Customer Support Ruling

Combining Bound Printed Matter Flat-Sized Pieces



May 2018

PS-349 (705.15)

This Customer Support Ruling (CSR) provides an additional option to allow mailers to mail Bound Printed Matter (BPM) flat-sized pieces that are no more than 3/4 inch thick that weigh over 20 ounces and up to 24 ounces in a mixed class combined mailing.

Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) 705.15 provides that mailers may combine USPS Marketing Mail, BPM, and Periodicals, machinable flat-sized pieces in a single mailing. The criteria in the DMM states in part, that the maximum weight for automation BPM flat-sized pieces is 20 ounces.

This ruling allows mailers to include in a mixed class combined mailing of USPS Marketing Mail, BPM, and Periodicals, machinable flat-sized pieces, to contain a small percentage of BPM pieces that weigh up to 24 ounces maximum. Specifically, we will allow up to 25% of BPM pieces in the non-carrier route portion of the comail pool to weigh more than 20 ounces up to 24 ounces and be comailed under DMM 705.15.

In reference to CSR PS-325, Combining Periodicals Flat-Sized Pieces, which also allows up to 25% of Periodicals pieces in the non-carrier route portion of the comail pool to weigh more than 20 ounces up to 24 ounces, mailers can only use the 25% allowance for pieces weighing up to 24 ounces for either Periodicals or BPM pieces in a mixed class mailing. 

The Postal Service reserves the right to rescind this CSR if we discover any operational impacts due to this support ruling. 

(Signed)

Lizbeth Dobbins

Manager

Product Classification

Headquarters, US Postal Service

Washington, DC  20260-5015