Understanding Postal: Beyond Rising Postal Rates

In this case, the USPS is distinguishing flats eligibility according to two new criteria. The first is for mail that meets the maximum permissible dimensions for AFSM 100 mail processing but doesn’t carry a barcode. This category of mail will be known as nonautomation machinable flats.

Yet another category will exist for mail pieces that don’t conform to the dimensions eligible for AFSM 100 processing, and these will be known as Not Flat Machinable (NFM) Flats/Parcels. This proposed category most likely would include pieces that are rigid (e.g., prepared in boxes or other rigid containers) and pieces smaller than 5-inches-by-6-inches, or more than 12-inches-by-15-inches.