7345 or 
Garry Rodriguez at (202) 268-7281.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Currently, when business mailers who send 
documents locally with regular frequency wish to send documents for 
same-day or next-day delivery, they are directed to use a variety of 
services that were designed for end-to-end mailing over long distances 
and are priced accordingly.
    The Postal Service initiated a Market Test, USPS Connect Local 
MailTM, (Docket No. MT2022-1, PRC Order No. 6038) on January 
9, 2022, to offer improved access to the Postal Service network for 
local mailers that leveraged the Postal Service's ``last-mile'' 
infrastructure to create an economical new solution for customers.
    USPS Connect Local Mail is a new commercial First-Class 
Mail[supreg] price category offering, designed to deliver items the 
same-day or the next-day via a designated delivery unit to every 
address served by that delivery unit where available.
    The flat price is the same for the two USPS-produced envelopes 
offered by the Postal Service and a customer's own envelope. The USPS 
Connect Local Mail price category is intended to be used for documents 
and paper-based content only. USPS Click-N-Ship[supreg] or USPS API 
will be the required payment methods, providing the shipping label with 
a trackable Intelligent Mail[supreg] package barcode (IMpb[supreg]) and 
postage payment.
    There are no extra services available with USPS Connect Local Mail. 
USPS Tracking Plus[supreg] additional mailing service will be available 
for USPS Connect Local Mail.
    On October 11, 2022, the Postal Service filed a request with the 
Postal Regulatory Commission to make the USPS Connect Local Mail price 
category a permanent offering. Documents pertinent to the request are 
available in Docket No. MC2023-12.
    The Postal Service believes this new offering will provide 
customers with a service that will enhance their mailing experience.
    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.
    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 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, 401-404, 414, 416, 3001-3018, 3201-3220, 3401-
3406, 3621, 3622, 3626, 3629, 3631-3633, 3641, 3681-3685, 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 Letters, Flats, and Parcels

* * * * *

202 Elements on the Face of a Mailpiece

* * * * *

3.0 Placement and Content of Mail Markings

* * * * *

3.5 First-Class Mail and USPS Marketing Mail Markings

    Mailpieces must be marked under the corresponding standards to show 
the class of service and/or price paid:
    a. Basic Marking. The basic required marking that indicates the 
class or subclass which must be printed or produced as part of; 
directly below; or to the left of the permit imprint, meter imprint, or 
stamp as follows:
* * * * *
    [Renumber items a2 through a4 as items a3 through a5 and add new 
item a2 to read as follows:]
    2. ``USPS Connect Local Mail''
* * * * *

230 Commercial Mail First-Class Mail

233 Prices and Eligibility

1.0 Prices and Fees

1.1 Price Application

    [Revise the text of 1.1 to read as follows:]
    Except for USPS Connect Local Mail under 1.2.3, postage is based on 
the price that applies to the weight of each addressed piece.

1.2 Price Computation for First-Class Mail Letters and Flats

* * * * *

1.2.2 Flats

    [Revise the text of 1.2.2 to read as follows:]
    Except for USPS Connect Local Mail under 1.2.3, First-Class Mail 
flats prices are charged per ounce up to the maximum of 13 ounces. Any 
fraction of an ounce is considered a whole ounce. For example, if a 
piece weighs 1.2 ounces, the weight (postage) increment is 2 ounces.
    [Add new 1.2.3 to read as follows:]

1.2.3 USPS Connect Local Mail

    USPS Connect Local Mail price is not based on weight, but is 
charged a flat price regardless of actual weight (up to 13 ounces) of 
the mailpiece.
    [Revise the heading and text of 1.3 to read as follows:]

1.3 First-Class Mail Prices

    For prices of all First-Class Mail price categories under 1.2, see 
Notice 123--Price List.
    [Delete 1.4 in its entirety and renumber 1.5 through 1.7 as 1.4 
through 1.6.]
* * * * *

2.0 Content Standards for First-Class Mail

2.1 General

    [Revise the text of 2.1 to read as follows:]
    Except for restricted material as described in 601.8.0 or USPS 
Connect Local Mail under 7.0, any mailable item may be mailed as First-
Class Mail.
* * * * *

3.0 Basic Eligibility Standards for First-Class Mail

3.1 Description of Service

3.1.1 Service Description

    [Revise the text of 3.1.1 by adding a new second sentence to read 
as follows:]
    * * * USPS Connect Local Mail is a price category of First-Class 
Mail with an expected same-day or next day delivery service. * * *
* * * * *
    [Add new 7.0 to read as follows:]

7.0 USPS Connect Local Mail

    USPS Connect Local Mail mailings are subject to the following 
criteria:
    a. No minimum volume requirement.
    b. Pieces must not exceed flat-size dimensions under 201.4.1.
    c. USPS Connect Local Mail price category is designed to be used 
for documents and paper-based contents only.
    d. Two USPS-produced USPS Connect Local Mail envelopes are offered 
by the Postal Service or a customer may use their own envelope.
    e. Postage must be paid under 234.1.2.
    f. Pieces are subject to specific marking requirements under 
202.3.5.

[[Page 63698]]

    g. Mailings must be addressed and entered at the designated entry 
unit by the critical entry time for same day delivery.
    h. There are no extra services available with USPS Connect Local 
Mail.
    i. USPS Tracking Plus[supreg] additional mailing service will be 
available for USPS Connect Local Mail.
* * * * *

234 Postage Payment and Documentation

1.0 Basic Standards for Postage Payment

    [Revise the text of 1.0 by renumbering the current text as 1.1 and 
adding a new 1.2 to read as follows:]

1.1 General

    First-Class Mail presorted and automation postage must be paid with 
precanceled stamps, metered postage, or permit imprints. All pieces in 
a mailing must be paid with the same method unless otherwise permitted 
by standard or Business Acceptance Solutions authorization. Permit 
imprints may be used for mailings of nonidentical-weight pieces only if 
authorized by the director, Business Acceptance Solutions (see 608.8.0 
for address).

1.2 USPS Connect Local Mail

    USPS Connect Local Mail mailings must be paid with USPS Click-N-
Ship or USPS API.
* * * * *

235 Mail Preparation

1.0 General Definition of Terms

* * * * *
    [Add new 1.6 to read as follows:]

1.6 USPS Connect Local Mail

    There are no sorting requirements for USPS Connect Local Mail 
pieces.
* * * * *
    [Add a new 9.0 to read as follows:]

9.0 Preparing USPS Connect Local Mail

    USPS Connect Local Mail envelopes provided by the USPS must be used 
only for USPS Connect Local Mail priced pieces.
* * * * *

236 Enter and Deposit

1.0 Deposit

* * * * *

1.2 Time and Location of Deposit

    [Revise the text of 1.2 by renumbering the current text as 1.2.1 
and adding new 1.2.2 to read as follows:]

1.2.1 General

    First-Class Mail paid at Presorted or any automation prices must be 
deposited at locations and times designated by the postmaster. Metered 
mail must be deposited in locations under the jurisdiction of the 
licensing Post Office except as permitted in 604.4.6.3. Permit imprint 
mail must be deposited under 604.5.0 or 705.

1.2.2 USPS Connect Local

    USPS Connect Local Mail pieces must be mailed at the designated 
entry unit.
* * * * *

Index

* * * * *

U

* * * * *
    [Add ``USPS Connect Local Mail, 233'' alphabetically under ``U''.]
* * * * *

Notice 123, Price List

    [Add USPS Connect Local Mail price category under the commercial 
First-Class Mail section.]
* * * * *

Ruth B. Stevenson,
Chief Counsel, Ethics and Legal Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2022-22726 Filed 10-19-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P