February 16, 2023

Dear Members and Sponsors of the Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers:

We previously have reported that the Alliance suggested that the Postal Regulatory Commission require that the USPS report on service performance for nonprofit mail separately from commercial mail, for both Marketing and Periodicals Mail. The PRC agreed with this suggestion and published it in its proposed rule.

The Alliance further suggested that political and election mail, which sometimes use nonprofit Marketing Mail, be reported separately. In its Final Rule published today in the Federal Register, the PRC agreed to separate political and election mail from regular nonprofit Marketing Mail service performance. This is particularly important in light of the special, expedited treatment USPS has been giving election and political mail.

Here is the relevant passage in the Federal Register:

(j) For identifiable Nonprofit mail

(within the Periodicals and USPS

Marketing Mail classes of mail) that

does not also qualify as Political Mail or

Election Mail:

(1) The processing scores for service

performance (as a percentage rounded to

one decimal place) for the Nation;

(2) The processing scores for service

performance (as a percentage rounded to

one decimal place) for each Postal

Administrative Area; and

(3) The processing scores for service

performance (as a percentage rounded to

one decimal place) for each District

The Rule will become effective on March 20, 2023. For the first time, nonprofit mailers will be able to see official USPS service performance data on their mail separately from commercial, political, and election mail.