Optional Pallet Preparation and Labeling for Mailings of Nonmachinable, Nonbarcoded Carrier Route Letters or Flats with In-Home Delivery Dates

UPDATED January 2017

PS-341 (705.8.0)

This Customer Support Ruling describes optional pallet preparation and labeling requirements that may be used with nonmachinable, nonbarcoded mailings of USPS Marketing Mail or Periodicals carrier route letters or flats (saturation, high density or carrier route prices) for which a specific in-home delivery date is requested.

Mailings prepared in accordance with these requirements must meet the following conditions:

• Mailpieces must be prepared on 5-digit pallets or containers, carrier route bundles on SCF or 3-digit pallets or containers, 5-digit sacks on SCF or 3-digit pallets or containers, or non-containerized 5-digit sacks.
• Pallets/containers must be entered directly at a DDU or DSCF; non-containerized sacks must be entered directly at the DDU.
• Only mailings of 100% nonbarcoded letters or flats are eligible.
• Pallets must be part of a single mailing (no combined mailings) and must contain only carrier route (saturation, high density or basic) mailpieces.
• Mailpieces must be nonmachinable. For this purpose, nonmachinable flats include pieces that do not pass the deflection standards in 301.1.6, whether or not those pieces are required to pass that standard.

Mailings prepared in accordance with this CSR must provide requested in-home delivery date text on a separate designator label. The following applies:

• Pallet placards prepared under this option must include the nonmachinable description “NM” as the last element of the “line 2 “information (for example: MKT FLTS CR-RTS NM) on the pallet/container placard.
• All requests for specific in-home delivery dates must be provided on designator labels using the exact format as illustrated in Exhibit A and Exhibit B below.
• Designator labels for 5-digit pallets must be prepared using the “5D Direct” template (See Exhibit A).
• Designator labels for SCF or 3-digit pallets/containers of 5-digit sacks or carrier-route bundles must be prepared using the “SCF/3-digit Breakdown” template (See Exhibit B). Additionally, each bundle on an SCF or 3-digit pallet (whether sacked or placed directly on the pallet) must bear a facing slip displaying the requested in-home date followed by “NON-MACH” and/or each mailpiece must have the requested in-home date followed by “NON-MACH” printed above the address block and OEL. For bundles required to bear facing slips, due to other standards or preferred production methods, the requested in-home date and “NON-MACH’ marking must be the top-most element of the facing slip.
• Mailings of bundles placed in non-containerized sacks will not require designator labels, but must include facing slips on bundles and/or markings on each mailpiece as described above for SCF or 3-digit pallets.
• Lettering on designator labels must be at least ¼ inch high (or at least 24-point type).
• Designator labels must be white, printed in landscape orientation and must not include any print or graphics other than the text specified in the “In-Home Date” labels as illustrated in below exhibits.
• Designator labels on pallets or similar containers must meet or exceed both the horizontal and vertical dimensions of the accompanying pallet placard.
• Designator labels may be affixed on the outside of, or be placed beneath, any shrinkwrap or plastic, but must be immediately adjacent to each pallet placard.

Exhibit A                                                                    Exhibit B

[INSERT EXHIBIT A GRAPHIC HERE.]                                 [INSERT EXHIBIT B GRAPHIC HERE.]

(Signed)

Lizbeth Dobbins

Manager

Product Classification

Headquarters, US Postal Service

Washington, DC  20260-5015