Alliance Alert – USPS Proposal to Remove Bound Printed Matter Denied by PRC

June 25, 2025

Dear Alliance Members:

It’s a win for mailers.

This afternoon, the Postal Regulatory Commission issued an order denying the United States Postal Service’s request to remove Bound Printed Matter (BPM) from the product list.

The PRC concluded:

The Commission finds that the Postal Service’s rationale for the removal of BPM Flats and BPM Parcels from the Market Dominant product list is outweighed by the additional considerations to which the Commission is required to give due regard pursuant to 39 U.S.C. § 3642(b)(3). Additionally, the Commission finds that the removal of BPM Flats and BPM Parcels would materially harm mailers by abusing the Postal Service’s market power to impose a monopolistic rate increase. See USPS, 886 F.3d at 1269. Accordingly, the Commission finds the proposed removal of BPM Flats and BPM Parcels is inconsistent with the standards of 39 U.S.C. § 3642 and therefore denies the Request.

Separately, the Postal Service may implement the proposed increase to the maximum weight limit for USPS Marketing Mail. The Postal Service shall notify the Commission of the effective date of the classification changes.

The Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers joined the Association for Postal Commerce in opposition to this proposal, and our Alliance Board President James Asselmeyer filed comments in opposition on behalf of Guideposts.