Service Standards for Market-Dominant Mail Products, 21675-21680 [2021-08463]

Agencies

• Postal Service

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 77 (Friday, April 23, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 21675-21680]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-08463]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 121


Service Standards for Market-Dominant Mail Products

AGENCY: Postal ServiceTM.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Postal Service seeks public comment on proposed revisions 
to the service standards for market-dominant mail products. The Postal 
Service proposes to apply a two-day service standard to intra-Sectional 
Center Facility (SCF) First-Class Mail where the SCF is both the origin 
and destination Processing & Distribution Center or Facility (P&DC/F), 
and to intra-SCF and inter-SCF First-Class Mail if the combined drive 
time between the origin P&DC/F, destination Area Distribution Center 
(ADC), and destination SCF is 3 hours or less. For inter-SCF First-
Class Mail within the 48 contiguous states (which include, for purposes 
of these standards, the District of Columbia) where the combined drive 
time between the origin P&DC/F, destination ADC, and destination SCF is 
more than 3 hours, but does not exceed 20 hours, the Postal Service 
proposes a three-day service standard; the same standard would apply 
for intra-SCF First-Class Mail if the combined drive time exceeds 3 
hours and the SCF is not the origin P&DC/F. The Postal Service proposes 
a four-day service standard for inter-SCF First-Class Mail within the 
48 contiguous states where the combined drive time between the origin 
P&DC/F, destination ADC, and destination SCF is more than 20 hours, but 
does not exceed 41 hours; and for certain First-Class Mail originating 
from and/or destined to certain portions of the non-contiguous states 
and territories. A five-day service standard would apply in the 48 
contiguous states if the combined drive time between the origin P&DC/F, 
destination ADC, and destination SCF exceeds 41 hours, and also for 
other

[[Page 21676]]

First-Class Mail originating from and/or destined to the non-contiguous 
states and territories. The Postal Service also proposes to apply a 
three-to-six-day service standard for certain Periodicals, rather than 
the current three-to-four-day standard, because they are merged with 
First-Class Mail.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before June 22, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Mail or deliver written comments to the Manager, Product 
Classification, U.S. Postal Service, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Room 4446, 
Washington, DC 20260-3436. Email comments, containing the name and 
address of the commenter, may be sent to: [email protected], 
with a subject line of ``Service Standards for Market-Dominant Mail 
Products.'' Faxed comments are not accepted. 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.
    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 Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. by calling 202-268-
2906.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Twana Barber, Strategic Communications 
Business Partner, at 202-714-3417.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Contents

I. Introduction
II. Proposed Revisions to Service Standards
    A. Service Standards Generally
    B. First-Class Mail
    C. Periodicals
III. Request for Comments

