Removing Bound Printed Matter From the Market Dominant Product List and Raising USPS Marketing Mail Weight Limits
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Issuing agencies
Abstract
Effective no earlier than July 2025, the Postal Service proposes to remove two products, Bound Printed Matter Flats (BPM Flats) and Bound Printed Matter Parcels (BPM Parcels), from the Market Dominant Product List. Concurrent with this proposed removal, the Postal Service also proposes raising the weight limits for certain USPS Marketing Mail products. The Commission seeks public comments on the Postal Service's filings.
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 11 (Friday, January 17, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 11 (Friday, January 17, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6035-6036]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-01129]
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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. MC2025-948 and MC2025-958; Order No. 8596]
Removing Bound Printed Matter From the Market Dominant Product
List and Raising USPS Marketing Mail Weight Limits
AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Effective no earlier than July 2025, the Postal Service
proposes to remove two products, Bound Printed Matter Flats (BPM Flats)
and Bound Printed Matter Parcels (BPM Parcels), from the Market
Dominant Product List. Concurrent with this proposed removal, the
Postal Service also proposes raising the weight limits for certain USPS
Marketing Mail products. The Commission seeks public comments on the
Postal Service's filings.
DATES: Comments are due: February 7, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments electronically via the Commission's Filing
Online system at <a href="https://www.prc.gov">https://www.prc.gov</a>. Those who cannot submit comments
electronically should contact the person identified in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section by telephone for advice on filing
alternatives.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David A. Trissell, General Counsel, at
202-789-6820.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Proposal
III. Administrative Actions
IV. Ordering Paragraphs
I. Introduction
On December 20, 2024, pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 3642 and 39 CFR
3040.130 et seq., the Postal Service filed a request to remove Bound
Printed Matter Flats (BPM Flats) and Bound Printed Matter Parcels (BPM
Parcels) from the Market Dominant Product List.\1\ To support this
request, the Postal Service filed a copy of the Governors' Decision
supporting the request, a Certification by a Postal Service official
attesting to the accuracy of the factual information appearing in the
request, and proposed changes to the Mail Classification Schedule
(MCS). See BPM Removal Request, Attachments A-C.
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\1\ Docket No. MC2025-948, United States Postal Service Request
to Remove Bound Printed Matter from the Market-Dominant Product
List, December 20, 2024 (BPM Removal Request).
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Also on December 20, 2024, pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 3682 and 39 CFR
3040.211, the Postal Service filed a notice of a set of changes to
raise the weight limits for USPS Marketing Mail Parcels and for flat-
shaped mailpieces within three USPS Marketing Mail products (High
Density and Saturation Flats/Parcels, Carrier Route, and Flats.\2\ The
Postal Service filed a copy of its proposed changes to the MCS for
three of those four affected products. See Marketing Mail Weight Limit
Notice, Attachment A.
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\2\ Docket No. MC2025-958, Notice of the United States Postal
Service of Updates to the Maximum Weight Limit for Marketing Mail,
December 20, 2024 (Marketing Mail Weight Limit Notice)
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II. Proposal
Effective no earlier than July 2025, the Postal Service proposes to
remove two products, BPM Flats and BPM Parcels, from the Market
Dominant Product List. See BPM Removal Request at 2-3. The Postal
Service states that BPM Flats and BPM Parcels containing catalogs,
promotional material, or other advertising material may then be sent as
USPS Marketing Mail. See id. at 2. The Postal Service explains that BPM
Flats and BPM Parcels containing books may not be sent as USPS
Marketing Mail because that class excludes order fulfillment.\3\ Thus,
the Postal Service states that such books may be sent as Package
Services Media Mail/Library Mail or by using Competitive products such
as USPS Ground Advantage. See BPM Removal Request at 2. If removed, the
Package Services class will contain only two products, Alaska Bypass
Service and Media Mail/Library Mail. Id. at 1. The Postal Service
asserts that it has provided all information required pursuant to 39
CFR 3040.131 and 3040.132 and includes Table 3 to serve as a table of
contents for a reader to locate the information. See id. at 3-4.
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\3\ See id. at 2 (citing Mailing Standards of the United States
Postal Service Domestic Mail Manual 243.3.2.2, available at <a href="https://pe.usps.com/DMM300">https://pe.usps.com/DMM300</a>).
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Concurrent with the proposed removal described above, the Postal
Service also proposes raising the weight limits for certain USPS
Marketing Mail products to: 15 pounds for Parcels, 24 ounces for flat-
shaped mailpieces within High Density and Saturation Flats/Parcels, 24
ounces for flat-shaped mailpieces within Carrier Route, and 20 ounces
for Flats. See Marketing Mail Weight Limit Notice at 1. The weight
limit for letter-shaped mailpieces within USPS Marketing Mail will
remain at less than 16 ounces (15.999 ounces). See BPM Removal Request
at 2.
III. Administrative Actions
The Commission establishes Docket No. MC2025-948 to consider
matters raised by the BPM Removal Request and Docket No. MC2025-958 to
consider matters raised by the Marketing Mail Weight Limit Notice. See
39 CFR 3040.133, 3040.211(b). The instant dockets involve related
issues pertaining to product consolidation and the Postal Service does
not object to consolidation of the dockets. See Marketing Mail Weight
Limit Notice at 1. Accordingly, the Commission will consolidate them.
See 39 CFR 3010.104.
The Commission invites comments on the BPM Removal Request and the
Marketing Mail Weight Limit Notice. Comments are due no later than
February 7, 2025. The filings can be accessed via the Commission's
website (<a href="https://www.prc.gov">https://www.prc.gov</a>). In accordance with 39 CFR
3040.211(a)(1), the Postal Service is directed to file its proposed
[[Page 6036]]
changes to the MCS for USPS Marketing Mail Parcels by January 21, 2025.
Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, the Commission appoints Christopher Mohr
to represent the interests of the general public (Public
Representative) in these dockets.
IV. Ordering Paragraphs
It is ordered:
1. The Commission establishes Docket No. MC2025-948 to consider
matters raised by the BPM Removal Request.
2. The Commission establishes Docket No. MC2025-958 to consider
matters raised by the Marketing Mail Weight Limit Notice.
3. The Commission consolidates Docket Nos. MC2025-948 and MC2025-
958.
4. In accordance with 39 CFR 3040.211(a)(1), the Postal Service is
directed to file its proposed changes to the MCS for USPS Marketing
Mail Parcels by January 21, 2025.
5. Comments by interested persons are due by February 7, 2025.
6. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, the Commission appoints Christopher
Mohr to serve as an officer of the Commission (Public Representative)
to represent the interests of the general public in this docket.
7. The Secretary shall arrange for publication of this Order or an
abstract thereof) in the Federal Register.
By the Commission.
Erica A. Barker,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2025-01129 Filed 1-16-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P
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