463 Prices and Eligibility

1.0 Prices and Fees for Bound Printed Matter

1.1 Nonpresorted Bound Printed Matter

Apply the prices and discounts for nonpresorted Bound Printed Matter as follows:

1.1.1 Prices

Bound Printed Matter (BPM) prices are based on the weight of a single addressed piece or 1 pound, whichever is higher, and the zone to which the piece is addressed. The nonpresorted price applies to BPM not mailed at the Presorted or carrier route prices.

1.1.2 Price Application

The nonpresorted BPM price is charged per half-pound from 1 through 5 pounds, and per pound from more than 5 through 15 pounds. For pieces weighing 5 pounds or under, any fraction of a half-pound is considered a whole half-pound. For pieces weighing more than 5 but not more than 15 pounds, any fraction of a pound is considered a whole pound. For example, if a BPM item weighs 4.325 pounds, the weight (postage) increment is 4.5 pounds; if an item weighs 6.25 pounds, the weight (postage) increment is 7 pounds. The minimum postage price per piece is the 1-pound price.

1.1.3 Barcode Discount—Machinable Parcels

The barcoded discount applies only to BPM machinable parcels (401.1.5.1) that bear a correct, readable barcode under 708.5.0 for the ZIP Code of the delivery address. The pieces must be part of a nonpresorted mailing of 50 or more BPM parcels.

1.1.4 Bound Printed Matter—Nonpresorted

For prices, see Notice 123–Price List. Barcoded discount, per parcel (machinable parcels only, 50-piece minimum).

1.1.5 Computing Postage—Bound Printed Matter With Permit Imprint

To compute the total postage for a mailing, for each weight increment, multiply the number of pieces by the applicable price per piece.

1.2 Commercial Bound Printed Matter

Apply the prices, fees and discounts for commercial Bound Printed Matter as follows:

1.2.1 Prices

Postage is based on the price that applies to the weight (postage) increment of each addressed piece.

1.2.2 Price Application

The Presorted Bound Printed Matter price has a per piece charge and a per pound charge. Postage is based on the price that applies to the weight (postage) increment of each addressed piece and on the zone to which the piece is addressed. The minimum postage price for an addressed piece is one unit of the per piece charge plus the per pound charge for an addressed piece weighing 1 pound.

1.2.3 Bound Printed Matter Presorted and Carrier Route Prices

Each piece is subject to both a piece price and a pound price. For the barcode discount on Presorted machinable parcels, see Notice 123–Price List.

1.2.4 Bound Printed Matter Destination Entry Prices

Each piece is subject to both a piece price and a pound price. The barcode discount is not available for parcels mailed at Presorted SCF or DDU prices. For prices, see Notice 123–Price List.

1.2.5 Destination Entry Mailing Fee

A destination entry mailing fee for BPM must be paid once each 12-month period at each Post Office of mailing by or for any person or organization that mails at the destination entry prices, except as provided otherwise for plant-verified drop shipments. All destination entry prices are covered under the payment of a single annual fee. The fee may be paid in advance only for the next 12 months and only during the last 60 days of the current service period. The fee charged is that which is in effect on the date of payment. Destination entry mailing fees required for Bound Printed Matter, per 12-month period.

1.2.6 Determining Single-Piece Weight

To determine single-piece weight in any mailing of nonidentical-weight pieces, weigh each piece individually. To determine single-piece weight in a mailing of identical-weight pieces, weigh a sample group of at least 10 randomly selected pieces and divide the total sample weight by the number of pieces in the sample. Express all single-piece weights in decimal pounds rounded off to two decimal places.

1.2.7 Computing Postage for Permit Imprint

Presorted and Carrier Route Bound Printed Matter mailings paid with permit imprint are charged a per pound price and a per piece price as follows:

a. Per pound price:

1. For pieces weighing 1 pound or less, compute the per pound price by multiplying the total number of addressed pieces by the 1-pound price for the price category and zone. Do not round this result.

2. For pieces weighing more than 1 pound, compute the per pound price by multiplying the unrounded total weight of the addressed pieces by the pound price for the category and zone. Do not round this result.

b. Per piece price. Multiply the total number of addressed pieces by the applicable piece price.

c. Total Postage. Calculate total postage by adding the total per piece calculation to the total per pound calculation. Round off the total postage to the nearest whole cent.

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2.0 Basic Eligibility Standards for Bound Printed Matter

2.1 Service Objectives

The USPS does not guarantee the delivery of BPM within a specified time. BPM might receive deferred service. The local Post Office can provide more information concerning delivery times within its area.