I. Introduction

    The Postal Service proposes to amend 39 CFR part 121 to revise the 
current service standards for certain First-Class Mail and Periodicals. 
The most significant revisions would increase the service standards for 
certain categories of First-Class Mail from the current one-to-three-
day service standard to a one-to-five-day service standard for First-
Class Mail originating and destinating within the 48 contiguous United 
States. Because certain Periodicals are merged with First-Class Mail, 
the corresponding service standards for those Periodicals would also 
change, from the current three-to-four-day service standard to a three-
to-six-day service standard.
    These revisions achieve the objectives set forth in 39 U.S.C. 
3691(b), taking into account the factors of 39 U.S.C. 3691(c). Overall, 
they further the Postal Service's obligations under 39 U.S.C. 101 and 
other provisions of Title 39, U.S. Code to provide universal postal 
services in a prompt, reliable, and efficient manner. The current 
standards for First-Class Mail make it difficult for the Postal Service 
to provide reliable and consistent service, and also lead to high costs 
and inefficiencies in its transportation network. Indeed, the Postal 
Service has failed to meet its composite service performance target for 
First-Class Mail for many years, and the service provided for First-
Class Mail traveling longer distances has fallen particularly short of 
the targets over that period. The end result is an unsustainable 
situation: Failure to provide reliable service, and costs that are 
higher than they should be. These problems will only grow as mail 
volumes continue to decline: Mail volumes have declined by 42 percent 
since FY 2007, and are projected to continue to decline.
    The Postal Service is adjusting its service standards to improve 
its capability to deliver mail reliably and predictably for its 
customers, while enhancing its ability to increase operational 
efficiency and effectiveness consistent with best business practices. 
These standards will allow the Postal Service to better meet customer 
needs for prompt and reliable service, while supporting the maintenance 
of reasonable postage rates.
    The standards that the Postal Service proposes address certain 
factors that are a consequence of trying to meet the current standards, 
and that contribute to service performance difficulties and high 
transportation costs. These revisions will enable the Postal Service to 
achieve a better balance of cost-effectiveness and reliability by 
increasing the volume of mail moved by surface transportation and 
reducing the volume of mail moved by air transportation. Shifting to 
rely more on surface transportation than air transportation will 
promote a better balance of both reliability and cost-effectiveness, 
because surface transportation is more reliable and cost-effective than 
air transportation. In addition, these revisions will enable the Postal 
Service to address inefficiencies in its surface transportation network 
caused by the current standards.
    The revisions will therefore enable the Postal Service to improve 
its service capability by more realistically aligning the Postal 
Service's First-Class Mail service standards with the Postal Service's 
operational capabilities. This will result in much more precise and 
efficient network operations that better match current and projected 
mail volumes, and the Postal Service anticipates that the changes 
should result in significant cost savings, in addition to enhancing 
service reliability and predictability. This keeps costs at reasonable 
levels and helps to ensure affordable rates.
    Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 3661(b), the Postal Service has requested an 
advisory opinion from the Postal Regulatory Commission relating to 
these proposed revisions to 39 CFR part 121; the Commission is 
considering the request in Docket No. N2021-1, styled ``First-Class 
Mail and Periodicals Service Standard Changes, 2021.'' Further 
explanation and justification of the proposed service standards, and 
how they are consistent with 39 U.S.C. 3691 and other provisions of 
law, can be found in the materials that the Postal Service has filed in 
that docket.

II. Proposed Revisions to Service Standards

    The Postal Service's market-dominant service standards are 
contained in 39 CFR part 121. The proposed revised version of 39 CFR 
part 121 appears at the end of this Notice. The following is a summary 
of the proposed revisions. In addition to the changes described below, 
minor edits are made to (i) conform to product name changes for USPS 
Marketing Mail, (ii) correct a clerical error in the subsection on 
Destination Entry Periodicals, (iii) delete expired provisions, and 
(iv) refer to common or defined terms in a more consistent manner 
throughout the rules.

A. Service Standards Generally

    Before describing how service standards will be revised, it is 
important to understand how service standards are structured. Service 
standards contain two components: (1) A delivery day range within which 
mail in a given product is expected to be delivered; and (2) business 
rules that determine, within a product's applicable day range, the 
specific number of delivery days after acceptance of a mail piece by 
which a customer can expect that piece to be delivered, based on the 3-
Digit ZIP Code prefixes associated with the piece's point of entry into 
the mail stream and its delivery address.
    Business rules are based on critical entry times (CETs). The CET is 
the latest time on a particular day that a mail piece can be entered 
into the postal network and still have its service standard calculated 
based on that day (this day is termed ``day-zero''). In other words, if 
a piece is entered before the CET, its service standard is calculated

[[Page 21677]]

from the day of entry, whereas if it is entered after the CET, its 
service standard is calculated from the following day. (If the 
following day is a Sunday or holiday, then the service standard is 
calculated from the next Postal Service delivery day.) For example, if 
the applicable CET is 5:00 p.m., and a letter is entered at 4:00 p.m. 
on a Tuesday, its service standard will be calculated from Tuesday, 
whereas if the letter is entered at 6:00 p.m. on a Tuesday, its service 
standard will be calculated from Wednesday. CETs are not contained in 
39 CFR part 121, because they vary based on where mail is entered, the 
mail's level of preparation, and other factors.

