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New USPS Products for Parcel Select and Priority Mail

The United States Postal Service® (USPS®) announced three new products that will be offered in the future.

Parcel Select® Regional Ground Service

Parcel Select Regional Ground Service is a new price category, intended for commercial mailers who mail lightweight parcels to USPS Zones Local, 1, 2, and 3. The USPS filed this new price category with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) in February and the final rule was published in the Federal Register this week. To qualify for this new product, mailers must apply to the USPS and make a volume commitment. Other rules include:

  • Parcels must be machineable, measure .35 cubic foot or less, weigh 5 pounds or less, and bear designated postal routing and tracking barcodes.
  • Mailers must establish a volume commitment agreement with the USPS. In succeeding years, mailers must maintain account volumes that exceed 10,000 of these new parcels in the previous calendar year.
  • Postage must be paid using permit imprint.
  • Mailpieces must be entered with a routing barcode included as part of a concatenated Intelligent Mail package barcode (IMpb) or a Confirmation Services GS-128 barcode. (Optionally, a postal routing barcode may be printed separately with a non-concatenated barcode.)
  • Mailings must be a minimum of 200 pieces or 50 pounds for each mailing.
  • Mailers must use the Electronic Verification System (eVS) or submit postage statements and manifests electronically.
  • Mail destined for zones Local, 1, 2, and 3 must be entered at eligible eVS origin SCF locations, or mailings destined for zones Local through zone 8 may be entered at origin NDC locations.
  • Special marking requirements, including the words “PARCEL SELECT-REGIONAL GROUND” along with a service banner.

This new product becomes available April 17, 2011, and more details may be found in the March 16, 2011 Federal Register Notice.

Parcel Select Forwarding and Return To Sender

The USPS notified the PRC on March 16 that they intend to implement an additional $3.00 service fee on top of the Parcel Select barcoded non-presort price for Parcel Select items that are returned or forwarded. The USPS plans to send these returned/forwarded pieces to a Centralized Forwarding System (CFS) for automated handling, rather than handing it off for local delivery within the same office.

Priority Mail Forever Prepaid Flat Rate Packaging

The USPS also notified the PRC of their plans to offer a new price category in Priority Mail, which would allow for Forever Prepaid Flat Rate Packaging. The Forever pricing is similar to that currently offered for the Forever Stamps in First-Class Mail. This new Forever rate would be available only by using the prepaid packaging, which can only be purchased in multi-packs online using a credit card. The multi-packs will be sent to mailers with prepaid mailing labels affixed. Available packaging for this new product:

  • Flat Rate Envelopes: Regular, Legal and Padded
  • Flat Rate Boxes: Small, Medium (2 styles), and Large

This new product is also planned to be made available on April 17, 2011.

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