1 northeast area mailing industry focus group presentation 6/24/2014
TRANSCRIPT
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Northeast Area Mailing Industry Focus Group
Presentation
6/24/2014
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Exigent Price Increase Ruling
PAG Items update
Standard Mail Eligibility
Nonprofit Standard Mail Eligibility
Exceptions
Permit Indicia Formats
Media Mail Eligibility
Agenda
Exigent Price Increase Ruling
Federal Appeals Court
Ruling Issued
Case is remanded back to the PRC
USPS will have to roll back temporary
4.3% price increase at some point
depending on decision from PRC
Appeals Court ruling added an estimated
1.4 billion additional revenue as part of
exigent
Exigent Price Increase
Outcome
Until we get a decision from PRC, we are
projecting that we may have to roll back
Exigent surcharge sometime in August
If we roll back, then we will have to put in
place again at a later time to cover the
estimated 1.4 billion that was added on by
Appeals Court
Exigent Price Increase
PAG Items
PAG Items
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PAG Related Items
Marked Copies
Continued discussion of this issue at the June 11th Periodical Advisory Group (PAG).
Process still not defined / built. Inconsistency across industry on
submission (original vs additional entry) DMM standards to be reviewed with regard to
each edition (possibly change to most prominent issue)
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PAG Related Items
Marked Copies
USPS to work with original entry offices with minimal marked copy audit knowledge.
USPS and industry mutually agreed that the current requirement will remain in effect.
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PAG Related Items
Video / Audio / Electronic Inserts:
Background
PCSC has approved some of these at Periodicals prices but others as Ride-Along
Publishers requested a clarification of what crosses the line
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PAG Related Items
Video / Audio / Electronic Inserts:
Product Classification defined what types of video, audio, and electronic inserts will be eligible at Periodicals prices.
PCSC allows a minor portion of a printed page to be a non-printed sheet as part of a multi-layered advertisement.
Many of these video /audio units take the reader to an advertisement for a product and has the same effect / purpose as a product sample.
Drives more mail when the product is ordered
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PAG Related Items
Video / Audio / Electronic Inserts:
Electronic unit cannot weigh more than 3.3 oz. (limit in the Product Sample standard).
Rigidity of electronic may make the piece non-machinable.
If not eligible for Periodicals prices and rigid, and since a Ride-Along cannot change the processing category, it may make the unit a Standard Mail enclosure.
Standard Mail Eligibility
Standard Mail Eligibility
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Standard Mail Eligibility
Handwritten or typewritten Bill Statement of Account Personal information
Ineligible Mailpieces
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Standard Mail Eligibility
Must have an advertisement for a product or service, or solicitation for a donation (for Nonprofit mailpieces)
Personal information must be directly related to the advertisement
The exclusive purpose of the personal information is to support the advertisement.
Mailpieces with Personal Information
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Standard Mail Eligibility
The advertisement for a product or service must be clear and not inferred
Avoid a dual purpose (if you are asking addressee to do something else with the personal information, it make’s it a dual purpose)
Mailpieces with Personal Information
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Standard Mail Eligibility
We look at the entire mailpiece including the outer envelope
We consider an account number an identifier and not personal unless it is brought into the mailpiece.
Determining Personal Information
Nonprofit Standard Mail Eligibility
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Nonprofit Standard Mail Eligibility
All matter mailed at Nonprofit Standard Mail prices must identify the authorized organization.
Name and return address of authorized organization must be either on the outside or in a prominent location.