B. First-Class Mail

    The current service standards force the Postal Service to over-rely 
on air transportation, using air cargo transportation carriers and 
commercial passenger air carriers. Air transportation is subject to a 
number of factors that make it less reliable than surface 
transportation, such as weather delays, network congestion, and air 
traffic control ground stops; air transportation also tends to cost 
significantly more than comparable modes of surface transportation. The 
addition of one or two days to current service standards for First-
Class Mail would enable the Postal Service to convey a greater volume 
of mail within the contiguous United States by surface transportation, 
achieving a better balance of cost-effectiveness and on-time 
reliability. It would also enable the Postal Service to enhance the 
efficiency of its surface transportation network.
    The Postal Service is therefore seeking to change some of the 
service standards applicable to certain First-Class Mail with respect 
to both of the two components of the standards. First, the Postal 
Service proposes modifications to the delivery day ranges within which 
mail in a given product is expected to be delivered. Second, the Postal 
Service also proposes modifications to the business rules, changing the 
maximum number of hours of drive time that dictates the specific number 
of delivery days after acceptance of a mail piece by which a customer 
can expect that piece to be delivered (within a product's applicable 
delivery day range).
    In particular, the changes to service standards proposed at this 
time include the delivery-day range for certain First-Class Mail. 
Currently, a one-day (overnight) service standard is applied to intra-
SCF Presort First-Class Mail pieces properly accepted at the SCF before 
the day-zero CET. A two-day service standard is applied to intra-SCF 
single-piece First-Class Mail properly accepted before the day-zero 
CET, as well as to inter-SCF domestic First-Class Mail pieces properly 
accepted before the day-zero CET if the drive time between the origin 
P&DC/F and destination SCF is 6 hours or less. A three-day service 
standard is applied to inter-SCF domestic First-Class Mail pieces 
properly accepted before the day-zero CET if the drive time between the 
origin P&DC/F and destination SCF is more than 6 hours and the origin 
and the destination are within the contiguous 48 states.
    Under the new standards, the delivery day range for First-Class 
Mail within the contiguous United States will expand from the current 
1-3 days, to 1-5 days. The overnight standard does not change. Among 
the proposed changes detailed below, a two-day service standard would 
apply to intra-SCF First-Class Mail where the SCF is also the origin 
P&DC/F, and to intra-SCF and inter-SCF domestic First-Class Mail where 
the combined drive time between the origin P&DC/F, destination ADC, and 
destination SCF is 3 hours or less; a three-day service standard for 
inter-SCF First-Class Mail would apply where the combined drive time 
between the origin P&DC/F, destination ADC, and destination SCF is 20 
hours or less (but over 3 hours) within the contiguous United States, 
and the same three-day standard would also apply for intra-SCF single-
piece First-Class Mail if the combined drive time exceeds 3 hours and 
the SCF is not the origin P&DC/F; a four-day service standard for 
inter-SCF First-Class Mail would apply where the combined drive time 
between the origin P&DC/F, destination ADC, and destination SCF is 41 
hours or less (but over 20 hours) within the contiguous United States; 
and combined drive times between the origin P&DC/F, destination ADC, 
and destination SCF in excess of 41 hours would result in a service 
standard of five days.
    Further, the Postal Service's regulations pertaining to the current 
service standards for First-Class Mail do not expressly account for the 
combined drive time between origin P&DC/Fs, ADCs, and SCFs, though 
often distribution routes encompass several such facilities. In order 
to clarify these service standards, the Postal Service proposes to 
specify, in its new service standards for First-Class Mail, that the 
combined drive time encompasses all such P&DC/Fs, ADCs, and SCFs.
    In addition, among the changes detailed below, the Postal Service 
proposes certain changes to the service standards for mail originating 
from or destined to areas outside of the contiguous United States. A 4-
day standard is proposed for First-Class Mail originating in the 
contiguous 48 states destined to the city of Anchorage, Alaska, the 968 
3-digit ZIP Code area in Hawaii, or the 006, 007, or 009 3-digit ZIP 
Code areas in Puerto Rico; for First-Class Mail originating in the 006, 
007, or 009 3-digit ZIP Code areas in Puerto Rico and destined to the 
contiguous 48 states; for First-Class Mail originating in Hawaii and 
destined to Guam, or vice versa; for First-Class Mail originating in 
Hawaii and destined to American Samoa, or vice versa; and for other 
First-Class Mail that has both its origin and its destination within 
Alaska. The Postal Service proposes a 5-day standard for other First-
Class Mail originating from and/or destined to the non-contiguous 
states and territories.
    In addition to achieving cost reductions by moving First-Class Mail 
within the contiguous United States from air to surface transportation, 
the Postal Service can further reduce its mail transportation costs for 
transportation by air to and from Alaska, Hawaii, and the territories 
through a service standard change for these categories of First-Class 
Mail. The Postal Service anticipates that a service standard change 
would enable it to reduce air transportation costs by adding flight 
schedule flexibility that does not exist with the current service 
standards and operating plan. In order to meet current service 
standards, the Postal Service must frequently transport mail to and 
from Alaska, Hawaii, and the offshore territories using more expensive 
air cargo transportation carriers, rather than less expensive 
commercial air carriers, because commercial air carriers' flight 
schedules frequently would not permit the Postal Service to achieve its 
current service standards.

