56920 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 180 / Friday, September 17, 2010 / Proposed Rules 

in its predictability of vessel 

movements, which may decrease the 

potential for collisions, oil spills, and 

other events that could threaten the 

marine environment. 

You may view the notice of PARS in 

our online docket, in addition to 

comments submitted thus far by going 

to http://www.regulations.gov. Once 

there, insert ‘‘USCG–2009–0576’’ in the 

‘‘keyword’’ box and click ‘‘search.’’ If you 

do not have access to the Internet, you 

may view the docket online by visiting 

the Docket Management Facility in 

Room W12–140 on the ground floor of 

the Department of Transportation West 

Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 

Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. 

and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. We have an 

agreement with the Department of 

Transportation to use the Docket 

Management Facility. 

We encourage you to participate in 

this study by submitting comments at 

the meeting either orally or in writing. 

If you bring written comments to the 

meeting, you may submit them to Coast 

Guard personnel specified at the 

meeting to receive written comments. 

These comments will be posted to our 

online public docket. All comments 

received will be posted without change 

to http://www.regulations.gov and will 

include any personal information you 

have provided. 

Anyone can search the electronic 

form of comments received into any of 

our dockets by the name of the 

individual submitting the comment (or 

signing the comment, if submitted on 

behalf of an association, business, labor 

union, etc.). You may review a Privacy 

Act notice regarding our public dockets 

in the January 17, 2008, issue of the 

Federal Register (73 FR 3316). 

Information on Service for Individuals 

With Disabilities 

For information on facilities or 

services for individuals with disabilities 

or to request special assistance at the 

public meeting, contact LTJG Lucas 

Mancini at the telephone number or email address indicated under the FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of 

this notice. 

Public Meeting 

The Coast Guard will hold a public 

meeting regarding its Port Access Route 

Study in the Approaches to San 

Francisco on Wednesday October 20, 

2010 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the 

Executive Inn and Suites located at 1755 

Embarcadero, Oakland California, 

telephone 510–536–6633. We will 

provide a written summary of the 

meeting and additional comments 

received at the meeting in the docket. 

Dated: September 2, 2010. 

S.P. Metruck, 

Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Acting 

Commander, Eleventh Coast Guard District. 

[FR Doc. 2010–23176 Filed 9–16–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9110–04–P 

POSTAL SERVICE 

39 CFR Part 111 

Express Mail Open and Distribute and 

Priority Mail Open and Distribute 

AGENCY: Postal ServiceTM. 

ACTION: Proposed rule. 

SUMMARY: The Postal Service proposes 

to revise Mailing Standards of the 

United States Postal Service, Domestic 

Mail Manual (DMM®) 705.16 to require 

the use of a single-ply address label 

containing a service barcode with 

unique Service Type Code ‘‘723’’ or a 

‘‘DB’’ prefix along with new Tag 257, Tag 

267, or Label 257S, on all Express Mail®

Open and Distribute containers. The 

Postal Service also proposes to revise 

the service commitment for Express 

Mail Open and Distribute as a 

guaranteed end of day product; and to 

add a five-pound minimum weight 

requirement for Express Mail Open and 

Distribute and Priority Mail® Open and 

Distribute sacks. 

DATES: Submit comments on or before 

October 18, 2010. 

ADDRESSES: Mail or deliver written 

comments to the Manager, Mailing 

Standards, U.S. Postal Service, 475 

L’Enfant Plaza, SW., Room 4446, 

Washington, DC 20260–4446. Copies of 

all written comments will be available 

for inspection and photocopying 

between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday 

through Friday, at the Postal Service 

Headquarters Library, 475 L’Enfant 

Plaza, SW., 11th Floor North, 

Washington, DC 20260–0004. E-mail 

comments, containing the name and 

address of the commenter, may be sent 

to: MailingStandards@usps.gov, with a 

subject line of ‘‘Open and Distribute 

Changes Comments.’’ Faxed comments 

are not accepted. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jewelyn Harrington at 202–268–7648 or 

Garry Rodriguez at 202–268–7281. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Express Mail 

Express Mail Open and Distribute 

service is designed to provide mailers 

with expedited service to destination 

delivery units and other mail processing 

facilities. Currently, Express Mail Open 

and Distribute service follows the same 

mailing requirements and delivery 

standards as Express Mail service. 