Pseudonyms or bogus names If there is a return address the name and address
must be that of the authorized organization Organizations are allowed to have multiple addresses
(CSR – 124)
Identification of Nonprofit Organization
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Nonprofit Standard Mail Eligibility
An organizations own matter The postal Service does not provide rulings on substantially
related
Cannot lend or delegate its authorization to other persons or organizations (ex. cooperative mailing)
Cooperative mailing permitted when both organizations are authorized
Eligible Matter
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Nonprofit Standard Mail Eligibility
May contain general advertising if the content standards for Periodicals is met:
Title
Frequency
Issue date
May not contain T.I.F. advertisement
Eligible Matter
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Nonprofit Standard Mail Eligibility
TravelMust include transportation, accommodation and
destination to be considered a travel arrangement
Insurance
Financial (credit / debit card)
Ineligible Matter
Exception Requests
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Exception Process
The PCSC is the approval authority when mailers request exceptions to the mailing standards
We approve exceptions to markings, incorrect permit number, missing Periodicals ID Statement, etc., that do not effect price.
The PCSC is not authorized and cannot approve exceptions to price.
Exception Process
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Requests for Exception to Standards To the extent that postage prices, fees for mail services, and
basic mail classification and eligibility are prescribed by federal statute or the Domestic Mail Classification Schedule, the USPS is not authorized to waive or except the corresponding DMM standards.
Postmasters or managers at Post Offices, district or area offices, and other field facilities may not suspend or grant any waiver or exception to standards established by the USPS (e.g., regarding mail preparation) unless specifically authorized by the DMM.
Any mailer's request for an exception to DMM standards must be referred to the PCSC.
(DMM 607.1.3)
Exception Process
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Exception Process
The mailer must request the exception through the local BMEU, with the following:
Letter from the owner of the mail (not the mailing preparer or agent.Sample mailpiece, or a scan at the minimumThe BMEU will forward the request to the PCSC
Exception Process
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Exception Process
The BMEU will forward the letter from the mail owner, sample mailpiece (or scan) and the Exception Request form (internal form) to the PCSC.
Exception Request form provides necessary contact information, mailing location, class of mail, processing category, mail date, etc.
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Exception Requests
If your mail is at the acceptance unit and the PCSC is able to approve your
request, we will provide the local acceptance unit a verbal approval to release the mail pending our ruling
letter.
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Permit Indicia Formats
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Permit Indicia
Legible in a color that contrasts with the OE paper Must read in the same direction as the delivery
address Placed in the following four:
Upper right corner of mailpiece Upper right corner of address area Upper right area of an address label To the right of the address in an insert /window envelope
Cannot be placed below the delivery address
Permit Indicia Format
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Permit Indicia
No printing to the right or above the indicia Any decorative designs must be to the left with a
clear space to the indicia Box around the indicia may be omitted if the required
content is present Indicia must not resemble or imitate a postage meter
imprint, postage stamp or other postage payment method.
Permit Indicia Format
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Permit Indicia
Markings such as; “Urgent,” “Rush-Delivery,” “Time Sensitive,” must show the class of mail more prominently than other words in the indicia
Pieces may not include markings identical to or confusingly similar to USPS trademarks, or designs used by USPS to identify a class of mail.
Marking Expedited Handling on Permit Indicia Mail
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Media Mail Eligibility
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Media Mail
Background Media Mail (or “Book Rate”) designed in 1938 Flow of educational material Technology has changed Computer-readable media classification created in 1984
DMM 473.2.2i provides that computer-readable media containing prerecorded information and guides or scripts prepared solely for use with such media may be mailed at Media Mail prices.
Media Mail Eligibility
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Media Mail Contents Standards Books, supplements to book, 8 pages minimum,
no advertising 16 mm or narrower films Printed music Printed objective test materials and accessories Sound recordings, video recordings, player piano
rolls Playscripts and manuscripts Printed education reference charts Loose leaf pages and their binders / medical Computer readable media
Media Mail Eligibility
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CSR PS-334: Media Mail Prices Eligibility
Computer Readable-Media Video Games are ineligible
CD-ROM Diskettes Similar software
Regardless of playable system including computers
Media Mail Eligibility
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CSR PS-334: Media Mail Prices Eligibility
Computer Readable-Media Storage Devices are ineligible
Portable hard drives Thumb drives Flash drives Jump-drives USB drives
Media Mail Eligibility
