Customer Support Ruling

Split Bundles of Flat-Size and Irregular Parcel Mailpieces
Updated September 2005

PS-308 (705.8.9.4)

This CSR discusses balancing (or leveling) of bundles for those limited situations in which the pieces that would ordinarily constitute the “last bundle” for a presort destination are less than the minimum amount required for the destination.

In addition, this CSR clarifies rate eligibility for the preparation of bundles of flat-size and irregular parcel mailpieces prepared under the following circumstances:

1. When the pieces that would ordinarily be in the “last bundle” or “balanced bundle” for a presort destination are fewer than the minimum number required for the destination.
2. When the weight of the last bundle or balanced bundle is less than the required minimum weight.

Mailers use software that balances (or levels) the number of pieces or the weight of their bundles. This may result in multiple bundles with fewer than the required minimum number of pieces or less than the required minimum weight for a presort destination. The number of bundles created because of balancing may not exceed the number of bundles that would have resulted if only the last bundle did not meet the minimum requirements.

We allow mailers to prepare a last bundle or a balanced bundle for a presort destination when the bundle is less than the minimum weight or it contains fewer than the minimum number of pieces  without loss of rate eligibility providing the “logical bundle” to a presort destination meets the minimum quantity for the rate claimed.

For example, consider two mailings of bundles of flat-size Standard Mail pieces that mailers might bundle and place on pallets:

• Mailing A has 17 pieces to a presort destination; 12 pieces in one bundle reach the maximum height for one bundle to maintain its integrity, leaving just 5 pieces for the “last bundle."

The mailer could make one bundle of 12 pieces and one “last bundle” of 5 pieces (a total of two bundles) as allowed under DMM 705.8.9.4*.  Alternatively, the mailer could balance the bundles by placing 9 pieces in one bundle and 8 pieces in the other bundle (still just two bundles).

• Mailing B has 18 pounds of pieces to a presort destination; 10 pounds in one bundle reach the maximum height for one bundle to maintain its integrity.

This mailer could make one bundle of 10 pounds and one “last bundle” of 8 pounds (a total of two bundles); or the mailer could balance the bundles by making two bundles of 9 pounds each (still just 2 bundles).

In both cases, the mailers are creating the same number of bundles, but are balancing them to create more stable bundles. Bundle balancing may result in bundles to one presort destination having less than the minimum number of pieces or being of less than the minimum weight.  However, in all cases, this must NOT create additional bundles for the Postal Service to handle.

Similar balancing (or leveling) also is acceptable for bundles of flat-size Periodicals and Package Services mailpieces placed in sacks or on pallets, bundles of Standard Mail flat-size pieces placed in sacks, bundles of Standard Mail, Periodicals, and Package Services irregular parcels placed in sacks or on pallets, and for bundles of First-Class Mail flat-size mailpieces placed in flat trays.

*See also DMM 705.8.9.3, 705.8.9.5, 335.2.7, 345.2.10, 365.2.8, 375.2.7, 385.2.7, 445.2.8, 465.2.6, 475.2.6, and 485.2.6.

(Signed)
Sherry Suggs
Manager
Mailing Standards
United States Postal Service
Washington DC 20260-3436