Along with the price increase that went into effect in January, there was also a significant change in mail preparation that became mandatory. Flat Sequence Sorter (FSS) mail preparation is now required, and it can significantly affect how your mailings are prepared as well as impact your postage. The following are some commonly asked questions about FSS preparation and the possible impacts this may have on your mailings.

What is FSS?

FSS stands for Flat Sequence Sorter. It is a sorting machine that has the ability to sort flat mail into delivery point sequence and reduces the amount of casing required to be performed manually by the carrier. USPS® purchased 100 of these machines and has deployed them across the United States, primarily in areas with high volumes of flat mail, which are typically in major urban areas. The FSS machines are very large. They take up the size of roughly a football field and building one requires 50 semi loads of equipment.

What type and class of mail is affected by the required FSS preparation?

The required preparation changes are limited to automation compatible flats for Periodical, Standard, and Bound Printed Matter. As noted previously, USPS only purchased 100 of these machines, so approximately 30 percent of the ZIP codes are being processed on FSS machines. The list of all the ZIP codes processed by FSS machines can be found as a USPS labeling list, L006. Automation flat mail that is destined for ZIP codes not covered by a FSS machine will continue to follow the pre-January preparation rules.

Are there any other exceptions to the required FSS preparation?

Yes, there are several exceptions:

• All saturation rate mail is exempt from FSS preparation

• Mailers have the option to exclude High Density and High Density Plus rate mail from FSS preparation

• Mailings of under 5,000 pieces are not required to perform FSS preparation

What is different about this new FSS preparation requirement?

As far as bundles and containers are concerned, you will see three things that are new: FSS scheme bundles, FSS scheme containers (pallets or sacks) and FSS facility containers (pallets or sacks). Each of these items will be covered in more detail below.

What is a FSS scheme bundle?

The creation of FSS scheme bundles are driven by the USPS L006 labeling list. The FSS machine has the capacity to sort an entire ZIP code or multiple 5-digit ZIP codes into delivery point sequence. Based on that, a FSS scheme bundle will contain one or more 5-digit ZIP codes. These FSS scheme bundles are also different because you essentially grab all the mail that is in the FSS scheme and create bundles. Depending on the counts and quantity of mail that is in all the bundles for a single scheme, presort will assign up to 7 possible rates to these FSS scheme bundles. The possible rates include: High Density Plus, High Density, Carrier Route Basic, 5-digit Automation, 5-digit Presorted, 3-digit Automation and 3-digit Presorted. Another interesting point, even though these FSS scheme bundles can have carrier route rates being claimed, there are no requirements around the order of the pieces in the bundles. USPS actually requests that the pieces be “randomized” because it helps the machine run more smoothly.

What is a FSS scheme container?

An FSS scheme container is a pallet or a sack that contains FSS scheme bundles for a single sort scheme (a single entry in L006). Remember, a single sort scheme is one or multiple 5-digit ZIP codes. When you have 250 pounds of FSS scheme bundles for a single sort scheme, USPS is requiring that mailers make a FSS scheme pallet, in addition, USPS will allow mailers the option to create FSS scheme pallets that are less than 250 pounds.

What is a FSS facility container?

As noted above, the FSS machine has the ability to sort an entire 5-digit or multiple 5-digits into delivery point sequence. A single machine has the capacity to process several schemes each day (each separate entries in L006). USPS has some locations that have more than one machine. The FSS facility container is a sack or pallet of FSS scheme bundles for all the sort schemes that are run at that facility.

For example, imagine you had 200 pounds of mail for scheme #1, 150 pounds for scheme #2, and 200 pounds for scheme #3. If running with a 250 pound FSS scheme pallet, no FSS scheme pallets would be made, but it would be possible to make a 550 pound FSS facility pallet. FSS facility containers (pallets and sacks) are optional and mailers have the option to turn them completely off and not make them.

What happens to FSS scheme bundles that don’t make it on a FSS scheme or FSS facility container?

These bundles will cascade down through the sortation like other bundles, so you will see these FSS scheme bundles in all the container levels (3-digit, SCF, ADC, NDC, etc…).

Are there advantages to mailers for doing FSS preparation?

Yes there are several possible benefits to mailers:

In general, there will be fewer bundles in the mailing. The reason for this is that since FSS covers one or several ZIP Codes, all the smaller carrier route bundles go away and will become more uniform in size. For Periodicals, the fewer bundles will result in less postage because there is a charge for every bundle created in a mailing.

The USPS request to have pieces randomized in FSS scheme bundles eliminates the bundle sequencing requirements for carrier routes.

Periodical Mail has an incentive to the FSS scheme pallet to where the machine is located. Instead of a drop ship discount, USPS is waving the FSS scheme pallet container charge. This only applies to FSS scheme pallets and does not apply to FSS facility pallets, FSS scheme sacks or FSS facility sacks.

Standard Mail® has an incentive to take the FSS scheme pallet to where the machine is located (Drop Shipped). The DFSS discount is an additional tenth of a cent discount more than DSCF entry. However, there are several caveats:

- The DFSS discount is only for FSS scheme pallets and does not apply to FSS facility pallets, FSS scheme sacks, or FSS facility sacks.

- Pieces in the FSS scheme bundle that get the 3-digit automation or 3-digit presorted price do not qualify for the DFSS discount (they will get a DSCF discount instead).

- FSS scheme and FSS facility containers can be entered at the SCF for the DSCF discount.

- FSS scheme and FSS facility containers can be entered at the NDC for the DNDC discount.

Is there anything else I need to be aware of?

Actual results will vary greatly depending on the makeup of your list. For large mailings, mailers will see an increase in the number of pallets being created due to the required 250 pound FSS scheme pallet. Other pallet levels are not required to be made until 500 pounds.

For more information on FSS preparation, here are some additional resources you can check out:

Click here to download the latest FSS fact sheet provided by USPS.

View our quick five-minute Satori Postal Insight video, New Rules for FSS Mail, and see learn about what the new requirement entails along with what opportunities you can expect.

Feel free to email us with any questions you may have or post it in the comments box below.