Update:  Work-Around Supporting the Postal Service’s 30-Day Grace Period

for Implementation of Sack Elimination

Effective:  January 22, 2023

The Postal Service is announcing that there will be 30-day grace period following the implementation of the new Sack Elimination rules for Periodical and USPS Marketing Mail flats on January 22, 2023.  This grace period is to allow the mailers time to modify their operations, adjust their mailing plans, and any other procedures to accommodate this change.  It will also allow for receipt of mail already in transit for drop ship at the time of the implementation.

During the grace period, the Postal Service will continue to accept and process this flat volume in sacks, bundles, or flat trays without penalty or assessment.  The grace period will expire February 21, 2023.  At that time, mailers will be required to be in compliance with the new rules.  Mailers that are able are encouraged to adopt the new rules as soon as they are ready.

Mailers submitting Periodicals mailings will be allowed to identify their sacks as trays in their eDoc but will be charged the Flat Tray Container Pricing.  At the end of each week a Data repair will be completed for any mailer submitting Periodical mailings electronically to complete an adjustment for the difference between the Tray Pricing and the Sack Pricing accordingly. 

Work Around for Submitting eDoc for PER and USPS Marketing Mail during the 30-Day Grace Period for Implementation of Sack Elimination:

Mail.xml

QualificationReportDetailCreateRequest-> QualificationReport -> ContainerInfoData -> ContainerType Updated from sack choice to “F”

PeriodicalStatementCreateRequest-> CreatePeriodicalStatement-> PeriodicalLineItemData-> ChargeableContainerType Updated from “Sacks” to “Trays”

Mail.dat

Periodical & Marketing mail flats in sacks that are not either 3-Digit / SCF / CR / 5-Digit sort entered at a DSCF or CR / 5-Digit sort entered at a DDU need to update the .csm Container Type (CSM-1005) from their sack value to F = Flat Tub.

Mailers that require an extension for use of sacks after January 22, 2023 must complete the spreadsheet posted here: Sack Extension Request Sheet | PostalPro (usps.com)

Mailers must complete the Sack Extension Request sheet each week and email it to PCSC@usps.gov  with the subject line SACK EXTENSION each Friday by 11:59 pm EST with the list of that weeks’ impacted mailings.

Postal Wizard/Manual postage statements presented for Periodical mailings will need to have manual adjustments to obtain the difference in tray pricing to parcel sack pricing.  BMEUs will complete those manual adjustments at the time of mailing.   

If you have any questions, please contact your local Business Mail Acceptance personnel.

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