The requirement to use the Express 

Mail Label 11 series with a 13-digit 

barcode prevents the Postal Service 

from differentiating between Express 

Mail and Express Mail Open and 

Distribute products. 

The delivery standards for Express 

Mail service are intended for 

residential/business customers and as a 

result are delivered by 12 noon or 3 p.m. 

Express Mail Open and Distribute is a 

product that is delivered to a processing 

facility or delivery unit for further 

processing of the contents. 

To account for the Express Mail Open 

and Distribute product, the Postal 

Service is proposing to require mailers 

to place a single-ply address label with 

a service barcode on all Express Mail 

Open and Distribute containers and to 

submit an electronic file. The service 

barcode is required to be a USS 128 or 

Code 39 barcode with a ‘‘DB’’ prefix, or 

concatenated GS1–128 (eVS approved 

mailers) symbology with a unique 

Service Type Code (STC) ‘‘723’’. The 

text, ‘‘USPS SCAN ON ARRIVAL,’’ must 

appear above the barcode. This scan 

information is exclusive to the Open 

and Distribute service and will assist in 

facilitating correct scan behavior. 

This proposed requirement is in 

accordance with instructions for 

barcode specifications, electronic file 

format and testing, and the certification 

process in Publication 91, Confirmation 

Services Technical Guide. 

The Postal Service also proposes to 

replace Tag 157 with Tag 257 (DDU), 

Tag 267 (SCF, NDC), and Label 257S 

(DDU), to assist in the verification of the 

arrival at the destination facility for all 

Express Mail Open and Distribute 

containers. 

Generally, the Postal Service 

processing window is 12 noon to 6 a.m. 

The window to dispatch mail from 

plants to delivery units is from 4 a.m. 

to 9 a.m. To better align the Express 

Mail Open and Distribute product with 

processing and dispatch windows, 

without loss of service, we are 

proposing to change the service 

commitment to end of day (11:59 p.m.). 

Express Mail and Priority Mail 

In addition, processing facilities 

currently receive Express Mail Open 

and Distribute and Priority Mail Open 

and Distribute sacks containing mail 

that weighs less than five pounds, 

making it difficult to identify that the 

sack contains mail. 

The handling of low volume sacks in 

plants has been indentified as 


wwoods2 on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with PROPOSALS-1
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 180 / Friday, September 17, 2010 / Proposed Rules 56921 

problematic with the Open and 

Distribute product. Because of the risk 

of sacks being mishandled as empty 

equipment, limiting our effort to meet 

service commitments, we are proposing 

to establish a five-pound minimum 

weight requirement for all Express Mail 

Open and Distribute and Priority Mail 

Open and Distribute sacks. 

The proposed changes to Express Mail 

Open and Distribute and Priority Mail 

Open and Distribute will provide better 

visibility of the product and enable the 

Postal Service to monitor service 

performance based on the product. 

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 Part 

111.1. 

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111 

Administrative practice and 

procedure, Postal Service. 

Accordingly, 39 CFR 111 is proposed 

to be amended as follows: 

PART 111—[AMENDED] 

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. 

