[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 242 (Wednesday, December 17, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 75058-75059]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-29479]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111


New Standards To Enhance Business Reply Mail (BRM) Visibility

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

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Postal Service<SUP>TM</SUP> will revise Mailing Standards 
of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) 
to require the use of an Intelligent Mail[supreg] package barcode 
(IMpb) on Business Reply Mail[supreg] (BRM) labels intended for use on 
cartons, parcel-shaped items, or Priority Mail[supreg] items of any 
shape.

DATES: Effective date: April 30, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Juliaann Hess at 202-268-7663, John F. 
Rosato at 202-268-8597, or Suzanne Newman at 202-695-0550.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Proposed Rule

    The Postal Service published a proposed rule (79 FR 4871) on August 
18, 2014, with a comment period ending September 17, 2014, to enhance 
its operational capability to scan IMpbs and to provide tracking 
information to mailers by requiring a unique IMpb on cartons, parcel-
shaped items, or Priority Mail pieces of any shape, returned using BRM 
service. Full implementation of the Postal Service's package visibility 
strategy relies on the availability of piece-level information provided 
through the widespread use of IMpb. Mailing standards recently added to 
the DMM now require the use of IMpb on all commercial parcels (except 
parcels paid for using BRM service). Therefore, this change will align 
the IMpb standards for BRM parcels with that of all other commercial 
parcels, Merchandise Return Service (MRS) including USPS Returns, and 
Parcel Return Service.
    Background: On December 18, 2013, the Postal Service published a 
final rule in the Federal Register (78 FR 76548) announcing that an 
IMpb, unique to each mailpiece, would be required on all commercial 
parcels, effective January 26, 2014. At that time the Postal Service 
also announced that it would be eliminating the option for any 
mailpiece meeting the physical characteristics of a parcel (under DMM 
201), or Priority Mail pieces of any shape, to pay for postage using 
Business Reply Mail[supreg] (BRM).
    In response to mailer feedback, on June 5, 2014, the Postal Service 
published a Federal Register document (79 FR 32490) indefinitely 
deferring the elimination of the option to use BRM to pay postage for 
cartons, parcel-shaped items, or Priority Mail pieces of any shape. At 
that time the Postal Service also indicated that it expected to issue 
proposed rules requiring the use of an IMpb on certain BRM cartons and 
labels.
    In accordance with its previously expressed intent, the Postal 
Service published the proposed rule, on August 18, 2014, for requiring 
the use of an IMpb on BRM cartons, parcels, and Priority Mail items of 
any shape.
    General IMpb Requirements: Technical and general specifications for 
IMpb use are provided in Publication 199, Intelligent Mail Package 
Barcode (IMpb) Implementation Guide for: Confirmation Services and 
Electronic Verification System (eVS) Mailers, and DMM 708.5.1.
    BRM: In order to ensure that parcel-shaped items returned using BRM 
service comply with the same standards as all other commercial parcels 
including returns, the Postal Service will require a unique IMpb on:
    a. All BRM cartons.
    b. All BRM labels distributed with the intent of being placed on an 
item meeting the physical characteristics of a parcel in DMM 201.
    c. All BRM labels distributed with the intent of being placed on 
Priority Mail items of any shape.
    For the purposes of this requirement, a BRM carton is defined as a 
parcel-shaped mailpiece with a BRM label either printed directly on the 
mailpiece or affixed by the end user prior to mailing. BRM permit 
holders would not be required to submit shipping manifests to support 
these mailpieces. BRM labels would be required to use a unique Mailer 
ID (MID) for parcel-shaped BRM pieces and a concatenated IMpb construct 
that includes the ZIP+4[supreg] routing code. The barcodes must be 
unique for 180 days. BRM cartons and parcels will use the same IMpb 
service type codes used for Merchandise Return Service (MRS), for 
Priority Mail, or for First-Class Mail[supreg], based on the product 
used. The Postal Service provides an exception process--for mailers of 
small BRM cartons and parcels lacking sufficient label space to apply 
an IMpb barcode meeting the \3/4\-inch height requirement--to submit 
barcodes of at least \1/2\-inch in height for USPS[supreg] testing and 
approval. This exception process will be administered by the National 
Customer Service Center (NCSC), as part of the routine package barcode 
approval process. At this time, no other changes are being made to BRM 
standards under DMM 505.1 as applicable to all other mail shapes.
    Noncompliant Mailpieces: Once this final rule becomes effective, 
the Postal Service will assess a per-piece IMpb non-compliance fee on 
all BRM parcels not bearing an IMpb and returned using Priority Mail 
service. The proposed effective date for the per-piece IMpb non-
compliance fee on First-Class Mail parcels being returned using BRM 
would be predicated on the Postal Service filing a notice with, and 
receiving approval from, the Postal Regulatory Commission. Thus, the 
non-compliance fee would start immediately with Priority Mail pieces 
only.