2.2 Postal Inspection

BPM is not sealed against postal inspection. Regardless of physical closure, the mailing of articles at BPM prices constitutes consent by the mailer to postal inspection of the contents.

2.3 Delivery and Return Addresses

All BPM mail must bear a delivery address. The delivery address on each piece must include the correct ZIP Code or ZIP+4 code. Alternative addressing formats under 602.3.0 may be used. Except for unendorsed BPM, each piece must bear the sender's return address.

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3.0 Content Standards for Bound Printed Matter Parcels

3.1 Basic Content Standards

Bound Printed Matter (BPM) is a subclass of Package Services and must:

a. Meet the basic standards in 2.0.

b. Weigh no more than 15 pounds. Pieces might be subject to other minimum weights or dimensions based on the standards for specific prices.

c. Consist of advertising, promotional, directory, or editorial material (or any combination of such material).

d. Be securely bound by permanent fastenings such as staples, spiral binding, glue, or stitching. Loose-leaf binders and similar fastenings are not considered permanent.

e. Consist of sheets of which at least 90% are imprinted by any process other than handwriting or typewriting with words, letters, characters, figures, or images (or any combination of them).

f. Not have the nature of personal correspondence.

g. Not be stationery, such as pads of blank printed forms.

h. Consist of mailable matter that is neither mailed or required to be mailed as First-Class Mail nor entered as Periodicals (except as permitted under 3.2 or permitted or required under 707.7.9).

3.2 Attachments or Enclosures of Periodicals Sample Copies

Sample copies of authorized and pending Periodicals publications may be enclosed or attached with merchandise sent at BPM prices. Postage at BPM prices is based on the combined weight of the host piece and the sample copies enclosed.

3.3 Attachments and Enclosures

3.3.1 Invoice

An invoice, whether it also serves as a bill, may be placed either inside a Bound Printed Matter piece or in an envelope marked “Invoice Enclosed” and attached to the outside of the piece if the invoice relates solely to the matter with which it is mailed. The invoice may show this information:

a. Names and addresses of the sender and addressee.

b. Names and quantities of the articles enclosed, descriptions of each (e.g., price, tax, style, stock number, size, and quality, and, if defective, nature of defects).

c. Order or file number, date of order, date and manner of shipment, shipping weight, postage paid, and initials or name of packer or checker.

3.3.2 Incidental First-Class Mail Attachments and Enclosures

Incidental First-Class Mail matter may be enclosed in or attached to any Bound Printed Matter piece without payment of First-Class Mail postage. An incidental First-Class Mail attachment or enclosure must be matter that, if mailed separately, would require First-Class Mail postage, is closely associated with but secondary to the host piece, and is prepared so as not to interfere with postal processing. An incidental First-Class Mail attachment or enclosure may be a bill for the product or publication, a statement of account for past products or publications, or a personal message or greeting included with a product, publication, or parcel. Postage at the Bound Printed Matter price for the host piece is based on the combined weight of the host piece and the incidental First-Class Mail attachment or enclosure.

3.3.3 Additional Enclosures

Bound Printed Matter may have the following additions and enclosures:

a. Any printed matter mailable as Standard Mail.

b. Nonprint attachments and enclosures. The combined weight of all nonprint attachments and enclosures in the mailpiece must be less than or equal to 25% of the weight of the BPM in the mailpiece. The individual cost of each nonprint attachment or enclosure must be less than or equal to the cost of a “low cost” item as defined in 703.1.6.11, Products Mailable at Nonprofit Standard Mail Prices. In addition, the combined cost of all nonprint attachments and enclosures must not exceed two times the cost of a “low cost” item as defined in 703.1.6.11.

3.4 Written Additions

Markings that have the character of personal correspondence require, with certain exceptions, additional postage at the First-Class Mail prices. The following written additions and enclosures do not require additional First-Class Mail postage:

a. The sender's and the addressee's names, occupations, and addresses, preceded by “From” or “To,” and directions for handling.

b. Marks, numbers, names, or letters describing the contents.

c. Words or phrases such as “Do Not Open Until Christmas” and “Happy Birthday, Mother.”

d. Instructions and directions for the use of the item mailed.

e. A manuscript dedication or inscription not having the nature of personal correspondence.

f. Marks to call attention to words or passages in the text.

g. Corrections of typographical errors in printed matter.

h. Manuscripts accompanying related proof sheets and corrections of proof sheets including corrections of typographical and other errors, changes in the text, insertions of new text, marginal instructions to the printer, and corrective rewrites of parts.

i. Handstamped imprints, unless the added material is in itself personal or converts the original matter to a personal communication.

j. Matter mailable separately as Standard Mail printed on the wrapper, envelope, tag, or label.