2. Revise the following sections of 

Mailing Standards of the United States 

Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual 

(DMM), as follows: 

* * * * * 

700 Special Standards 

* * * * * 

705 Advanced Preparation and 

Special Postage Payment Systems 

* * * * * 

16.0 Express Mail Open and 

Distribute and Priority Mail Open and 

Distribute 

16.1 Prices and Fees 

16.1.1 Basis of Price 

[Revise the first and second sentence 

of 16.1.1 as follows:] 

Mailers must pay Express Mail and 

Priority Mail postage based on the 

weight of the entire contents of the 

shipment. The minimum weight 

requirement is five pounds, and the 

maximum weight limit for each 

container is 70 pounds. * * * 

16.1.2 Zone Prices 

[Revise 16.1.2 as follows:] 

Compute zone prices, for the 

applicable class of mail, from the 

accepting Post Office to the destination 

facility for the container (not the 

destination Post Office for the enclosed 

mail). 

* * * * * 

16.1.5 Payment Method 

[Revise the text in 16.1.5 as follows:] 

Postage payment methods are as 

follows: 

a. Postage on the enclosed mail may 

be paid by any method permitted for 

that mail class, except for ordinary 

postage stamps requiring cancellation. 

b. Express Mail postage may be paid 

under any of the options listed in 

414.1.1, except Click-N–Ship. Express 

Mail postage must be affixed to blue Tag 

257, to yellow Tag 267, to the Open and 

Distribute tray box, or be part of the 

address label. 

c. Priority Mail postage may be paid 

under 424.1.1. Priority Mail postage 

must be affixed to or hand-stamped on 

green Tag 161, pink Tag 190, or the 

Open and Distribute tray box, or be part 

of the address label. 

* * * * * 

16.2 Basic Standards 

* * * * * 

16.2.2 Content Standards 

[Revise the DMM reference numbers 

in the parentheses at the end of the first 

sentence of 16.2.2 as follows:] 

* * * (see 410 for Express Mail 

standards and 420 for Priority Mail 

standards).* * * 

[Revise the last sentence of 16.2.2 as 

follows:] 

* * * Mailers are not required to 

place bundles of mail in sacks or trays 

when all of the mail enclosed in an 

Open and Distribute sack is destined to 

a 5-digit facility. 

16.3 Additional Standards for Express 

Mail Open and Distribute 

16.3.1 Service Objectives 

[Revise the first sentence and add new 

second sentence in 16.3.1 as follows:] 

The Express Mail service guarantee 

for Express Mail Open and Distribute is 

receipt by end of day (11:59 p.m.) and 

ends upon receipt by scan of the 

Express Mail Open and Distribute 

container at the destination postal 

facility. * * * 

* * * * * 

16.5 Preparation 

16.5.1 Containers for Expedited 

Transport 

Acceptable containers for expedited 

transportation are as follows: 

[Revise item a to reflect new tags as 

follows:] 

a. An Express Mail Open and 

Distribute shipment must be contained 

in a USPS-approved sack using Tag 257 

or Tag 267 or in a USPS-provided 

Express Mail Open and Distribute tray 

box (Tag 257 and Tag 267 are not 

required for tray boxes; only the 4x6 

address label should be applied), except 

as provided in 16.5.1c and 16.5.1d. 

* * * * * 

[Revise item c to reflect new labels as 

follows:] 

c. An Express Mail or Priority Mail 

Open and Distribute shipment destined 

to a DDU may be contained in a USPSprovided Express Mail Flat Rate 

Envelope using Label 257S or Priority 

Mail Flat Rate Envelope or boxes using 

Label 190S. 

* * * * * 

[Revise the heading of 16.5.2 as 

follows:] 

16.5.2 Express Mail and Priority Mail 

Sack Labels 

[Revise the text in 16.5.2 as follows:] 

Labels for Express Mail or Priority 

Mail sacks containing Open and 

Distribute shipments must be barcoded 

and meet the requirements in 708.6.0. 

All lines of information must be 

completely visible when inserted into 

the label holder. Label sacks as follows: 

a. Line 1 (destination line) provides 

information on the destination entry 

office where the enclosed mail is to be 

distributed. 