II. Comments and Responses

    The Postal Service received one comment to the proposed rule of 
August, 18, 2014, from a Postal Service employee. The employee 
commented on the barcoding resources available for small to mid-size 
mailers and the use of Label 400 with BRM parcels. The Postal

[[Page 75059]]

Service continues to encourage mailers to use one of the various 
merchandise return services products for return merchandise, instead of 
using Business Reply Mail, which is primarily intended for use with 
letter and flat sized pieces. The Postal Service currently offers a 
Merchandise Return Service (MRS) web-tool (API) interface that permits 
all mailers to create their MRS labels with the required IMpb. The 
Postal Service will continue to consider additional enhancements for 
all return services to make it easier for companies of all sizes to do 
business with us.

III. Features of the Final Rule

    The Postal Service continues to enhance its operational capability 
to scan IMpbs, encoded with routing and tracking information, via 
automated mail processing equipment and Intelligent Mail scanning 
devices, and to provide tracking information to the mailers. Full 
implementation of the Postal Service's package visibility strategy 
relies on the availability of piece-level information provided through 
the widespread use of IMpb.
    Recent changes to mailing standards now require the use of IMpb on 
all commercial parcels (excluding parcels paid for using BRM service). 
The Postal Service now advances its package visibility strategy by 
requiring a unique IMpb on cartons, parcels, or Priority Mail pieces of 
any shape, preprinted or with labels affixed to be returned using BRM 
service.
    For the purposes of this requirement, a BRM carton is defined as a 
parcel-shaped mailpiece with a BRM label either printed directly on the 
mailpiece or affixed by the end user prior to mailing. BRM permit 
holders would not be required to submit shipping manifests to support 
these mailpieces. BRM labels would be required to use a unique Mailer 
ID (MID) for BRM parcels and a concatenated IMpb construct that 
includes the ZIP+4[supreg]routing code. The barcodes must be unique for 
180 days. BRM cartons and parcels will use IMpb service type codes for 
Merchandise Return Service for Priority Mail or First-Class 
Mail[supreg], based on the product used. The Postal Service will 
provide an exception process--for mailers of small BRM cartons and 
parcels lacking sufficient label space to apply an IMpb barcode meeting 
the \3/4\-inch height requirement--to submit barcodes of at least \1/
2\-inch in height for USPS testing and approval. This exception process 
will be administered by the National Customer Service Center (NCSC), as 
part of the normal package barcode approval process. At this time, no 
other changes would be made to the BRM standards in DMM 505.1 
applicable to all other mail shapes.
    Noncompliant Mailpieces: The Postal Service will assess a per-piece 
IMpb non-compliance fee on all BRM parcels not bearing an IMpb and 
returned using Priority Mail. The proposed effective date for the per-
piece fee on First-Class Mail parcels being returns using BRM would be 
predicated on the Postal Service filing a notice with, and receiving 
approval from, the Postal Regulatory Commission. Thus, the non-
compliance fee starts immediately with Priority Mail pieces only.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111

    Administrative practice and procedure, Postal Service.

    For the reasons stated in the preamble, 39 CFR part 111 is 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, 403, 404, 414, 416, 3001-3011, 3201-3219, 
3403-3406, 3621, 3622, 3626, 3632, 3633, and 5001.


0
2. Revise the following sections of 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)

* * * * *

505 Return Services

1.0 Business Reply Mail (BRM)

* * * * *

1.4 General Information

1.4.1 Description

    [Insert a new fourth sentence in 1.4.1 to read as follows:]
    * * * All BRM labels intended for use on cartons, mailpieces 
meeting the physical characteristics of a parcel in DMM 201, or a 
Priority Mail item of any shape, must meet the standards under 1.7.10.
    * * *
* * * * *

1.7 Mailpiece Characteristics

* * * * *
    [Insert new 1.7.10 to read as follows:]

1.7.10 Labels for Parcels

    BRM labels intended for use on cartons, mailpieces meeting the 
physical standards of a parcel under DMM 201, or a Priority Mail item 
of any shape, must also bear an IMpb prepared under 708.5.0 and meet 
the technical standards in the Parcel Labeling Guide available on 
RIBBS.
* * * * *

1.8 Format Elements

1.8.1 General

    [Revise the text of the first and second sentences of 1.8.1 to read 
as follows:] Except for BRM labels for parcels as provided under 
1.7.10, all pieces of BRM are subject to these format elements. For all 
other BRM pieces, an Intelligent Mail barcode (IMb) is not required, 
except for QBRM prices; if an IMb is used, it must be printed and 
placed as provided under 1.9 and as shown in Exhibit 1.8.1. * * *
* * * * *

Stanley F. Mires,
Attorney, Federal Requirements.
[FR Doc. 2014-29479 Filed 12-16-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P