Postal Service 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Postal Service is revising portions of the rules of practice before the Postal Service Board of Contract Appeals to clarify existing procedures, and to modify certain citations to reflect a change in statutory codification.

The United States Postal Service is proposing to modify nine of its General Privacy Act Systems of Records: USPS 100.000, General Personnel Records; USPS 100.100, Recruiting, Examining, and Placement Records; USPS 100.200, Employee Performance Records; USPS 100.300, Employee Development and Training Records; USPS 100.400, Personnel Compensation and Payroll Records; USPS 100.500, Personnel Resource Management Records; USPS 100.600, Personnel Research Records; USPS 100.700, Medical Records and Related Documents; and USPS 100.950, Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Records. These modifications reflect the changes that have been made in changing from a primarily paper- based record keeping system to an electronic record keeping system. The United States Postal Service is also amending one Customer Privacy Act System of Records, USPS 810.200, www.usps.com Ordering, Payment, and Fulfillment, which was last updated on May 12, 2009 (74 FR 22186), where the standard routine uses were mistakenly deleted. The change to USPS 810.200 will add the standard routine uses that applied to the system prior to the May 12, 2009, revisions, and will update the retention period from 6 months to 12 months for online user information, and update one of the titles in the System Manger(s) and Address section. Lastly, the United States Postal Service is adding a new system of records to its General Privacy Act Systems of Records: 500.050 HSPD-12: Identity Management System is being established to support implementation of HSPD-12 identification cards.

The Postal Service hereby provides notice that it has filed a request with the Postal Regulatory Commission to transfer Post Office Box service at approximately 6,800 locations from the Mail Classification Schedule's Market Dominant Product List to its Competitive Product List.

The Postal Service is proposing to revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) to require the use of a unique tracking barcode on all commercial parcels, except Standard Mail[supreg] parcels, claiming presort and destination entry pricing by January 2012; and to encourage use of unique tracking barcodes by providing free Delivery Confirmation[supreg] service on all commercial parcels except Standard Mail parcels.

The Postal Service is revising the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) 507.1.5.4 and 507.2.3.6 to eliminate the free local forwarding of Parcel Select[supreg] mailpieces and to eliminate the option to request discontinuance of forwarding. The Postal Service also implements a new price for Parcel Select forwards and returns; those pieces will now pay the applicable Parcel Select barcoded nonpresort price, plus an additional service fee.

The Postal Service is proposing to revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) 705.14 and 708.1.1 to provide a new option for mailers to combine Standard Mail[supreg] flats and Periodicals flats within the same bundle, when placed on pallets, and to combine bundles of Standard Mail flats and bundles of Periodicals flats on the same pallet. The Postal Service also proposes to revise section 121.2 of title 39, Code of Federal Regulations to reflect that the Standard Mail service standards apply to all Periodicals flats pieces entered in such combined mailings.

The Postal Service is amending the rules of practice of the Office of the Judicial Officer to clarify that parties may submit arguments as well as sworn statements in support of their claims to disputed mail. In addition, the rules are being amended to clarify some provisions and update obsolete language.

The Postal Service is proposing to adopt revised rules for proceedings relative to false representation and lottery orders. The primary purpose of this exercise is to update and align the rules with current practices.

The Postal Service is revising Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) 705.14 and 708.1.1 to provide a new option for mailers to combine Standard Mail[supreg] flats and Periodicals flats within the same bundle, when placed on pallets, and to combine bundles of Standard Mail flats and bundles of Periodicals flats on the same pallet. The Postal Service is also amending the Code of Federal Regulations to reflect that the Standard Mail service standards apply to all Periodicals flats pieces entered in such combined mailings.

On November 19, 2009, the Postal Service published a proposed rule to revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual to implement revenue protection procedures for shortpaid and unpaid Information Based Indicia (IBI) postage. Comments on that proposed rule requested more detailed information on the automated procedures the Postal Service will use to identify and verify shortpaid and unpaid IBI postage payment and the resolution process that will be used to remedy deficiencies. This revised proposal provides the more detailed information to DMM sections 604.4, 604.8, and 604.10. In addition, this revised proposal includes proposed mailing standards to implement revenue protection procedures for shortpaid Express Mail[reg] postage.

The Postal Service will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM[supreg]) for Mailing Services. This price change correlates to the Postal Service's January 13, 2011 filing of Docket No. R2011-2, Notice of Price Adjustment, with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC).

The Postal Service will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) to revise pricing and eligibility standards for commercial First-Class Mail[supreg] parcels associated with the January 2011 Postal Service filing with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) for Mailing Services. We also will implement changes previously proposed to eliminate the sale of Standard Mail[supreg] stamped envelopes.

Postal Service notice of filing of a request with the Postal Regulatory Commission to add a domestic shipping services contract to the list of Negotiated Service Agreements in the Mail Classification Schedule's Competitive Products List pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 3642 and 3632(b)(3).

The Postal Service gives notice of a market test of an experimental product in accordance with statutory requirements.

Postal Service notice of its filing a request with the Postal Regulatory Commission to add Global Plus 1B and 2B Negotiated Service Agreements to the Competitive Products List pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 3642.

Postal Service notice of filing of a request with the Postal Regulatory Commission to add a domestic shipping services contract to the list of Negotiated Service Agreements in the Mail Classification Schedule's Competitive Products List pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 3642 and 3632(b)(3).