Proposed USPS Standards Irk Some Mail Groups

The U.S. Postal Service is already drawing criticism on its proposed new mailing standards from mailer groups, particularly on the issues of automatable flats.

Last week, the USPS unveiled a set of mailing standards it hoped would encourage companies to prepare their mail to make it “compatible with [its] improved processing capabilities.”

Separately, mailers were uncertain if Congress could pass postal reform legislation in a lame-duck session after the election. Congress came very close to passing a bill in late September as the Congressional session was drawing to a close.

Gene Del Polito, president of the Association for Postal Commerce, blasted the proposals then for flats like parcels, which would costs a lot more money.

“Mailers of CDs and cosmetics kits will be the most affected if these proposals go through,” he said.

“I hope we can make our objections loud enough so that the Postal Rate Commission hears our objections,” said Del Polito.

“We’re still evaluating proposals but are concerned about certain proposals in parcels and nonmachinable flats and definitions of each,” said Jerry Cerasale, senior vice president of the Direct Marketing Association. “We’re surveying our members right now to see what their feelings are.”

The USPS is accepting public comments on these proposals until Nov. 13.
The USPS is proposing in part:

• A 3.5-ounce maximum weight for all first-class letters.
• Fewer presort requirements for first-class and standard mail non-barcoded machinable letters.
• Requiring full trays for most enhanced carrier route (ECR) mail.
• That all flats be rectangular, flexible, and uniformly thick. Non-rectangular, non-uniform or rigid pieces pay parcel or not flat-machinable prices.
• Consistent size standards for all flats. For example, Standard Mail ECR flats will have the same maximum size as all other flats.
• Physical standards for automation flats adjusted to meet the current criteria, with new standards for flexibility and deflection.
• A new category for standard mail pieces with parcel-like characteristics, including rigid pieces.
• A 10-pound minimum requirement for a parcel to qualify for presort rates.
• The elimination of almost all bundling of parcels.
• Enhanced discounts to encourage drop shipping parcels to destination delivery units with no minimum volume requirement for parcels sorted to the 5-digit level.
• Additional options to combine different classes of parcels in sacks and on pallets to achieve finer levels of presort as long as they are in the same processing category.
• Requiring barcoding of parcels unless prepared in 5-digit/scheme containers.