Retirement of FASTforward, 53830 [2012-21738]

Agencies

• Postal Service

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 171 (Tuesday, September 4, 2012)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 53830]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-21738]



[[Page 53830]]

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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111


Retirement of FASTforward Technology

AGENCY: Postal ServiceTM.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Postal Service proposes to revise the Mailing Standards of 
the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) 
602.5.0 to terminate the use of FASTforward[supreg] technology as a 
Move Update option for commercial First-Class Mail[supreg], First-Class 
Package ServiceTM, Standard Mail[supreg], and Parcel Select 
LightweightTM mailings.

DATES: We must receive comments on or before October 4, 2012.

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. You may inspect and photocopy all written 
comments at USPS[supreg] Headquarters Library, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW., 
11th Floor N, Washington DC by appointment only between the hours of 9 
a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday by calling 1-202-268-2906 in 
advance. Email comments, containing the name and address of the 
commenter, may be sent to: MailingStandards@usps.gov, with a subject 
line of ``FASTforward Discontinuation'' Faxed comments are not 
accepted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles Hunt at 901-681-4651, or Bill 
Chatfield at 202-268-7278.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FASTforward, a licensed hardware/software 
change-of-address system, was developed in 1996 to enable Multi-Line 
Optical Character Reader (MLOCR) users a means to meet the Move Update 
requirement for their commercial mailings. Using the best technology 
then available, most of the FASTforward ``black boxes'' were 386/486 
processors using secured cards and cabling operations. By 2009, many of 
the original black boxes were failing, and finding replacement parts 
became difficult. In February 2009, the USPSTM announced its 
intention to retire the FASTforward system by the end of FY2012 and 
migrate the licensees to the newer, more robust NCOALink[supreg] MPE 
(Mail Processing Equipment) licensed software system.
    In August 2011, the USPS established an ad hoc workgroup consisting 
of postal personnel, MLOCR manufacturers, mailers, and representatives 
of the National Association of Presort Mailers (NAPM). The workgroup 
has worked to resolve all issues, enabling a smooth migration from the 
antiquated FASTforward system to the newer NCOALink MPE system.
    NCOALink MPE licensees will have the option of upgrading their 
agreement to provide an electronic list of COA information to the mail 
owner, in addition to directly applying new addresses on mailpieces. 
However, use of the NCOALink MPE process to apply updated addresses on 
mailpieces will suffice by itself to meet the Move Update standard.
    The Postal Service recognizes that not all affected mailers may 
have been able to participate in the workgroup. Also, the fees for use 
of NCOALink MPE system may be higher for some mailers than the fees for 
FASTforward. Therefore, the Postal Service invites comments on the 
proposal by means of this notice. The termination date for FASTforward 
would be January 27, 2013. Mailers may begin to use the NCOALink MPE 
system at any time as a method of meeting the Move Update standards.
    The Postal Service accordingly proposes the following changes to 
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail 
Manual (DMM), which is incorporated by reference in the Code of Federal 
Regulations. See 39 CFR 111.1.

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]

    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.

    2. Revise the following sections of the Mailing Standards of the 
United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM):

Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail 
Manual (DMM):

* * * * *

500 Additional Mailing Services

* * * * *

507 Mailer Services

* * * * *

4.0 Address Correction Services

* * * * *

[Delete current 4.3, FASTforward, in its entirety.]

[Renumber current 4.4 as new 4.3.]

* * * * *

600 Basic Standards for All Mailing Services

* * * * *

602 Addressing

* * * * *

5.0 Move Update Standards

* * * * *

5.2 USPS-Approved Methods

    The following methods are authorized for meeting the Move Update 
standard:
* * * * *

[Revise item 5.2b as follows:]

    b. National Change of Address Linkage System (NCOALink). This 
includes both pre-mail NCOALink processing systems and the physical 
mailpiece processing equipment system: National Change of Address 
Linkage System Mail Processing Equipment (NCOALink MPE). See the 
NCOALink page (NCOALink MPE Solutions) on ribbs.usps.gov for more 
information on the MPE application.

[Delete item 5.2c in its entirety and redesignate current items 5.2d 
and 5.2e as new 5.2c and 5.2d respectively.]

* * * * *
    We will publish an appropriate amendment to 39 CFR part 111 to 
reflect these changes if our proposal is adopted.

Stanley F. Mires,
Attorney, Legal Policy and Legislative Advice.
[FR Doc. 2012-21738 Filed 8-31-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P