April 2, 2009

May 11 Price Change – Final Mailing Standards

We posted our final mailing standards on Postal Explorer to support the May 11 Mailing Services price change. We also posted final standards for Intelligent Mail services and Move Update, in a separate notice. Among the revisions:

§ We eliminated the tray-based preparation requirement for First-Class Mail commercial (automation and nonautomation) flats. Mailers will continue to use the current mail preparation options.

§ We clarified that Standard Mail nonmachinable letters over 3.3 ounces pay nonautomation flats prices.

§ We eliminated separate mailing agent and owner Confirm subscription prices. All Confirm subscribers will the pay the same subscription price, based on service level.

§ We postponed the Move Update noncompliance charge for Standard Mail until January 4, 2010.

Don’t forget, you can find all of the new prices, postage statements, downloadable price files, and other information to help you prepare for the pricing change at usps.com/prices/pricechanges.htm.

Letter-Size Booklet and Folded Self-Mailer Standards – Update

We will publish a final rule revising mailing standards for letter-size booklets next week. This is an advance notice that we are postponing implementation of the new standards until September 2009.

Also, current standards for folded self-mailers will remain in effect and we will continue to work with the mailing community to test various folded self-mailer designs. We will publish recommendations regarding folded self-mailers in September 2009. An additional proposed rule for folded self-mailers will be published upon completion of the test of mailer-supplied sample pieces.

We will use the DMM Advisory to keep you informed.