NOTE: COMMENTS REGARDING ANY FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE MUST BE SENT TO THE ADDRESS INDICATED IN THE DOCUMENT. ANY COMMENTS ON THE RAPID INFORMATION BULLETIN BOARD SYSTEM (RIBBS) ABOUT ANY FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES WILL NOT BE USED OR CONSIDERED IN THE COURSE OF ANY RULE MAKING. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- =============================================================================== [Federal Register: September 12, 1996 (Volume 61, Number 178)] [Rules and Regulations] [Page 48071-48072] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- POSTAL SERVICE 39 CFR Part 111 Classification Reform; Implementation Standards AGENCY: Postal Service. ACTION: Final rule. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: This final rule sets forth additional Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) standards adopted by the Postal Service to implement the Decision of the Governors of the United States Postal Service on the Recommended Decision of the Postal Rate Commission on Nonprofit Standard Mail, Nonprofit Enhanced Carrier Route Standard Mail, Nonprofit Periodicals, and Within County Periodicals, Docket No. MC96-2, Classification Reform II. EFFECTIVE DATE: October 6, 1996. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Leo F. Raymond, (202) 268-5199. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 4, 1996, pursuant to its authority under 39 U.S.C. 3621, et seq., the Postal Service filed with the Postal Rate Commission (PRC) a request for a recommended decision on several mail classification reform proposals for nonprofit Periodicals and Standard Mail (Classification Reform II). The PRC designated the filing as Docket No. MC96-2. On April 11, 1996, the PRC published a notice of the filing, with a description of the Postal Service's proposals, in the Federal Register (61 FR 16129-16146). The PRC issued its Opinion and Recommended Decision on Docket No. MC96-2 on July 19, 1996. In that document, the PRC favorably recommended what the Postal Service had proposed, with the exception of those provisions in the Classroom Periodicals rate schedule; the PRC reopened the record in Docket No. MC96-2 for further proceedings on that category of mail. On August 6, 1996, the Governors of the Postal Service accepted the Recommended Decision and the Board of Governors set October 6, 1996, as the date on which the provisions of Docket No. MC96-2 would take effect. A notice of the Decision of the Governors was published on August 15, 1996 (61 FR 42464-42476). The DMM standards that were proposed to take effect to implement Docket No. MC96-2 were published for public comment in the Federal Register on June 24, 1996 (61 FR 32606-32616). Because no comments were received on the proposed rule, it was adopted without change as the final rule, except as noted therein to reflect the absence of rate provisions for Classroom Periodicals in the PRC's Recommended Decision that was accepted and implemented by the Governors, and published on August 15, 1996 (61 FR 42478-42489). Because the PRC's Recommended Decision, as accepted and implemented by the Governors, excluded rate changes for Classroom Periodicals that had been proposed by the Postal Service, the rate schedule for Classroom Periodicals was unchanged, retaining ZIP+4 Classroom rates. Because of this difference from what the Postal Service had proposed in its request and in the proposed rule, the August 15 final rule also proposed standards for ZIP+4 Classroom rate mail that were different from those published in DMM Issue 50. (In general, the Postal Service proposed to establish eligibility standards for ZIP+4 Classroom rate mail that parallel those for other automation rate Periodicals. Mail preparation standards for ZIP+4 Classroom rate mail would be essentially similar to those for upgradable mail in other classes, except a ZIP+4 code would be required in the address. The Postal Service anticipated minimal adverse impact from this proposal on the mailing community, given the applicability of ZIP+4 rates to only letter-size pieces and the likely absence of a significant volume of letter-size mail in the Classroom Periodicals subclass.) Because those specific standards were not part of the June 24 proposed rule, the Postal Service accepted further comments on those standards from interested parties for an additional 21 days (i.e., through September 5, 1996). No comments were received on the proposed rule for ZIP+4 Classroom Periodicals rate eligibility and mail preparation. Therefore, the Postal Service adopts the corresponding DMM standards as the final rule. These relevant standards are shown below for the information of readers, but are the same as the corresponding standards published in the August 15 final rule. All references to DMM sections shown in this rule are based on DMM Issue 50 (July 1, 1996) as amended by the August 15 final rule. List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111 Postal Service. For the reasons discussed above, the Postal Service hereby adopts the following amendments to the Domestic Mail Manual, which is incorporated by reference in the Code of Federal Regulations (see 39 CFR part 111). PART 111--[AMENDED] 1. The authority citation for 39 CFR part 111 continues to read as follows: Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a); 39 U.S.C. 101, 401, 403, 404, 3001- 3011, 3201-3219, 3403-3406, 3621, 3626, 5001. 