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4.0 Price Eligibility for Bound Printed Matter Parcels

4.1 Price Eligibility

BPM prices are based on the weight of a single addressed piece or 1 pound, whichever is higher, and the zone (where applicable) to which the piece is addressed. Price categories are as follows:

a. Nonpresorted Price. The nonpresorted price applies to mailings of fewer than 300 pieces and to BPM not mailed at the Presorted or carrier route prices.

b. Presorted Price. The Presorted price applies to BPM prepared in a mailing of at least 300 BPM pieces, prepared and presorted as specified in 465.5.0, Preparing Presorted Parcels, 705.8.0, Preparing Pallets, or 705.21.0, Optional Combined Parcel Mailings.

c. Carrier Route Price. The Carrier Route price applies to BPM prepared in a mailing of at least 300 pieces presorted to carrier routes, prepared and presorted as specified in 465.6.0, Preparing Carrier Route Parcels, or 705.8.0, Preparing Pallets.

d. Barcoded Discount—Machinable Parcels. The barcoded discount applies only to BPM machinable parcels (see 401.1.5) that bear a correct, readable barcode under 708.5.0 for the ZIP Code of the delivery address. The pieces must be part of a nonpresorted price mailing of 50 or more BPM parcels or part of a presort price mailing of at least 300 BPM parcels prepared under 465.5.0, Preparing Presorted Parcels, and 465.6.0, Preparing Carrier Route Parcels, and 705.8.0, Preparing Pallets. The barcoded discount is not available for parcels mailed at Presorted DDU or DSCF prices, or for Presorted DNDC price mailings entered at an ASF other than the Phoenix, AZ, ASF. Carrier route price mail is not eligible for the barcoded discount.

4.2 Nonidentical Weight Pieces

Mailings may contain nonidentical-weight pieces only if Business Mailer Support (BMS) has authorized payment of postage by permit imprint under 705.2.0, Manifest Mailing System, 705.3.0, Optional Procedure Mailing System, or 705.4.0, Alternate Mailing System.

4.3 ZIP Code Accuracy

[11-7-11] The ZIP Code accuracy standard is a means of ensuring that the 5-digit ZIP Code in the delivery address correctly matches the delivery address information. For the purposes of this standard, address means a specific address associated with a specific 5-digit ZIP Code. Each address in a mailing at Bound Printed Matter presorted or carrier route prices must meet the ZIP Code accuracy requirements in 602.6.0.

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5.0 Additional Eligibility Standards for Presorted and Carrier Route Bound Printed Matter Parcels

5.1 Basic Standards

In addition to the standards in 2.0 and 3.0, all pieces in a Bound Printed Matter mailing must:

a. Bear a delivery address that includes the correct ZIP Code or ZIP+4 code and that meets these address quality standards:

1. The ZIP Code accuracy standard in 3.3.

2. The carrier route accuracy standard in 5.2.

3. If an alternative addressing format is used, the additional standards in 602.3.0.

4. If pieces are prepared with detached address labels, the additional standards in 602.4.0.

b. Meet the preparation standards under 465.5.0, Preparing Presorted Parcels, or 705.8.0, Preparing Pallets.

5.2 Carrier Route Accuracy

5.2.1 Basic Standards

The carrier route accuracy standard is a means of ensuring that the carrier route code correctly matches the delivery address information. For the purposes of this standard, address means a specific address associated with a specific carrier route code. Addresses used on pieces claiming carrier route prices under 5.2.1d that are subject to the carrier route accuracy standard must meet these requirements:

a. Each address and associated carrier route code used on the mailpieces in a mailing must be updated within 90 days before the mailing date with one of the USPS-approved methods in 5.2.2.

b. Each individual address in the mailing is subject to the carrier route accuracy standard.

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 90 days to meet the carrier route accuracy standard required for mailing at any other class of mail and price.

d. Except for mail bearing a simplified address, addresses used on pieces claiming the Bound Printed Matter carrier route prices must meet the ZIP Code accuracy standard.

5.2.2 USPS-Approved Methods

Carrier route coding must be performed using CASS-certified software and the current USPS Carrier Route Product or another Address Information System (AIS) product containing carrier route information subject to 509.1.0, Address Information System Services, and 708.3.0, Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS).

5.2.3 Mailer Certification

The mailer’s signature on the postage statement certifies that the carrier route accuracy standard has been met for each address in the corresponding mailing presented to the USPS.

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