[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 129 (Thursday, July 7, 2022)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 40453-40454]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-14500]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111


Periodicals Requester Records Requirements

AGENCY: Postal Service<SUP>TM</SUP>.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Postal Service is amending Mailing Standards of the United 
States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) to revise 
verification requirements for authorized audit bureaus.

DATES: Effective July 7, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dale Kennedy at (202) 268-6592.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 24, 2022, the Postal Service 
published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) (87 FR 16702-16703) to 
revise verification requirements for authorized audit bureaus. The 
Postal Service did not receive any comments regarding the NPRM.
    The Postal Service is enacting new procedures for auditing 
compliance with circulation standards for Periodicals requester 
publications and standardizing existing procedures across Postal 
Service publications.
    In addition, the Postal Service is revising the applicable Customer 
Support Ruling and customer Handbooks to reflect this DMM revision.
    We will publish an appropriate amendment to 39 CFR part 111 to 
reflect these changes.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111

    Administrative practice and procedure, Postal Service.

    Accordingly, the Postal Service amends Mailing Standards of the 
United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), incorporated 
by reference in the Code of Federal Regulations as follows (see 39 CFR 
111.1):

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)

* * * * *

200 Commercial Mail Letters, Flats, and Parcels

* * * * *

207 Periodicals

* * * * *

8.0 Record Keeping Standards for Publishers

* * * * *

8.1 Basic Standards

* * * * *
    [Replace 8.1.3 to read as follows:]

8.1.3 Retention

    The publisher must keep records for each issue of a publication for 
3 years from its issue date, except for circulation records for general 
or requester publications for which USPS verification of circulation is 
done by a USPS-authorized audit bureau. In addition, the publisher must 
retain records for paid subscribers for 12 months following the issue 
date. A publisher whose records are verified by an authorized audit 
bureau is not required to keep source records of requests and 
subscriptions longer than required by the audit bureau, provided, 
however, the authorized audit bureau shall be required to retain 
records related to such requests and

[[Page 40454]]

subscriptions for 3 years following each issue date.

8.2 Verification

* * * * *
    [Replace 8.2.2 to read as follows:]

8.2.2 Authorized Verification

    USPS employees or an authorized audit bureau may conduct 
verifications of circulation for an application for Periodicals mailing 
privileges, reentry application, or other required circulation 
verification of general or requester publications, provided, however, 
that the Postal Service will have the authority to review audit 
procedures upon request. In addition, the Postal Service reserves the 
right to verify each audit bureau's compliance with such audit 
procedures. The Postal Service shall have the authority to revoke any 
audit bureau's authorization to conduct verifications if it finds such 
audit bureau has failed to follow approved audit procedures.

Joshua J. Hofer,
Attorney, Ethics & Legal Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2022-14500 Filed 7-6-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P