C. Periodicals

    Certain Periodicals are merged with First-Class Mail, and therefore 
their service standards are tied to the respective First-Class Mail 
service standards. In other words, the proposed changes to First-Class 
Mail service standards would result in similar changes to the 
corresponding service standards of the merged Periodicals.
    The Postal Service is therefore proposing a related change 
concerning certain Periodicals. Under current standards, for end-to-end 
Periodicals, a three-to-four-day service standard is applied to 
Periodicals pieces properly accepted before the day-zero CET and merged 
with First-Class Mail pieces for surface transportation, with the 
standard specifically equaling the sum

[[Page 21678]]

of one day plus the applicable First-Class Mail service standard (i.e., 
either two or three days, depending on whether the drive time is more 
than 6 hours). Under the new standard, a three-to-six-day service 
standard would be applied to Periodicals pieces properly accepted 
before the day-zero CET and merged with First-Class Mail pieces for 
surface transportation, with the standard specifically equaling the sum 
of 1 day plus the applicable First-Class Mail service standard.

III. Request for Comments

    The Postal Service requests comments on all aspects of the 
proposal. In particular, the Postal Service solicits comments on the 
effects that the proposal could have on senders and recipients of 
First-Class Mail and Periodicals, as well as any potential effects on 
users of other mail classes. Mail users are encouraged to comment on 
the nature and extent of any consequences they foresee as a result of 
the changes described in this notice, including possible benefits such 
as increased reliability. Comments explaining how mail users might 
change their mailing practices or reliance on the mail if the proposal 
is implemented also are encouraged. The provision of empirical data 
supporting any cost-benefit analysis also would be useful. Further, the 
Postal Service requests mail users' views regarding the application of 
the policies and requirements of Title 39 of the U.S. Code, 
particularly sections 101, 403, 404, and 3691, to the proposal. The 
Postal Service intends to consider comments received in response to 
this notice as it determines how to amend its service standard 
regulations. The Postal Service has also requested an advisory opinion 
from the Postal Regulatory Commission pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 3661(b).
    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 
comments on the proposed revisions to 39 CFR part 121 and on the 
proposal generally. A more extensive discussion of the proposal and its 
associated network and service implications is available in the 
materials filed by the Postal Service with the Postal Regulatory 
Commission in Docket No. N2021-1, at https://www.prc.gov. If the Postal 
Service determines to implement the proposal, it will publish final 
rules in the Federal Register.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 121

    Administrative practice and procedure, Postal Service.

    Accordingly, for the reasons stated in the preamble, the Postal 
Service proposes to amend 39 CFR part 121 as follows:

PART 121--SERVICE STANDARDS FOR MARKET-DOMINANT MAIL PRODUCTS

0
1. The authority citation for part 121 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  39 U.S.C., 101, 401, 403, 404, 1001, 3691.

0
2. Revise Sec.  121.1 to read as follows:


Sec.  121.1   First-Class Mail.