1. For destination delivery unit (DDU) 

distribution, use the facility name and 

ZIP Code found in the Drop Shipment 

Address File available at the USPS 

FAST Web site at https://fast.usps.com 

(click Resources in the left-hand 

navigation bar, then Go for ‘‘Drop Ship 

Product File Download’’). 

2. For SCF distribution, use the 

destination in L005, Column B. 

3. For ADC distribution, use the 

destination in L004, Column B (Priority 

Mail Open and Distribute Only). 

4. For NDC distribution, use the 

destination in L601, Column B. 

5. For ASF distribution, use L602, 

Column B (Priority Mail Open and 

Distribute Only). 

b. For Line 2 (content line), print 

‘‘EXPRESS MAIL OPEN AND DIST’’ or 

‘‘PRIORITY MAIL OPEN AND DIST,’’ as 

applicable. 

c. For Line 3 (origin line), show the 

city and state of the entry Post Office or 


wwoods2 on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with PROPOSALS-1
56922 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 180 / Friday, September 17, 2010 / Proposed Rules 

the mailer’s name and the city and state 

of the mailer’s location. It is 

recommended that the mailer’s name 

also appear with the city and state of the 

entry Post Office. See 708.6.2.5 for 

additional standards. 

[Revise the tag numbers in the 

heading of 16.5.3 as follows:] 

16.5.3 Tags 257 and 267—Express 

Mail Open and Distribute 

[Revise the text in 16.5.3 as follows:] 

Tag 257 and Tag 267 provide a place 

to affix Express Mail postage and the 

address label for the destination facility. 

Tag 257 or Tag 267 must be attached to 

each Express Mail sack, in addition to 

the Express Mail sack label, to identify 

it as an Express Mail Open and 

Distribute shipment as follows: 

a. Attach Tag 267 to sacks used as 

Express Mail Open and Distribute 

containers destined to a NDC or SCF 

facility. 

b. Attach Tag 257 to sacks used as 

Express Mail Open and Distribute 

containers destined to a DDU. Label 

257S may be affixed to containers used 

for Express Mail Open and Distribute 

shipments prepared under 16.5.1c or 

16.5.1d. 

16.5.4 Tags 161 and 190—Priority 

Mail Open and Distribute 

* * * Tag 161 or Tag 190 must be 

attached to each Priority Mail sack, in 

addition to the Priority Mail sack label, 

or container to identify it as a Priority 

Mail Open and Distribute shipment as 

follows: 

* * * * * 

[Revise the last sentence in item b as 

follows:] 

b. * * * Label 190S may be affixed to 

containers used for Priority Mail Open 

and Distribute shipments prepared 

under 16.5.1c or 16.5.1d. 

* * * * * 

16.5.6 Address Labels 

[Revise the first sentence in 16.5.6 as 

follows:] 

In addition to Tag 257, Tag 267, Tag 

161, or Tag 190, USPS-provided 

containers and envelopes and mailersupplied containers used for Express 

Mail Open and Distribute or Priority 

Mail Open and Distribute must bear an 

address label that states ‘‘OPEN AND 

DISTRIBUTE AT:’’ followed by the 

facility name. * * * 

16.5.7 Address Label Service Barcode 

Requirement 

[Revise the introductory text of 16.5.7 

as follows:] 

An electronic service barcode using 

the USS 128, USS 39, or concatenated 

GS1–128 (eVS approved mailers) 

symbology for Express Mail Open and 

Distribute, and the concatenated GS1– 

128 symbology for Priority Mail Open 

and Distribute, must be incorporated in 

the address label. Mailers must prepare 

address labels using the formats in 

16.5.8 through 16.5.12. The labels must 

include either a service type code, ‘‘723’’ 

with a GS1–128 barcode or ‘‘DB’’ prefix 

with a USS 128 or USS 39 barcode for 

Express Mail Open and Distribute or 

‘‘55/123’’ for Priority Mail Open and 

Distribute, to identify the service. The 

human-readable text ‘‘USPS SCAN ON 

ARRIVAL’’ must appear above the 

barcode. USPS certification is required 

from the National Customer Support 

Center (NCSC) for each printer used to 

print barcoded open and distribute 

address labels, except for barcodes 

created using USPS Shipping Assistant. 

