Process for Mailings Prepared Using Pre-Price Change Mailing Standards

Process for Mailings Prepared Using Pre-Price Change Mailing Standards; Submitted Post-Price Change on or after January 22, 2017:

With the upcoming price changes that go into effect on January 22, 2017, there may be instances where mailings have been prepared using the pre-price change mailing standards and will be presented on or after January 22, 2017.

Examples of the mailing standards that are affected are:

1. The USPS will be combining 3-digit and Automated Area Distribution Center (AADC) presorts into a single AADC presort level for First-Class Mail automation and presorted letters and cards and USPS Marketing Mail (Standard Mail) automation and presorted letters for both regular and non-profit mailings.

2. FSS-specific pricing structures for Periodicals, USPS Marketing Mail (Standard Mail) and Bound Printed Matter flats are being eliminated.

— An optional endorsement line (OEL) will be required on each FSS scheme mailpiece.

— USPS Marketing Mail (Standard Mail) High Density, High Density Plus and all Periodicals carrier route flats (including saturation) will be required to be included in the FSS sort.

Exception Requests

If any mailings are impacted because of these or other changes, mailers and/or mail service providers (MSP) should request an exception to the Pricing and Classification Service Center (PCSC) through their local Business Mail Entry Unit (BMEU).

The customer’s written request must be on the customer’s letterhead and state the specific problem, the mailpiece owner, the affected mailing standard(s); including mail class and processing category, the proposed date(s) of mailing, the mailing job ID #, the mailing/submitting Post Office, and when the problem will be resolved.

MSPs with multiple mailings of multiple mailpiece owners, and multiple mailing/submitting Post Office locations, must submit the request to only one of those Post Office locations.

For mailings that will be submitted with the pre-price software and mailing after January 21, 2017, the mailer will be required to submit a manual postage statement with the postage calculated with the new prices along with the attached Price Change Adjustment Worksheet that will display the pre-price change total postage, the post price change total postage and the difference or postage adjustment amount.