    (a) A 1-day (overnight) service standard is applied to intra-
Sectional Center Facility (SCF) domestic Presort First-Class Mail 
pieces properly accepted at the SCF before the day-zero Critical Entry 
Time (CET), except for mail between Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin 
Islands, and mail destined to American Samoa and the following 3-digit 
ZIP Code areas in Alaska (or designated portions thereof): 995 (5-digit 
ZIP Codes 99540 through 99599), 996, 997, 998, and 999.
    (b) A 2-day service standard is applied to:
    (1) Intra-SCF single-piece domestic First-Class Mail properly 
accepted before the day-zero CET if:
    (i) The SCF is also the origin Processing & Distribution Center or 
Facility (P&DC/F); or
    (ii) The combined drive time between the origin P&DC/F, destination 
Area Distribution Center (ADC), and destination SCF is 3 hours or less;
    (2) Inter-SCF domestic First-Class Mail pieces properly accepted 
before the day-zero CET if the combined drive time between the origin 
P&DC/F, destination ADC, and destination SCF is 3 hours or less;
    (3) Presort First-Class Mail properly accepted before the day-zero 
CET with an origin and destination that are separately in Puerto Rico 
and the U.S. Virgin Islands; and
    (4) Intra-SCF Presort First-Class Mail properly accepted before the 
day-zero CET with an origin or destination that is in American Samoa or 
one of the following 3-digit ZIP Code areas in Alaska (or designated 
portions thereof): 995 (5-digit ZIP Codes 99540 through 99599), 996, 
997, 998, and 999.
    (c) A 3-day service standard is applied to domestic First-Class 
Mail pieces properly accepted before the day-zero CET, if the 1-day and 
2-day service standards do not apply, the combined drive time between 
the origin P&DC/F, destination ADC, and destination SCF is 20 hours or 
less, and both the origin and the destination are within the contiguous 
48 states.
    (d) A 4-day service standard is applied to domestic First-Class 
Mail pieces properly accepted before the day-zero CET, if the 1-day, 2-
day, and 3-day service standards do not apply, and:
    (1) The combined drive time between the origin P&DC/F, destination 
ADC, and destination SCF is 41 hours or less, and both the origin and 
the destination are within the contiguous 48 states;
    (2) The origin is in the contiguous 48 states, and the destination 
is in any of the following: The city of Anchorage, Alaska (5-digit ZIP 
Codes 99501 through 99539); the 968 3-digit ZIP Code area in Hawaii; or 
the 006, 007, or 009 3-digit ZIP Code areas in Puerto Rico;
    (3) The origin is in the 006, 007, or 009 3-digit ZIP Code areas in 
Puerto Rico, and the destination is in the contiguous 48 states;
    (4) The origin is in Hawaii, and the destination is in Guam, or 
vice versa;
    (5) The origin is in Hawaii, and the destination is in American 
Samoa, or vice versa; or
    (6) Both the origin and destination are within Alaska.
    (e) A 5-day service standard is applied to all remaining domestic 
First-Class Mail pieces properly accepted before the day-zero CET.
    (f) The service standard for Outbound Single-Piece First-Class Mail 
International\TM\ pieces properly accepted before the day-zero CET is 
equivalent to the service standard for domestic First-Class Mail pieces 
originating from the same 3-digit ZIP Code area and destined to the 3-
digit ZIP Code area in which the designated International Service 
Center is located.
    (g) The service standard for Inbound Letter Post pieces properly 
accepted before the day-zero CET is equivalent to the service standard 
for domestic First-Class Mail pieces destined to the same 3-digit ZIP 
Code area and originating from the 3-digit ZIP Code area in which the 
designated International Service Center is located.
0
3. Amend Sec.  121.2 by revising paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) and 
(b)(2)(ii) to read as follows:


Sec.  121.2  Periodicals.

    (a) * * *
    (1) A 3- to 6-day service standard is applied to Periodicals pieces 
properly accepted before the day-zero Critical Entry Time (CET) and 
merged with First-Class Mail pieces for surface transportation (as per 
the Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)), with the standard

[[Page 21679]]

specifically equaling the sum of 1 day plus the applicable First-Class 
Mail service standard.
    (2) A 3-day service standard is applied to Periodicals pieces 
properly accepted before the day-zero CET if: The origin and 
destination are separately in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; 
or if the origin is in Alaska, the service standard set forth in 
paragraph (a)(1) of this section does not apply, and the destination is 
in the following 3-digit ZIP Code areas in Alaska (or designated 
portions thereof): 995 (5-digit ZIP Codes 99540 through 99599), 996, 
997, 998, and 999.
* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (2) * * *
    (ii) A 3-day service standard is applied to Periodicals pieces that 
qualify for a DSCF rate and are properly accepted before the day-zero 
CET at the designated DSCF, if they are entered at the DSCF in Puerto 
Rico and destined to the U.S. Virgin Islands, entered at the DSCF in 
Hawaii and destined to American Samoa, or destined to the following 3-
digit ZIP Code areas in Alaska (or designated portions thereof): 995 
(5-digit ZIP Codes 99540 through 99599), 996, 997, 998, and 999.
* * * * *
0
4. Revise Sec.  121.3 to read as follows:


Sec.  121.3  USPS Marketing Mail.