2. Revise the following sections of the Domestic Mail Manual as set forth below: C CHARACTERISTICS AND CONTENT * * * * * C800 Automation-Compatible Mail C810 Letters and Cards * * * * * 2.0 DIMENSIONS * * * * * [Revise the heading of 2.3 to read as follows:] 2.3 Maximum Weight [Revise 2.3a to read as follows:] Maximum weight limits are as follows: a. 2.5 ounces: upgradable Presorted First-Class Mail, ZIP+4 Classroom Periodicals, and upgradable nonautomation Standard Mail. * * * * * C840 Barcoding Standards * * * * * 2.0 BARCODE LOCATION--LETTER-SIZE PIECES 2.1 Barcode Clear Zone [Amend 2.1 by revising the first sentence to read as follows:] Each letter-size piece in an automation rate mailing, each piece of ZIP+4 Classroom Periodicals, and each piece of upgradable Presorted First-Class Mail or upgradable Standard Mail (A) must have a barcode clear zone unless the piece bears a DPBC in the address book. * * * * * * * * E ELIGIBILITY * * * * * E200 Periodicals * * * * * E240 Automation Rates 1.0 BASIC STANDARDS 1.1 All Pieces [Amend 1.1 by revising the introductory text to read as follows:] [[Page 48072]] Except for Classroom Periodicals under 3.0, all pieces in an automation Periodicals mailing must: * * * * * [Revise the heading of 2.0 to read as follows:] 2.0 RATE APPLICATION--EXCEPT CLASSROOM PERIODICALS * * * * * [Add new 3.0 to read as follows:] 3.0 RATE APPLICATION--CLASSROOM PERIODICALS ONLY 3.1 ZIP+4 Rates ZIP+4 Classroom Periodicals must meet the basic standards in 1.1a through 1.1f and 1.2, except each piece must meet the physical standards for letter-size mail in C810 and the standards for OCR processing in C830, must bear the correct ZIP+4 code in the address, and must have address elements in the standardized format placed in the OCR read area, under A010. ZIP+4 rates apply to each letter-size piece that is sorted under M810 into the corresponding qualifying groups: a. Groups of 150 or more pieces in 5-digit or unique 3-digit trays qualify for the 3/5 ZIP+4 rate. b. Groups of fewer than 150 pieces in origin/entry 3-digit trays and groups of 150 or more pieces in other 3-digit or AADC trays, and all pieces in mixed AADC trays qualify for the Basic ZIP+4 rate. 3.2 Barcoded Rates Barcoded Classroom Periodicals must meet the basic standards in 1.00 Barcoded rates apply to each letter-size piece that is sorted under M810 into the corresponding qualifying groups: a. Groups of 150 or more pieces in 5-digit trays qualify for the 5- Digit Barcoded rate. b. Groups of 150 or more pieces in unique 3-digit trays qualify for the 3-Digit Barcoded rate. c. Pieces for unique 3-digit destination that is part of a 3-digit scheme group in L003 qualify for the 3-Digit Barcoded rate when placed in a 3-digit scheme tray if grouped separately from pieces for other 3- digit areas. d. Groups of fewer that 150 pieces in origin/entry 3-digit/scheme trays and groups of 150 or more pieces in other 3-digit, 3-digit scheme, or AADC trays and all pieces in mixed AADC trays qualify for the Basic Barcoded rate. * * * * * M MAIL PREPARATION AND SORTATION * * * * * M800 All Automation Mail [Revise the heading of M810 to read as follows:] M810 Letter-Size Mail 1.0 BASIC STANDARDS 1.1 Standards [Amend 1.1 by replacing the term ``Regular Periodicals'' with ``Periodicals'' in the first sentence to read as follows:] Letter-size automation rate First-Class Mail, Periodicals, and Standard Mail (A) must be prepared under M810 and the eligibility standards for the rate claimed.* * * 1.2 Mailings [Amend 1.2 by adding the following sentence to the end of the section to read as follows:] * * *A Periodicals mailings may not contain both ZIP+4 Classroom pieces and any other automation rate Periodicals. * * * * * 1.6 Scheme Sortation [Amend 1.6 by adding the following sentence to the end of the section to read as follows:] * * *Scheme sortation is not available for ZIP+4 Classroom Periodicals. * * * * * 3.0 PREPARATION--PERIODICALS 3.1 Tray Preparation [Amend 3.1 by revising 3.1b to read as follows:] Tray size, preparation sequence, and labeling: * * * * * b. 3-digit/scheme (3-digit only for ZIP+4 Classroom Periodicals): required (150-piece minimum except no minimum for required origin/ optional entry 3-digit(s)/scheme); overflow allowed; for Line 1, use L002, Column B (except use L002, Column A, for ZIP+4 Classroom Periodicals). * * * * * 3.2 Line 2 [Revise 3.2 to read as follows:] Line 2: PER or NEWS (as appropriate), LTRS BC (except LTRS UPGR for ZIP+4 Classroom Periodicals), and: * * * * * Stanley F. Mires, Chief Counsel, Legislative. [FR Doc. 96-23394 Filed 9-11-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7710-12-M