POSTAL SERVICE
39 CFR Part 111
Securing Bundles of Flats
AGENCY: Postal Serviceâ„¢.
ACTION: Proposed rule.
SUMMARY: The Postal Service is proposing to amend Mailing Standards of the
United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®) to modify the
requirements for securing bundles of flats.
DATES: Submit comments on or before [INSERT DATE 30 DAYS AFTER DATE
OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].
ADDRESSES: Mail or deliver written comments to the Director, Product
Classification, U.S. Postal Service, 475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Room 4446,
Washington, DC 20260-5015. If sending comments by email, include the name and
address of the commenter and send to PCFederalRegister@usps.gov, with a
subject line of “Securing Bundles of Flats.” Faxed comments are not accepted.
You may inspect and photocopy all written comments, by appointment only,
at USPS® Headquarters Library, 475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, 11th Floor North,
Washington, DC, 20260. These records are available for review on Monday through
Friday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., by calling 202-268-2906.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dale Kennedy at (202) 268-6592 or
Doriane Harley at (202) 268-2537.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: All submitted comments and attachments are
part of the public record and subject to disclosure. Do not enclose any material in
your comments that you consider to be confidential or inappropriate for public
disclosure.

Currently, the standards in DMM section 203.4.5 require bundles of flats to be
secured with banding, shrinkwrap, or shrinkwrap plus one or more bands.
Additionally, it allows the use of rubber bands and twine/string as banding materials
on bundles of flats.
The Postal Service is proposing to amend the standards in DMM section
DMM 203.4.4 to include an exemption for mailings of 500 flat-sized pieces or fewer
entered at the BMEU from bundle preparation. Applicable mailings may be prepared
loose in flat trays instead of in bundles. The Postal Service is also proposing to
amend the standards in sections 203.4.5, 203.4.8, and 203.4.9 to require all bundles
of flats to have two or more cross-strapped bands or be shrink-wrapped with two or
more cross-strapped bands and to eliminate the use of rubber bands and
twine/string for securing bundles of flats. Additionally, section 245.9.5(d) would be
amended to reflect that shrink-wrapped multi carrier route bundles require two or
more cross-strapped bands.
The Postal Service is proposing to implement this change effective August
18, 2024.
We believe that the proposed revisions will enable the Postal Service to
process bundled flats in a more efficient manner.
Although exempt from the notice and comment requirements of the
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553(b), (c)) regarding proposed rulemaking
by 39 U.S.C. 410(a), the Postal Service invites public comment on the proposed
revisions to Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail
Manual (DMM), incorporated by reference in the Code of Federal Regulations.
We will publish an appropriate amendment to 39 CFR part 111 to reflect these
changes if our proposal is adopted.
List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111

Administrative practice and procedure, Postal Service.
Accordingly, the Postal Service proposes the following changes to Mailing
Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM),
incorporated by reference in the Code of Federal Regulations (see 39 CFR 111.1):
PART 111 – [AMENDED]
1. The authority citation for 39 CFR part 111 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a); 13 U.S.C. 301-307; 18 U.S.C. 1692-1737; 39 U.S.C.
101, 401-404, 414, 416, 3001-3018, 3201-3220, 3401-3406, 3621, 3622, 3626,
3629, 3631-3633, 3641, 3681-3685, and 5001.
2. Revise the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service,
Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) as follows:
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual
(DMM)
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200 Commercial Letters, Cards, Flats, and Parcels
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203 Basic Postage Statement, Documentation, and Preparation Standards
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4.0 Bundles
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[Revise the title of 202.4.4 to read as follows:]
4.4 Exception to Bundle Preparation—Full Letter and Flat Trays and Small Flat
Mailings
[Add a sentence at the end of 4.4 to read as follows:]
***In mailings of 500 or fewer flat-sized pieces, mailers are not required to prepare
bundles and may place said pieces loose in flat trays.

4.5 Securing Bundles of Flats
Bundles must be able to withstand normal transit and handling without breakage or
injury to USPS employees, and are subject to the following requirements:
[Revise the text of item (a) to read as follows:]
a. Bundles must be secured with two or more cross-strapped bands or shrinkwrapped with two or more cross-strapped bands. Banding includes plastic
bands, and similar material. Use of wire or metal banding is not permitted.
[Delete current item (b) in its’ entirety]
[Renumber item (c) as item (b); then revise the text to read as follows:]
b. Bundles must be cross-strapped (encircle the length and girth of the bundle
at least once). Additional bands may be used if none lies within 1 inch of any
bundle edge.
[Add a new item (c) to read as follows:]
c. Rubber bands and twine/string are not permitted to use as banding to
secure bundles.
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4.8 Preparing Bundles in Sacks and Flat Trays
In addition to following the standards in 4.5 through 4.7, mailers must prepare
bundles placed in flat trays and sacks as follows:***
[Revise item (d) to read as follows:]
d. Bundles of pieces with covers of “coated stock” (glossy covers) that are not
individually enclosed in an envelope or mailing wrapper must be secured
with at least two plastic straps or with shrinkwrap plus two plastic straps and
must not exceed 6 inches in height.
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4.9 Preparing Bundles on Pallets

In addition to general bundling standards in 4.1, bundles on pallets must meet the
following standards:
[Revise item 4.9(a) to read as follows:]
a. Bundles must be secured with appropriate banding or shrinkwrap
supplemented by two or more bands. Banding includes
plastic bands (recommended) or similar material.
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245 Mail Preparation
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9.0 Preparing Enhanced Carrier Route Flats
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9.5 Multi Carrier Routes Bundle
A mailer may combine individual eligible bundles of USPS Marketing Mail Enhanced
Carrier Route basic price mail into a multi carrier routes bundle of the same 5-digit
ZIP Code under these conditions:***
[Revise the text of item 9.5(d) to read as follows:]
d. The multi carrier routes bundle must be secured with at least two crossstrapped bands, one around the length and one around the girth, or shrinkwrapped with two or more cross-strapped bands.
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Christopher Doyle,
Attorney, Ethics and Legal Compliance.

[FR Doc. 2024-13152 Filed: 6/13/2024 8:45 am; Publication Date: 6/14/2024]