    (a) End-to-end. (1) The service standard for Sectional Center 
Facility (SCF) turnaround USPS Marketing Mail[supreg] pieces accepted 
at origin before the day-zero Critical Entry Time is 3 days when the 
origin Processing & Distribution Center/Facility (origin P&DC/F) and 
the SCF are the same building, except for mail between the territories 
of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
    (2) The service standard for Area Distribution Center (ADC) 
turnaround USPS Marketing Mail pieces accepted at origin before the 
day-zero Critical Entry Time is 4 days when the origin P&DC/F and the 
ADC are the same building, unless the ADC is in the contiguous 48 
states and the delivery address is not, or the mail is between Puerto 
Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or the mail is between Hawaii and 
American Samoa.
    (3) The service standard for intra-Network Distribution Center 
(NDC) USPS Marketing Mail pieces accepted at origin before the day-zero 
Critical Entry Time is 5 days for each remaining 3-digit ZIP Code 
origin-destination pair within the same Network Distribution Center 
service area if the origin and destination are within the contiguous 48 
states; the same standard applies to mail that is intra-Alaska or 
between the State of Hawaii and the territory of Guam or American 
Samoa.
    (4) For each remaining 3-digit ZIP Code origin-destination pair 
within the contiguous 48 states, the service standard for USPS 
Marketing Mail pieces accepted at origin before the day-zero Critical 
Entry Time is the sum of 5 or 6 days plus the number of additional days 
(from 1 to 4) required for surface transportation between each 3-digit 
ZIP Code origin-destination pair.
    (5) For each remaining 3-digit ZIP Code origin-destination pair, 
the service standard for USPS Marketing Mail pieces accepted at origin 
before the day-zero Critical Entry Time is the sum of 5 or 6 days plus 
the number of additional days (from 7 to 21) required for intermodal 
(highway, boat, air-taxi) transportation outside the contiguous 48 
states for each 3-digit ZIP Code origin-destination pair.
    (b) Destination entry. (1) USPS Marketing Mail pieces that qualify 
for a Destination Delivery Unit (DDU) rate and that are accepted before 
the day-zero Critical Entry Time at the proper DDU have a 2-day service 
standard.
    (2) USPS Marketing Mail pieces that qualify for a Destination 
Sectional Center Facility (DSCF) rate and that are accepted before the 
day-zero Critical Entry Time at the proper DSCF have a 3-day service 
standard when accepted on Sunday through Thursday and a 4-day service 
standard when accepted on Friday or Saturday, except for mail dropped 
at the SCF in the territory of Puerto Rico and destined to the 
territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands, or mail destined to American 
Samoa.
    (3) USPS Marketing Mail pieces that qualify for a DSCF rate and 
that are accepted before the day zero Critical Entry Time at the SCF in 
the territory of Puerto Rico and destined to the territory of the U.S. 
Virgin Islands, or are destined to American Samoa, have a 4-day service 
standard when accepted on Sunday through Thursday and a 5-day service 
standard when accepted on Friday or Saturday.
    (4) USPS Marketing Mail pieces that qualify for a Destination 
Network Distribution Center (DNDC) rate, and that are accepted before 
the day-zero Critical Entry Time at the proper DNDC have a 5-day 
service standard, if both the origin and the destination are in the 
contiguous 48 states.
    (5) USPS Marketing Mail pieces that qualify for a DNDC rate, and 
that are accepted before the day-zero Critical Entry Time at the proper 
DNDC in the contiguous 48 states for delivery to addresses in the 
States of Alaska or Hawaii or the territories of Guam, American Samoa, 
Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands, have a service standard of 12-
14 days, depending on the 3-digit origin-destination ZIP Code pair. For 
each such pair, the applicable day within the range is based on the 
number of days required for transportation outside the contiguous 48 
states.
0
5. Revise appendix A to part 121 to read as follows:

Appendix A to Part 121--Tables Depicting Service Standard Day Ranges

    The following tables reflect the service standard day ranges 
resulting from the application of the business rules applicable to 
the market-dominant mail products referenced in Sec. Sec.  121.1 
through 121.4 (for purposes of this part, references to the 
contiguous states also include the District of Columbia):
    Table 1. End-to-end service standard day ranges for mail 
originating and destinating within the contiguous 48 states and the 
District of Columbia.

