Addressing Standards

Citation85 FR 59484
Record Number2020-19096
Published date22 September 2020
CourtPostal Service
Federal Register, Volume 85 Issue 184 (Tuesday, September 22, 2020)
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 184 (Tuesday, September 22, 2020)]
                [Proposed Rules]
                [Pages 59484-59486]
                From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
                [FR Doc No: 2020-19096]
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                POSTAL SERVICE
                39 CFR Part 111
                Addressing Standards
                AGENCY: Postal ServiceTM.
                ACTION: Proposed rule.
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                SUMMARY: The Postal Service is proposing to amend Mailing Standards of
                the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) in
                various sections of 602, Addressing, to update addressing standards.
                DATES: Submit comments on or before October 22, 2020.
                ADDRESSES: Mail or deliver written comments to the manager, 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 PC Federal
                [email protected], with a subject line of ``Addressing Standards''.
                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.
                 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: James Wilson at (901) 681-4600, Kai
                Fisher at (901) 681-4634, or Garry Rodriguez at (202) 268-7281.
                SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                Background
                 Currently, DMM section 602.6.0, ZIP Code Accuracy Standards,
                provides that a ZIP Code may be used on a mail piece within 12 months
                after verified by the use of an approved method. Once a ZIP Code is
                used on a mailpiece, the same
                [[Page 59485]]
                address is considered to meet the standards for an additional 1 year.
                 DMM sections 602.7.0, Carrier Route Accuracy Standard, and 9.0,
                Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS), provide that Address Matching
                and Coding Update standards require coding to be performed within 90
                days before the mailing date for carrier route mailings and 180 days
                for all non-carrier route mailings using the most current USPS
                database. The current product release schedule allows for use of a
                database that is valid for 105 days and may be used for an additional 6
                months beyond that timeframe. As such, an address added or modified in
                the database may not be updated on a mailing list for nearly 1 year
                after the change was made.
                 In 2012 the Postal Service implemented address management product
                fulfillment via an electronic product fulfillment method designed to
                provide subscription products to customers more efficiently. The
                database product updates are posted each month to a secure site where
                customers can log in to simply download the product files. A recent
                survey of licensed Address Management data products indicate that CASS
                and Multiline Accuracy Support System (MASS) Certified software and
                service providers are retrieving and using the monthly updates during
                the address matching and coding processes.
                Proposal
                 The Postal Service is proposing a database product cycle that
                aligns with the release of other mailing products. This will provide
                consistency across all mailing products and the method by which the
                data files are available and distributed. This proposal would require
                the use of monthly updates for both carrier route and non-carrier route
                mailings and would reduce the risk of using data that is no longer
                current.
                 More frequent updates allow the customer and the Postal Service to
                take advantage of the most current information available for the 158.6
                million addresses served by the USPS. It will maximize mailers' ability
                to obtain postage discounts and improve the ability to sort that mail
                to the proper carrier and in the proper sequence for delivery.
                 The proposed release schedule allows for an overlap in dates for
                product use and will allow mailers adequate time to transfer and
                install the new data files and test their systems. Mailers will be
                expected to update their systems with the latest data files as soon as
                practicable and should not wait until the ``last permissible use''
                date.
                 The Postal Service is proposing to implement this change effective
                July 1, 2021. However, mailers may opt to use the new monthly update
                cycles for both carrier route and non-carrier route mailings
                immediately.
                 We believe this proposed revision will provide customers with a
                more efficient process and will reduce the risk of using address
                information that is not current.
