Clarification of Content Eligibility for Standard Mail Marketing Parcels, 1872-1873 [2015-00401]

Agencies

• Postal Service

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 14, 2015)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 1872-1873]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-00401]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111


Clarification of Content Eligibility for Standard Mail Marketing 
Parcels

AGENCY: Postal Service.\TM\

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Postal Service proposes to clarify Mailing Standards of 
the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) to 
reaffirm basic eligibility standards for Standard Mail Marketing 
Parcels.

DATES: Submit comments on or before February 13, 2015.

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 Headquarters Library, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW., 11th 
Floor North, Washington, DC, by appointment only, between 9 a.m. and 4 
p.m., Monday through Friday by calling 202-268-2906 in advance. Email 
comments, containing the name and address of the commenter, may be sent 
to: ProductClassification@usps.gov, with a subject line of ``Marketing 
Parcels.'' Faxed comments are not accepted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lizbeth Dobbins at 202-268-3789, John 
F. Rosato at 202-268-8597, or Suzanne Newman at 202-695-0550.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: To ensure consistency and clarity about the 
content eligibility of Standard Mail Marketing Parcels, the Postal 
Service recently published an article in Postal Bulletin 22406 (January 
8, 2015) to remind customers about the basic eligibility and address 
format standards for this classification of mail.

Background

    Standard Mail Marketing Parcels were specifically designed for 
mailers to send items or samples to potential customers. Our original 
intent was to build a low cost prospecting vehicle and we built in a 
few factors to minimize handling costs. One of those factors, the 
alternative addressing format, was required so that the current 
resident became the recipient of the mailpiece if the named addressee 
had moved. This avoided extra delivery and forwarding handling costs. 
Another was that these pieces needed to be similar in shape and weight 
if mailed in a single mailing. Other types of size restrictions were 
also a requirement.
    Building upon our original intent, and to keep this product a 
viable promotional and cost-effective vehicle, we are adding stronger 
language about content eligibility and address format. All Standard 
Marketing parcels (regular and nonprofit) must bear an alternate 
addressing format and cannot be used for ``fulfillment purposes'' (i.e. 
the sending of items specifically purchased or requested by the 
customer of a mailer). The one exception will be if a customer selects 
samples as a result of an ordering mechanism and the samples are sent 
in a separate package and not inside the same package as the 
fulfillment item. Moreover, the alternate address format must be on the 
same line as the addressee's name, or on the address line directly 
above or below the addressee's name.
    We look forward to feedback from the mailing community to help 
maintain Standard Mail Marketing Parcels as a viable, cost-effective 
product.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111

    Administrative practice and procedure, Postal Service.

    Although we are 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), we invite public comments 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. 
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 following sections of Mailing Standards of the United 
States
    Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), as follows:

[[Page 1873]]

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

* * * * *

240 Standard Mail

243 Prices and Eligibility

* * * * *

3.0 Basic Eligibility Standards for Standard Mail

* * * * *

3.2 Defining Characteristics

* * * * *

3.2.2 Standard Mail Marketing Parcels

    [Revise 3.2.2 to read as follows:]
    All Standard Mail Marketing parcels (regular and nonprofit) must 
bear an alternate addressing format and cannot be used for 
``fulfillment purposes'' (i.e. the sending of items specifically 
purchased or requested by the customer of a mailer). The alternate 
address format must be on the same line as the addressee's name or on 
the address line directly above or below the addressee's name.
* * * * *
    We will publish an appropriate amendment to 39 CFR part 111 to 
reflect these changes if our proposal is adopted.

Stanley F. Mires,
Attorney, Federal Requirements.
[FR Doc. 2015-00401 Filed 1-13-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P