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
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 180 / Friday, September 17, 2010 / Proposed Rules 56923 

required on packages; and the barcodes 

now being used are unable to 

incorporate the data necessary to meet 

the needs of the USPS Intelligent Mail 

strategy. Packages that currently bear 

barcodes designed to provide delivery 

and tracking information only do not 

always include a routing code (a 

barcode that represents the destination 

ZIPTM Code). The current barcodes have 

limited revenue protection capabilities, 

due to the absence of information 

associating the piece with its specific 

payment method; and have limited 

integration of multiple extra services. 

IMpb and Electronic Documentation 

The IMpb will provide piece-level 

data to enable the Postal Service to 

increase efficiency, add value to its 

package product line, and enhance its 

package tracking capabilities. The IMpb 

is a 34-digit modulated barcode that 

generally follows the specifications of 

the GS1–128 symbology. GS1–128 

barcodes are a special type of global 

standard Code 128 barcodes, which 

make use of Application Identifiers (AI) 

to define the encoded data and how it 

is used. The IMpb incorporates features 

of the GS1–128 symbology to allow for 

the unique identification and tracking of 

domestic packages from induction to 

delivery. The GS1–128 barcode 

symbology is already a requirement for 

users of electronic Confirmation 

Services and the Electronic Verification 

System® (eVS®). Customers currently 

participating in these programs will not 

need to change the symbology of the 

barcode; however the elements within 

the barcode and layout will change. 

There are several barcode variations 

for use at the commercial and retail 

level that will provide the flexibility to 

accommodate the diverse shipping 

needs of Postal Service customers. To 

improve routing, tracking, and service 

capabilities, the Postal Service is 

providing advance notice of a future 

proposal to require customers to include 

the correct ZIP + 4 Code in the barcode 

of each package, or to transmit this 

information to the USPS via an 

electronic file. 

Enhancements to the current 

requirements for electronic files used, in 

conjunction with parcel barcodes, will 

be necessary to support the additional 

features incorporated into IMpb. 

Electronic files now used for packages 

do not provide adequate space for 

supplemental fields, limiting their 

ability to support the additional piecelevel information received from 

customers. The new electronic file 

format will include expanded package 

identification code fields to 

accommodate up to a 34-digit barcode 

string, and will require fewer file types 

to support any combination of products 

and services. In addition, customers will 

be required to include the destination 

ZIP + 4 Code in the electronic file for 

all records. This additional ZIP Code 

information will assist in the routing 

and tracking of our package products. 

An optional field for the delivery point 

code of the destination address has also 

been added to the electronic file to 

provide additional information to 

improve service. A listing of electronic 

file formats is located in the addendum 

to Publication 91, Addendum for 

Intelligent Mail Package Barcode (IMpb) 

and 3-digit Service Type Code. 

The data construction of the IMpb 

barcode will be different from that of the 

current Confirmation Services barcode. 

Detailed specifications for IMpb barcode 

construction are available in the 

‘‘Barcode Data’’ section of the 

specification document, Barcode, 

Package, Intelligent Mail 

(USPS2000508). The most significant 

change in the barcode data is in the 

service type code. Currently, barcodes 

use a 2-digit service type code that can 

represent multiple mail classes or 

products, limiting the number of extra 

services that may be integrated into a 

single barcode. When two or more extra 

services are used, a barcode 

representing each extra service is 

usually required on the mailpiece, 

resulting in the need to scan multiple 

barcodes at delivery. 

The IMpb will use unique 3-digit 

service type codes which identify the 

exact product and extra service(s) 

combination, eliminating the need for 

separate barcodes and separate 

scanning, enabling more efficient 

package handling. A list of the 3-digit 

service type codes is available in the 

addendum to Publication 91. 

To increase package visibility, the 

Postal Service will scan the IMpb 

throughout processing using automated 

mail processing equipment and 

Intelligent Mail devices. Mailers who 

include extra services with their 

packages will have scan data, including 

acceptance, enroute, and delivery-type 

data available to them. Mailers will also 

be able to increase package visibility by 

associating each package with the 

appropriate sack, or an approved 

alternate container, which bears an 

accurately encoded Intelligent Mail tray 

label. Each sack or alternate container 

may then be electronically associated to 

a pallet (or similar container) that bears 

an accurately encoded Intelligent Mail 

container placard. 

The Intelligent Mail package barcode 

will: 

• Require a routing code to aid in 

processing packages on automated 

sorting equipment. 

• Use a channel-specific Application 

Identifier (AI) that associates the 

barcode to the payment method, 

supporting revenue assurance 

protection. 

• Contain a 3-digit service type code, 

which will identify the exact mail class 

and service combination, reducing the 

number of barcodes on a package. 

• Permit the use of a 6-digit or 9-digit 

numeric Mailer ID (MID). 

These enhancements will add datastream efficiency within mail 

processing, delivery, payment, and 

reporting. Packages without the addition 

of extra services must also bear 

Intelligent Mail package barcodes and 

will be identified through the use of 

specific mail class service type codes. 

Intelligent Mail barcodes, used on 

letters and flats, will not be permitted 

on packages in lieu of the IMpb. 

Additional Information 

Mailers can access the following 

references on the RIBBS® Web site at 

ribbs.usps.gov: 

• Proposed addendum to Publication 

91, Addendum for Intelligent Mail 

Package Barcode (IMpb) and 3-digit 

Service Type Code. 

• Specification document, Barcode, 

Package, Intelligent Mail 

(USPS2000508). 

Stanley F. Mires, 

Chief Counsel, Legislative. 

[FR Doc. 2010–23313 Filed 9–16–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7710–12–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

40 CFR Part 52 

[EPA–R06–OAR–2007–0314; FRL–9202–6] 

Approval and Promulgation of 

Implementation Plans; Oklahoma; 

State Implementation Plan Revisions 

for Interstate Transport of Pollution, 

Prevention of Significant Deterioration, 

Nonattainment New Source Review, 

Source Registration and Emissions 

Reporting and Rules of Practice and 

Procedure 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Proposed rule. 

SUMMARY: EPA is proposing to approve 

part of a State Implementation Plan 

(SIP) revision submitted by the State of 

Oklahoma for the purpose of addressing 

the ‘‘good neighbor’’ provisions of Clean 


wwoods2 on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with PROPOSALS-1