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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 57 (Thursday, March 24, 2022)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 16700-16702]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-05600]

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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111

Parcels Prepared in Soft Packaging

AGENCY: Postal ServiceTM.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The United States Postal Service (Postal Service) is proposing 
to amend Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, 
Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) by adding new subsections to 
establish parcel selvage standards and to clarify how to measure 
parcels prepared in soft packaging.

DATES: Submit comments on or before April 25, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Mail or deliver written comments to the Director, Product 
Classification, U.S. Postal Service, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Room 4446, 
Washington, DC 20260-5015. If sending comments by email, include the 
name and address of the commenter and send to 
[email protected], with a subject line of ``Parcels Prepared 
in Soft Packaging''. Faxed comments are not accepted.

Confidentiality

    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.

[[Page 16701]]

    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 on Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., by calling 202-268-
2906.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen F. Key at (202) 268-7492 or 
Garry Rodriguez at (202) 268-7281.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Postal Service continues to experience 
operational impacts with parcels not properly prepared in soft 
packaging (poly, plastic, cloth, padded envelopes, or similar soft 
packaging). Parcels prepared in soft packaging containing contents that 
are not right-sized leads to an excess of selvage that can cause damage 
to the parcel or make the parcel nonmachinable, resulting in the parcel 
ending up in manual processing which is costly to both the customer and 
the Postal Service. Parcels that become nonmachinable are not processed 
through parcel sorting equipment and lose visibility for the customer 
and the Postal Service.
    The Postal Service is proposing to implement a two-inch maximum of 
selvage on the length and the width of a parcel prepared in soft 
packaging. The two-inch maximum for the length would be determined by 
holding the parcel horizontally/landscape and with the contents totally 
positioned at the bottom of the soft packaging, the selvage must not 
exceed two inches at the top of the mailpiece. The two-inch maximum for 
the width would be determined by holding the parcel horizontally/
landscape and with the contents totally positioned to the left or to 
the right side of the soft packaging, the selvage must not exceed two 
inches on the opposite side of the mailpiece.
    In addition, the Postal Service is also proposing to provide a 
clarification defining how to measure parcels prepared in soft 
packaging to generally determine the length, width, and height of the 
mailpiece.
    These revisions will not affect the standards for parcels claiming 
the Priority Mail[supreg] Commercial Plus cubic prices.
    As a result of the proposed two-inch maximum selvage requirement 
for parcels prepared in soft packaging, the Postal Service would delete 
Customer Support Ruling (CSR) PS-340, Measuring Priority Mail 
Dimensions to Determine Dimensional Weight.
    The Postal Service is proposing to implement this change effective 
July 10, 2022.
    We believe the proposed revisions will provide customers with a 
more efficient, consistent, and easier process.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111

    Administrative practice and procedure, Postal Service.

    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 
comment 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.
    We will publish an appropriate amendment to 39 CFR part 111 to 
reflect these changes.
    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, 401-404, 414, 416, 3001-3018, 3201-3220, 3401-
3406, 3621, 3622, 3626, 3629, 3631-3633, 3641, 3681-3685, and 5001.

0
2. Revise the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, 
Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) as follows:

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

* * * * *

100 Retail Mail Letters, Cards, Flats, and Parcels

101 Physical Standards

* * * * *

3.0 Physical Standards for Parcels

* * * * *
    [Add new 3.4 and 3.5 to read as follows:]

3.4 Measuring Parcels Prepared in Soft Packaging

    Parcels prepared in soft packaging (poly, plastic, cloth, padded 
envelopes, or similar soft packaging) are measured to determine the 
dimensions (length, width, height) as follows:
0
a. Place the piece with its largest side on a flat surface.
0
b. Measure the length, width, and height of the piece as it appears, 
including any selvage of the soft packaging material. Measure the 
length, width, and height at each dimension's maximum point.

3.5 Soft Packaging Selvage

3.5.1 General

    Selvage is the overhang of the soft packaging material beyond the 
contents of the mailpiece.

3.5.2 Maximum Selvage

    Parcels mailed under 3.0 in soft packaging material must not exceed 
2 inches of selvage on either the length or the width of the mailpiece.

3.5.3 Measuring Selvage

    Measure selvage on parcels in soft packaging as follows:
0
a. With the parcel held horizontally/landscape and the contents totally 
positioned at the bottom of the soft packaging, the selvage must not 
exceed 2 inches at the top of the mailpiece.
0
b. With the parcel held horizontally/landscape and the contents totally 
positioned to the left or to the right side of the soft packaging, the 
selvage must not exceed 2 inches on the opposite side of the mailpiece.
* * * * *

200 Commercial Letters, Flats, and Parcels Design Standards

201 Physical Standards

* * * * *

7.0 Physical Standards for Parcels

* * * * *
    [Add new 7.8 and 7.9 to read as follows:]

7.8 Measuring Parcels Prepared in Soft Packaging

    Except for Priority Mail Commercial Plus Cubic Soft Pack under 
223.1.4, parcels prepared in soft packaging (poly, plastic, cloth, 
padded envelopes, or similar soft packaging) are measured to determine 
the dimensions (length, width, height) as follows.
0
a. Place the piece with its largest side on a flat surface.
0
b. Measure the length, width, and height, as it appears, including any 
selvage of the soft packaging material. Measure the length, width, and 
height at each dimension's maximum point.

7.9 Soft Packaging Selvage

7.9.1 General

    Selvage is the overhang of the soft packaging material beyond the 
contents of the mailpiece.

7.9.2 Maximum Selvage

    Parcels mailed under 7.0 in soft packaging material must not exceed 
2 inches of selvage on either the length or the width of the mailpiece.

[[Page 16702]]

7.9.3 Measuring Selvage

    Measure selvage on soft packaging parcels as follows:
0
a. With the parcel held horizontally/landscape and the contents totally 
positioned at the bottom of the soft packaging, the selvage must not 
exceed 2 inches at the top of the mailpiece.
0
b. With the parcel held horizontally/landscape and the contents totally 
positioned to the left or to the right side of the soft packaging, the 
selvage must not exceed 2 inches on the opposite side of the mailpiece.
* * * * *

Sarah E. Sullivan,
Attorney, Ethics and Legal Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2022-05600 Filed 3-23-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P
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