Effective March 7, 2016, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®), sections 207.2.2 and 705.15.1, to allow mailers of combined Periodicals mailings to apportion the Periodicals Outside-County bundle and container charges according to the weight of each publication in the mailing, or according to the number of copies of each publication in the mailing. In addition, we are clarifying the rounding rules.
These changes apply to combined mailings of Periodicals publications and to mixed class co-mailings of Periodicals and Standard Mail. The total charges on all postage statements in a combined mailing must equal the total charges for all Periodicals bundles and containers presented for mailing.
In addition to apportioning the bundle and container charges, mailers may continue to use the options to pay the charges on one publisher’s PS Form 3541, Postage Statement — Periodicals (One Issue or One Edition Unless Used as a Consolidated Statement), or on one consolidated PS Form 3541.
Although this revision will appear in the DMM on March 7, 2016, mailers may apply these standards immediately.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
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200 Commercial Mail: Letters, Cards, Flats, and Parcels
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207 Periodicals
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2.0 Price Application and Computation
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2.2 Computing Postage
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2.2.7 Outside-County Bundle and Container Charges
[Revise 2.2.7 in its entirety to read as follows:]
The Outside-County bundle charge is the sum of the number of bundles for each bundle level and container level in the mailing subject to the Outside-County bundle prices, multiplied by the applicable bundle prices. The Outside-County container charge is the sum of the number of containers for each container type, container level, and entry level in the mailing subject to the Outside-County container prices, multiplied by the applicable container prices. Mailers must document the number of bundles and containers required for the prices claimed. If the documentation shows more bundles and containers are required than are presented for mailing, the mailer must pay the charges according to the documentation. Mailers cannot reduce the bundle and container charges by preparing fewer bundles and containers than standards require.
[Renumber current 2.2.8 as new 2.2.11 and insert new 2.2.8 through 2.2.10 for combined mailings as follows:]
2.2.8 Payment Options for Outside-County Bundle and Container Charges in a Combined Mailing
Mailers who prepare Periodicals publications as a combined mailing by merging copies or bundles of copies under 27.0 may pay the Outside-County bundle and container charges in one of the following ways:
a. On one publisher's PS Form 3541.
b. On one consolidated PS Form 3541. Under this option, the consolidator must complete the appropriate sections of the form and pay the charges from the consolidator's own advance deposit account.
c. Apportioned on each publisher's PS Form 3541 according to 2.2.9 and 2.2.10 below. The following standards apply:
1. The qualification report must be submitted electronically via Mail.dat. See 708.1.0 for additional documentation requirements.
2. The total charges on all PS Form 3541s in a combined mailing must equal the total charges for all bundles and containers subject to the Outside-County bundle and container prices.
2.2.9 Apportioning Outside-County Bundle Charges in a Combined Mailing
Mailers may apportion the Outside-County bundle charges to each title or edition in a combined mailing using one of the following methods:
a. According to the number of copies of each title or edition in each bundle. Repeat steps 1 through 4 for each title or edition.
1. Divide the number of copies of the title or edition in each bundle by the total number of copies in the bundle.
2. Add the resulting fractions to obtain a sum for the title or edition for each bundle type within the combined mailing (container level and bundle level).
3. Multiply this sum (rounded to four decimal places per 604.7.1.2d) by the price for the bundle type to obtain the title or edition’s total bundle charge for each bundle type.
5. Add the bundle charges for all bundle types to determine the total bundle charge for the title or edition.
b. According to the weight of each title or edition in each bundle. Repeat steps 1 through 4 for each title or edition.
1. Divide the combined weight of all copies of the title or edition in the bundle by the total weight of the bundle.
2. Add the resulting fractions to obtain a sum for the title or edition for each bundle type within the combined mailing (container level and bundle level).
3. Multiply this sum (rounded to four decimal places per 604.7.1.2d) by the price for the bundle type to obtain the title or edition’s total bundle charge for each bundle type.
4. Add the bundle charges for all bundle types to determine the total bundle charge for the title or edition.
2.2.10 Apportioning Outside-County Container Charges in a Combined Mailing
Mailers may apportion the Outside-County container charges to each title or edition in a combined mailing using one of the following methods:
a. According to the number of copies of each title or edition in each container. Repeat steps 1 through 4 for each title or edition.