NCSC contact information, formatting 

specifications for barcodes and 

electronic files, and certification, are 

included in Publication 91, 

Confirmation Services Technical Guide. 

Mailers can use the following options 

available to create a label with a service 

barcode for Express Mail Open and 

Distribute and Priority Mail Open and 

Distribute address labels: 

* * * * * 

16.6 Enter and Deposit 

* * * * * 

16.6.2 Entry 

[Revise the first sentence of 16.6.2 as 

follows:] 

A PS Form 3152, Confirmation 

Services Certification, (Priority Mail 

Open and Distribute) or PS Form 3152– 

E (Express Mail Open and Distribute) 

must accompany each Open and 

Distribute shipment. * * * 

* * * * * 

We will publish an appropriate 

amendment to 39 CFR part 111 to reflect 

these changes if our proposal is 

adopted. 

Neva R. Watson, 

Attorney, Legislative. 

[FR Doc. 2010–23315 Filed 9–16–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7710–12–P 

POSTAL SERVICE 

39 CFR Part 111 

Implementation of the Intelligent Mail 

Package Barcode 

AGENCY: Postal ServiceTM. 

ACTION: Advance notice of proposed 

rulemaking. 

SUMMARY: The Postal Service is 

proposing to incorporate standards into 

Mailing Standards of the United States 

Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual 

(DMM®) for the optional use of 

Intelligent Mail® package barcodes 

(IMpb), no later than January of 2011; 

and expects to require the mandatory 

use of IMpb on all domestic packages 

beginning in January 2012. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before September 27, 2010. 

ADDRESSES: Mail or deliver written 

comments to the Manager, Mailing 

Standards, Postal Service, 475 L’Enfant 

Plaza, SW., Room 4446, Washington, DC 

20260–4446. Copies of all written 

comments will be available for 

inspection and photocopying between 9 

a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through 

Friday, at the Postal Service 

Headquarters Library, 475 L’Enfant 

Plaza, SW., 11th Floor North, 

Washington, DC 20260–0004. Email 

comments containing the name and 

address of the commenter, may be sent 

to: MailingStandards@usps.gov, with a 

subject line of ‘‘Intelligent Mail Package 

Barcode comments.’’ Faxed comments 

are not accepted. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Juliaann Hess at 202–268–7663 or Kevin 

Gunther at 202–268–7208. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

advance notice of proposed rulemaking 

is intended to provide information and 

assistance to mailers in planning for 

future mailings and preparing for 

system changes necessary to adopt the 

new IMpb format and electronic files. 

The subsequent proposed rule to this 

advance notice, will provide standards 

for the optional use of IMpb no later 

than January of 2011, and will propose 

the mandatory use of IMpb barcodes on 

all domestic packages in January 2012. 

The Postal Service looks forward to 

receiving and considering industry 

feedback on its proposed timeline prior 

to publishing final standards. 

The term ‘‘package’’ is used to 

encompass any domestic mailpiece 

meeting the characteristics in DMM 

sections 101.3, 401.1, and all Express 

Mail® and Priority Mail® mailpieces, 

regardless of their shape, including flatrate items. 

Piece-level package information is 

needed in the shipping industry to 

expand product lines, increase 

competitiveness, provide greater 

visibility to mailers and the Postal 

Service, and to create a more 

comprehensive service performance 

measurement tool. Today, without the 

purchase of an extra service such as 

Delivery ConfirmationTM, Signature 

ConfirmationTM, or insurance, package 

tracking and delivery information is 

limited. Barcodes are not currently 


wwoods2 on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with PROPOSALS-1