[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 116 (Friday, June 14, 2024)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 50542-50543]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-13152]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111


Securing Bundles of Flats

AGENCY: Postal Service\TM\.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Postal Service is proposing to amend Mailing Standards of 
the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) to 
modify the requirements for securing bundles of flats.

DATES: Submit comments on or before July 15, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Mail or deliver written comments to the Director, 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 ``Securing Bundles 
of Flats.'' Faxed comments are not accepted.
    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: Dale Kennedy at (202) 268-6592 or 
Doriane Harley at (202) 268-2537.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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.
    Currently, the standards in DMM section 203.4.5 require bundles of 
flats to be secured with banding, shrinkwrap, or shrinkwrap plus one or 
more bands. Additionally, it allows the use of rubber bands and twine/
string as banding materials on bundles of flats.
    The Postal Service is proposing to amend the standards in DMM 
section DMM 203.4.4 to include an exemption for mailings of 500 flat-
sized pieces or fewer entered at the BMEU from bundle preparation. 
Applicable mailings may be prepared loose in flat trays instead of in 
bundles. The Postal Service is also proposing to amend the standards in 
sections 203.4.5, 203.4.8, and 203.4.9 to require all bundles of flats 
to have two or more cross-strapped bands or be shrink-wrapped with two 
or more cross-strapped bands and to eliminate the use of rubber bands 
and twine/string for securing bundles of flats. Additionally, section 
245.9.5(d) would be amended to reflect that shrink-wrapped multi 
carrier route bundles require two or more cross-strapped bands.
    The Postal Service is proposing to implement this change effective 
August 18, 2024.
    We believe that the proposed revisions will enable the Postal 
Service to process bundled flats in a more efficient manner.
    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 proposed revisions to Mailing Standards of the United 
States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), incorporated by 
reference in the Code of Federal Regulations.
    We will publish an appropriate amendment to 39 CFR part 111 to 
reflect these changes if our proposal is adopted.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111

    Administrative practice and procedure, Postal Service.

    Accordingly, the Postal Service proposes the following changes to 
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail 
Manual (DMM), incorporated by reference in the

[[Page 50543]]

Code of Federal Regulations (see 39 CFR 111.1):

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, Cards, Flats, and Parcels

* * * * *

203 Basic Postage Statement, Documentation, and Preparation Standards

* * * * *

4.0 Bundles

* * * * *
    [Revise the title of 202.4.4 to read as follows:]

4.4 Exception to Bundle Preparation--Full Letter and Flat Trays and 
Small Flat Mailings

    [Add a sentence at the end of 4.4 to read as follows:]
    * * * In mailings of 500 or fewer flat-sized pieces, mailers are 
not required to prepare bundles and may place said pieces loose in flat 
trays.

4.5 Securing Bundles of Flats

    Bundles must be able to withstand normal transit and handling 
without breakage or injury to USPS employees, and are subject to the 
following requirements:
    [Revise the text of item (a) to read as follows:]
    a. Bundles must be secured with two or more cross-strapped bands or 
shrink-wrapped with two or more cross-strapped bands. Banding includes 
plastic bands, and similar material. Use of wire or metal banding is 
not permitted.
    [Delete current item (b) in its' entirety]
    [Renumber item (c) as item (b); then revise the text to read as 
follows:]
    b. Bundles must be cross-strapped (encircle the length and girth of 
the bundle at least once). Additional bands may be used if none lies 
within 1 inch of any bundle edge.
    [Add a new item (c) to read as follows:]
    c. Rubber bands and twine/string are not permitted to use as 
banding to secure bundles.
* * * * *

4.8 Preparing Bundles in Sacks and Flat Trays

    In addition to following the standards in 4.5 through 4.7, mailers 
must prepare bundles placed in flat trays and sacks as follows: * * *
    [Revise item (d) to read as follows:]
    d. Bundles of pieces with covers of ``coated stock'' (glossy 
covers) that are not individually enclosed in an envelope or mailing 
wrapper must be secured with at least two plastic straps or with 
shrinkwrap plus two plastic straps and must not exceed 6 inches in 
height.
* * * * *

4.9 Preparing Bundles on Pallets

    In addition to general bundling standards in 4.1, bundles on 
pallets must meet the following standards:
    [Revise item 4.9(a) to read as follows:]
    a. Bundles must be secured with appropriate banding or shrinkwrap 
supplemented by two or more bands. Banding includes plastic bands 
(recommended) or similar material.
* * * * *

245 Mail Preparation

* * * * *

9.0 Preparing Enhanced Carrier Route Flats

* * * * *

9.5 Multi Carrier Routes Bundle

    A mailer may combine individual eligible bundles of USPS Marketing 
Mail Enhanced Carrier Route basic price mail into a multi carrier 
routes bundle of the same 5-digit ZIP Code under these conditions: * * 
*
    [Revise the text of item 9.5(d) to read as follows:]
    d. The multi carrier routes bundle must be secured with at least 
two cross-strapped bands, one around the length and one around the 
girth, or shrink-wrapped with two or more cross-strapped bands.
* * * * *

Christopher Doyle,
Attorney, Ethics and Legal Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2024-13152 Filed 6-13-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P