1. Divide the number of copies of the title or edition in each container by the total number of copies in the container.
2. Add the resulting fractions to obtain a sum for the title or edition for each container type within the combined mailing (container level and entry).
3. Multiply this sum (rounded to four decimal places per 604.7.1.2d) by the price for the container type to obtain the title or edition’s total container charge for each container type.
4. Add the container charges for all container types to determine the total container charge for the title or edition.
b. According to the weight of each title or edition in each container. Repeat steps 1 through 4 for each title or edition.
1. Divide the combined weight of all copies of the title or edition in each container by the total weight of the container.
2. Add the resulting fractions to obtain a sum for the title or edition for each container type within the combined mailing (container level and entry).
3. Multiply this sum (rounded to four decimal places per 604.7.1.2d) by the price for the container type to obtain the title or edition’s total container charge for each container type.
4. Add the container charges for all container types to determine the total container charge for the title or edition.
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700 Special Standards
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705 Advanced Preparation and Special Postage Payment Systems
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15.0 Combining Standard Mail Flats and Periodicals Flats
15.1 Basic Standards
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[Revise 15.1.7 and 15.1.8 to read as follows:]
15.1.7 Applying the Periodicals Bundle Charge
Mailers may apportion the Outside-County bundle charges to each Periodicals title or edition in a combined mailing using one of the following methods:
a. According to the number of copies of each title or edition in each bundle. Repeat steps 1 through 4 for each title or edition.
1. For each bundle, divide the number of copies of the Periodicals title or edition in the bundle by the total number of Periodicals copies and Standard Mail mailpieces in the bundle. Repeat for every bundle in the combined mailing.
2. Add the resulting fractions to obtain a sum for the title or edition for each bundle type within the combined mailing (container level and bundle level).
3. Multiply this sum (rounded to four decimal places per 604.7.1.2d) by the price for the bundle type to obtain the bundle charge for each bundle type.
4. Add the bundle charges for all bundle types to determine the total bundle charge for the title or edition.
b. According to the weight of each title or edition in each bundle. Repeat steps 1 through 4 for each title or edition.
1. For each bundle, divide the combined weight of all copies of the Periodicals title or edition in the bundle by the total weight of the bundle. Repeat for every bundle in the combined mailing.
2. Add the resulting fractions to obtain a sum for the title or edition for each bundle type in the combined mailing (container level and bundle level).
3. Multiply this sum (rounded to four decimal places per 604.7.1.2d) by the price for the bundle type to obtain the bundle charge for each bundle type.
4. Add the bundle charges for all bundle types to determine the total bundle charge for the title or edition.
15.1.8 Applying the Periodicals Container Charge
Mailers may apportion the Outside-County container charges to each Periodicals title or edition in a combined mailing using one of the following methods:
a. According to the number of copies of each title or edition in each container. Repeat steps 1 through 5 for each title or edition.
1. For each container, divide the weight of Periodicals copies in the container by the total weight of the container (including Standard Mail) to obtain the Periodicals portion of the container. Repeat for every container in the combined mailing.
2. For each container, divide the number of copies of each Periodicals title or edition in the container by the total number of Periodicals copies in the container. Multiply this result by the Periodicals portion of the container calculated in step 1. Repeat for every container in the combined mailing.
3. Add the resulting fractions to obtain a sum for each title or edition for each container type within the combined mailing (container level and entry).
4. Multiply this sum (rounded to four decimal places per 604.7.1.2d) by the price for the container type to obtain the title or edition’s total container charge for each container type.
5. Add the container charges for all container types to determine the total container charge for each title or edition.
b. According to the weight of each title or edition in each container. Repeat steps 1 through 4 for each title or edition.
1. For each container, divide the combined weight of all copies of each Periodicals title or edition in the container by the total weight of the container. Repeat for every container in the combined mailing.
2. Add the resulting fractions to obtain a sum for each title or edition for each container type within the combined mailing (container level and entry).
3. Multiply this sum (rounded to four decimal places per 604.7.1.2d) by the price for the container type to obtain the title or edition’s total container charge for each container type.
4. Add the container charges for all container types to determine the total container charge for each title or edition.
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We will incorporate these revisions into the next update of the online DMM, which is available via Postal Explorer® at http://pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification,
Pricing, 1-7-16