                    Table 1--Contiguous United States
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            End-to-end
                       Mail class                          range (days)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
First-Class Mail........................................             1-5
Periodicals.............................................             3-9
USPS Marketing Mail.....................................            3-10
Package Services........................................             2-8
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Table 2. End-to-end service standard day ranges for mail 
originating and/or destinating in non-contiguous states and 
territories.

[[Page 21680]]



                                                     Table 2--Non-Contiguous States and Territories
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                   End-to-end
                                                      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Intra state/territory         To/from contiguous 48 states     To/from states of Alaska and
                                                      ------------------------------------------------------------------  Hawaii, and the territories of
                                                                                                                             Guam, Puerto Rico (PR),
                                                                                                                          American Samoa (AS), Northern
                      Mail class                                                                                         Mariana Islands (MP), and  U.S.
                                                                   Hawaii,                          Hawaii,                   Virgin Islands (USVI)
                                                         Alaska   Guam, MP,  PR & USVI    Alaska   Guam, MP,  PR & USVI --------------------------------
                                                                     & AS                             & AS                           Hawaii,
                                                                                                                           Alaska   Guam, MP,  PR & USVI
                                                                                                                                       & AS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First-Class Mail.....................................        1-4        1-4        1-2        4-5        4-5        4-5          5          5          5
Periodicals..........................................        3-5        3-5          3      13-19      12-22      11-16      21-25      21-26      23-26
USPS Marketing Mail..................................        3-5        3-5        3-4      14-20      13-23      12-17      23-26      23-27      24-27
Package Services.....................................     \1\2-4        2-4        2-3      12-18      11-21      10-15      21-26      20-26      20-24
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Excluding bypass mail.

    Table 3. Destination-entry service standard day ranges for mail 
to the contiguous 48 states and the District of Columbia.

 Table 3--Destination Entry Service Standard Day Ranges for Mail to the Contiguous 48 States and the District of
                                                    Columbia
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Contiguous United States
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
                   Mail class                               Destination entry (at appropriate facility)
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    DDU (days)      SCF (days)      ADC (days)      NDC (days)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Periodicals.....................................               1               1             1-2             2-3
USPS Marketing Mail.............................               2             3-4  ..............               5
Package Services................................               1               2  ..............               3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Table 4. Destination entry service standard day ranges for mail 
to non-contiguous states and territories.

                        Table 4--Destination Entry Service Standard Day Ranges for Mail to Non-Contiguous States and Territories
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Destination entry (at appropriate facility)
                              --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     SCF (days)                       ADC (days)                             NDC (days)
          Mail class                     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  DDU                 Hawaii,                          Hawaii,
                                 (days)     Alaska   Guam, MP,  PR & USVI    Alaska   Guam, MP,  PR & USVI       Alaska        Hawaii, Guam,   PR & USVI
                                                        & AS                             & AS                                     MP, & AS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Periodicals..................          1        1-3          1        1-3  1-4 (AK);  1 (HI); 2        1-4  10-11...........  10.............       8-10
                                                                           11 (JNU);       (GU)
                                                                            11 (KTN)
USPS Marketing Mail..........          2        3-4        3-5        3-5  .........  .........  .........  14..............  13.............         12
Package Services.............          1          2        2-3        2-3  .........  .........  .........  12..............  11.............         11
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AK = Alaska 3-digit ZIP Codes 995-997; JNU = Juneau AK 3-digit ZIP Code 998; KTN = Ketchikan AK 3-digit ZIP Code 999; HI = Hawaii 3-digit ZIP Codes 967
  and 968; GU = Guam 3-digit ZIP Code 969.


Ruth Stevenson,
Chief Counsel, Ethics and Legal Compliance.

[FR Doc. 2021-08463 Filed 4-22-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P