Quick Service Guide 705e
Special Standards
Bound Printed Matter Bundles on Pallets

January 2006
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Eligibility Overview

Bundles of flats or irregular parcels must be sorted and prepared under the standards for the rate claimed. See Quick Service Guide 360 for Bound Printed Matter Flats or Quick Service Guide 460 for Bound Printed Matter Irregular and Machinable Parcels. Destination entry under 366 for flats or 466 for parcels is optional. Individual pieces weighing 10 pounds or more are not eligible for preparation on pallets unless prepared as machinable parcels or prepared in sacks under 465.5 for presorted or 465.6 for carrier route parcels.

General Bundle

Bundle preparation must meet the applicable general standards in 365 for flats and 465 for parcels. Mixed ADC bundles must not be placed on pallets.

Bundle Size (365, 465, 705.8.9)

Prepare Carrier Route Bound Printed Matter (BPM) bundles and label under 365.6 for flats and 465.6 for parcels. Prepare and label Presorted BPM bundles in the sequence and to the destinations required for sacks in 365.5 for flats and 465.5 for parcels. Prepare a bundle when there are 10 or more pieces or 10 or more pounds, whichever comes first, for the same presort destination within an individual mailing (Carrier Route or Presorted). Bundles are not subject to a specific thickness limit. It is, however, recommended that bundles not exceed 8 inches in height.

Each physical bundle must contain at least 2 addressed pieces. The maximum bundle size is 20 pounds, except as provided in 705.8.9.5. When there are at least 10 pieces but fewer than 10 pounds for a presort destination, the pieces must be prepared in a single physical bundle. When there are 10 or more pounds for a destination, pieces must be prepared in bundles weighing from 10 to 20 pounds each except that the last bundle may weigh less than 10 pounds or contain fewer than 10 pieces (but never fewer than 2 pieces) and mailers should balance the mail in bundles as follows:

The total number of physical bundles prepared for a presort destination must not exceed the number of 10-pound increments to that destination. For example, if there are 95 pounds of mail to a 3-digit ZIP Code presort destination, bundles could be prepared as four 20-pound bundles and one 15-pound bundle, or nine 10-pound bundles and one 5-pound bundle.

Securing Individual Bundles (365.2, 465.2)

Bundles on pallets must be secure and stable and able to withstand normal transit and handling without breakage or injury to USPS employees. To prevent broken bundles, material used to secure bundles should be of adequate strength, be sealed securely (e.g., by heat or adhesive), and fit tightly around the bundles. Prepare bundles as follows:

• Select one of the methods below for securing individual bundles placed on 5-digit, 3-digit, SCF, and ASF pallets:
  • Heavy-gauge shrinkwrap plus one or two bands.
  • Only heavy-gauge shrinkwrap.
  • Only banding.
• Bundles on BMC pallets must be secured with shrinkwrap and be machinable on BMC parcel sorters, except that bundles of individually polywrapped pieces may be secured with banding material only. If used, banding material must be applied at least once around the length and once around the girth; wire and metal strapping are prohibited.

Pallet Preparation and Documentation

Pallet sortation: see below.

Documentation:

• Postage statement: Form 3605-R or approved facsimile.
• Supporting documentation: Documentation required unless correct rate is affixed to each piece (see 364, 464).

Bundling and Palletizing Sequence for Flats (705.8.10.3)

Bundle Preparation: See page 1 for physical bundle size and securing standards.

Carrier Route
Pieces must be bundled if there are at least 10 pieces or 10 pounds, whichever comes first, for the same carrier route.
Labels: Use optional endorsement line (OEL) (365.2.9).

5-Digit
Pieces must be bundled if there are at least 10 pieces or 10 pounds, whichever comes first, for the same 5-digit ZIP Code.
Labels: Red Label D or OEL.

3-Digit
Pieces must be bundled if there are at least 10 pieces or 10 pounds, whichever comes first, for the same
3-digit ZIP Code prefix.
Labels: Green Label 3 or OEL.

ADC
Pieces must be bundled if there are at least 10 pieces or 10 pounds, whichever comes first, to the same ADC (L004). Sort ADC bundles to ASF and BMC pallets based on ZIP Code of the bundle destination in L004, Column B.
Labels: Pink Label A or OEL.

