New Mailing Standards for Domestic Mailing Services Products

USPS Informational Webinars on Service Standard Changes

The new service standard changes took effect April 1st, 2025. The new measurement is using a 5-D to 5-D versus the less granular 3-D to 3-D. Phase one of this change will be adding in an additional day into single piece First-Class mail that is entered more than 50 miles from an origin Regional Processing and Distribution Center (RPDC) and non destination entered Marketing Mail and Periodicals.

Search for a new Postmaster General (PMG) – could the wait be over?

This is the first National Postal Forum in my recollection in which we did not have a permanent Postmaster General (PMG) in office. There have been transitional periods in USPS leadership – such as when acting PMG is in place due to retirement, resignation, or before a successor is officially named, but historically that replacement has been named prior to the NPF.

Takeaways from the National Postal Forum 2025

Last week concluded a very successful National Postal Forum in Nashville, TN. GrayHair participated in six sessions at the forum on topics of Address Quality, Hot topics in Mail, Bridging the Gender Gap with leadership tips, and working with Postal and Client Data at Scale.

July 2025 Postage Increase

The U.S. Postal Service recently filed notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) of mailing services price changes to take effect July 13. The new rates include a 5-cent increase in the price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp (increasing from 73 cents to 78 cents). The bulk mail price file has yet to be posted on the PRC site.

The Postal Service published on May 1st in the Federal Register a proposed rule for the structure changes as part of the proposed July 2025 postage increase. A final rule will be published once the Postal Regulatory Commission approves the R2025-1 Market Dominant rate change.

The document contains 120+ pages of Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) language changes necessary for software vendors in order to code for changes such as elimination of NDC entry, DNDC discount, and required NDC sortation, as well as what qualifies for the new First-Class mail SCF pallet incentives.

All comments on the R2025-1 docket are due by Friday, May 9th, 2025. The PRC is expected to approve or remand the July rate case by May 30th, 2025.