                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--GENERAL INFORMATION ON POSTAL SERVICE
                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 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)
                * * * * *
                600 Basic Standards for All Mailing Services
                * * * * *
                602 Addressing
                * * * * *
                6.0 ZIP Code Accuracy Standards
                6.1 Basic Standards
                 Except for mail bearing a simplified address, addresses used on
                pieces in a mailing at all commercial First-Class Mail, nonbarcoded
                presorted Periodicals, USPS Marketing Mail, Parcel Select Lightweight,
                and Bound Printed Matter presorted and carrier route prices are subject
                to the ZIP Code accuracy standard and must meet these requirements:
                 [Revise the text of items a and b to read as follows:]
                 a. Each address and associated 5-digit ZIP Code on the mailpieces
                in a mailing must be verified and corrected within 6 months before the
                mailing date with one of the USPS-approved methods in 6.2.
                 b. If an address used on a mailpiece in a mailing at one class of
                mail and price is verified and corrected with an approved method, the
                same address may be used during the following 6 months to meet the ZIP
                Code accuracy standard required for mailing at any other class of mail
                and price.
                6.2 USPS--Approved Methods
                 The following methods meet the ZIP Code accuracy standard:
                * * * * *
                 b. For manually maintained lists or small computerized lists,
                options include the following:
                 [Delete item b1 and renumber items b2 through b5 as items b1
                through b4.]
                * * * * *
                7.0 Carrier Route Accuracy Standard
                7.1 Basic Standards
                 * * * Addresses used on pieces claiming any Periodicals carrier
                route prices, any USPS Marketing Mail Enhanced Carrier Route prices
                (including DALs or DMLs used with Product Samples), or any Bound
                Printed Matter carrier route prices are subject to the carrier route
                accuracy standard and must meet the following requirements:
                 [Revise the text of item a to read as follows:]
                 a. Each address and associated carrier route code used on the
                mailpieces (or DALs or DMLs) in a mailing must be updated within 60
                days before the mailing date with one of the USPS-approved methods in
                6.2.
                * * * * *
                 [Revise the text of item c to read as follows:]
                 c. If the carrier route code (and accuracy) of an address, used on
                a mailpiece in a carrier route mailing at one class of mail and price,
                is updated with an approved method, the same address may be used during
                the following 60 days to meet the carrier route accuracy standard
                required for mailing at any other class of mail and price.
                * * * * *
                9.0 Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS)
                * * * * *
                [[Page 59486]]
                9.3 Date of Address Matching and Coding
                9.3.1 Update Standards
                 [Revise the second sentence and last sentence of 9.3.1 to read as
                follows:]
                 * * * Coding must be done no more than 60 days before the mailing
                date for all carrier route mailings and for all non-carrier route
                automation price mailings. * * *
                 * * * The ``current USPS database'' product cycle is defined by the
                table in Exhibit 9.3.1.
                 [Delete current table under 9.3.1 and add new table as Exhibit
                9.3.1 to read as follows:]
                 Exhibit 9.3.1--USPS Database Product Cycle
                ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Release date (posted) Product date Mandatory begin Expiration date Last permissible
                ----------------------------------------------------- usage date (last permissible mailing date
                 -------------------- use date) -------------------
                 --------------------
                 Use of file released on (Publish date) Must begin no And must end no (Exp date + 30
                 later than later than days)
                ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                November 15..................... December 1........ January 1......... February 28/29.... March 31
                December 15..................... January 1......... February 1........ March 31.......... April 30
                January 15...................... February 1........ March 1........... April 30.......... May 31
                February 15..................... March 1........... April 1........... May 31............ June 30
                March 15........................ April 1........... May 1............. June 30........... July 31
                April 15........................ May 1............. June 1............ July 31........... August 31
                May 15.......................... June 1............ July 1............ August 31......... September 30
                June 15......................... July 1............ August 1.......... September 30...... October 31
                July 15......................... August 1.......... September 1....... October 31........ November 30
                August 15....................... September 1....... October 1......... November 30....... December 31
                September 15.................... October 1......... November 1........ December 31....... January 31
                October 15...................... November 1........ December 1........ January 31........ February 28/29
                ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                * * * * *
                Joshua J. Hofer,
                Attorney, Federal Compliance.
                [FR Doc. 2020-19096 Filed 9-21-20; 8:45 am]
                BILLING CODE 7710-12-P
                

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