5-Digit Scheme Carrier Routes¹
Required at 500 pounds. Optional at 250 pounds.
Labels: For Line 1, use L001, Column B. For Line 2, use "PSVC FLTS CR-RTS SCH."

5-Digit Carrier Routes¹
Required at 500 pounds. Optional at 250 pounds.
Labels: For Line 1, use city, state and 5-digit ZIP Code on mail.
For Line 2, use "PSVC FLTS CR-RTS."

5-Digit Scheme¹
Required at 500 pounds. Optional at 250 pounds.
Labels: For Line 1, use L001, Column B. For Line 2, use "PSVC FLTS 5D SCH."

5-Digit¹
Required at 500 pounds. Optional at 250 pounds.
Labels: For Line 1, use city, state and 5-digit ZIP Code on mail.
For Line 2, use "PSVC FLTS 5D."

3-Digit¹
Optional at 250 pounds.
Labels: For Line 1, use L002, Column A.
For Line 2, use "PSVC FLTS 3D."

SCF¹
Required at 500 pounds. Optional at 250 pounds.
Labels: For Line 1, use L002, Column C. For Line 2, use "PSVC FLTS SCF."

ASF¹
Required at 500 pounds. Optional at 250 pounds.
Labels: For Line 1, use L602. For Line 2, use "PSVC FLTS ASF."

BMC
Required at 500 pounds. Optional at 250 pounds.
Labels: For Line 1, use L601. For Line 2, use "PSVC FLTS BMC."

1. Processing and Distribution managers may authorize pallets of less than 250 pounds for their service area for mailings entered within their service area only. For these destinations, one residual (overflow) pallet of less than 250 pounds may be prepared for the service area of the entry office without special approval.

Bundling and Palletizing Sequence for Irregular Parcels (705.8.10.4)

General: Although mailers may prepare single mailings on pallets (e.g., only Carrier Route or only Presorted), we have shown co-palletized mailings (commingled rate levels) because this is the most common mailer practice.

Bundle Preparation: See page 1 for physical bundle size and securing standards.

Carrier Route
Pieces must be bundled if there are at least 10 pieces or 10 pounds, whichever comes first, for the same carrier route.

5-Digit
Pieces must be bundled if there are at least 10 pieces or 10 pounds, whichever comes first, for the same 5-digit ZIP Code.

3-Digit
Pieces must be bundled if there are at least 10 pieces or 10 pounds, whichever comes first, for the same 3-digit ZIP Code prefix.

ADC
Pieces must be bundled if there are at least 10 pieces or 10 pounds, whichever comes first, to the same ADC (L004). Sort ADC bundles to ASF and BMC pallets based on ZIP Code of the bundle destination in L004, Column B.

5-Digit Scheme¹
Optional at 250 pounds.
Labels: For Line 1, use L606, Column B. For Line 2, use "PSVC IRREG 5D SCH." If pallet contains only carrier route bundles, use "PSVC IRREG 5D SCH CR-RTS."

5-Digit¹
Required at 500 pounds. Optional at 250 pounds.
Labels: For Line 1, use city, state and 5-digit ZIP Code on mail. For Line 2, use "PSVC IRREG 5D." If pallet contains only carrier route bundles, use "PSVC IRREG 5D CR-RTS."

3-Digit¹
Optional at 250 pounds.
Labels: For Line 1, use L002, Column A. For Line 2, use "PSVC IRREG 3D."

SCF¹
Required at 500 pounds. Optional at 250 pounds.
Labels: For Line 1, use L002, Column C. For Line 2, use "PSVC IRREG SCF."

ASF¹
Required at 500 pounds. Optional at 250 pounds.
Labels: For Line 1, use L602. For Line 2, use "PSVC IRREG ASF."

BMC
Required at 500 pounds. Optional at 250 pounds.
Labels: For Line 1, use L601. For Line 2, use "PSVC IRREG BMC."

1. Processing and Distribution managers may authorize pallets of less than 250 pounds for their service area for mailings entered within their service area only. For these destinations, one residual (overflow) pallet of less than 250 pounds may be prepared for the service area of the entry office without special approval.

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