[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 232 (Tuesday, December 3, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66239-66241]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-26061]
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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. MC2019-17 and CP2019-155; Order No. 5323]
Transfer of Inbound Letter Post Small Packets and Bulky Letters
AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recently filed Postal Service
motion to effectuate the transfer of Inbound Letter Post Small Packets
and Bulky Letters to the Competitive product list on January 1, 2020.
This notice informs the public of the filing, invites public comment,
and takes other administrative steps.
DATES: Comments are due: December 10, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments electronically via the Commission's Filing
Online system at http://
[[Page 66240]]
www.prc.gov. Those who cannot submit comments electronically should
contact the person identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
section by telephone for advice on filing alternatives.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David A. Trissell, General Counsel, at
202-789-6820.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Background
III. Proposed Prices
IV. Administrative Actions
V. Ordering Paragraphs
I. Introduction
On November 20, 2019, the Postal Service filed a motion to
effectuate the transfer of Inbound Letter Post Small Packets and Bulky
Letters to the Competitive product list on January 1, 2020.\1\ With its
Motion, the Postal Service filed proposed prices for the Inbound Letter
Post Small Packets and Bulky Letters product that become effective on
January 1, 2020. Motion at 4. The Postal Service intends to implement
specific per-item and per-kilogram self-declared prices for Inbound
Letter Post Small Packets and Bulky Letters on July 1, 2020.\2\ Given
that the Motion proposes prices and implicates both of the above
captioned dockets, the Commission issues this Notice and Order to
provide notice of the Postal Service's proposal and provide for an
opportunity for comment.
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\1\ Docket No. MC2019-17, Motion of the United States Postal
Service to Effectuate Transfer on January 1, 2020, and Application
for Non-Public Treatment, November 20, 2019, at 1 (Motion).
\2\ Id. at 3. See generally Docket No. CP2019-155, Notice of the
United States Postal Service of Effective Date and Specific Rates
Not of General Applicability for Inbound E-Format Letter Post, and
Application for Non-Public Treatment, October 29, 2019 (Notice).
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II. Background
In Order No. 4980, the Commission conditionally approved the
transfer of Inbound Letter Post Small Packets and Bulky Letters items
from the Market Dominant to Competitive products list.\3\ Before
Inbound Letter Post Small Packets and Bulky Letters may be added to the
Competitive product list, the Postal Service must propose and the
Commission must approve prices that satisfy 39 U.S.C. 3633(a) and 39
CFR part 3015. Order No. 4980 at 19.
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\3\ Docket No. MC2019-17, Order Conditionally Approving
Transfer, January 9, 2019 (Order No. 4980).
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In Order No. 5152, the Commission approved a range of self-declared
prices for Inbound Letter Post Small Packets and Bulky Letters from
Universal Postal Union (UPU) group I, II, and III countries and from
group IV countries with mail flows that exceed a certain annual tonnage
threshold.\4\ The Commission also approved the application of default
terminal dues established in the Universal Postal Convention to mail
flows from group IV countries that do not exceed the annual tonnage
threshold. Order No. 5152 at 5. When approving the range of self-
declared prices, the Commission directed the Postal Service to provide
notice of specific per-item and per-kilogram prices at least 15 days
before the effective date of those prices. Id. at 19. On October 29,
2019, the Postal Service provided notice of specific per-item and per-
kilogram self-declared prices that it intends to implement on July 1,
2020.\5\
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\4\ Docket No. CP2019-155, Order Approving Range of Rates for
Inbound Letter Post Small Packets and Bulky Letters and Associated
International Registered Mail Service, July 12, 2019, at 5 (Order
No. 5152). The Postal Service applied an annual tonnage threshold of
100 tonnes. See Docket No. CP2019-155, Responses of the United
States Postal Service to Questions 1-10 of Chairman's Information
Request No. 1, question 3.a, June 7, 2019.
\5\ The Commission previously issued a notice of these specific
per-item and per-kilogram self-declared prices and invited comments
regarding these self-declared prices in Docket No. CP2019-155.
Docket No. CP2019-155, Notice and Order Concerning Rates Not of
General Applicability for Inbound E Format Letter Post, October 30,
2019 (Order No. 5288). The Commission will evaluate the comments
submitted in response to Order No. 5288 in a future order addressing
the proposed prices for Inbound Letter Post Small Packets and Bulky
Letters in the above captioned dockets.
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III. Proposed Prices
In the Motion, the Postal Service requests that the Commission
approve the addition of Inbound Letter Post Small Packets and Bulky
Letters to the Competitive product list, effective January 1, 2020.
Motion at 1. The Motion identifies two sets of prices that would be in
effect in Calendar Year (CY) 2020. First, terminal dues established by
the Universal Postal Convention and its Regulations will apply from
January 1, 2020, to June 30, 2020. See id. at 4. Second, for countries
with mail flows that exceed applicable annual tonnage thresholds, the
Postal Service proposes self-declared prices, which it intends to
implement on July 1, 2020. Id.
The Postal Service's Motion includes redacted financial workpapers
supporting these proposed prices and a certification pursuant to 39 CFR
3015.5(c)(2). Id. at 1; id. Attachment 2. In addition, the Postal
Service includes the proposed prices and underlying workpapers under
seal. See Motion at 1-2. The Postal Service states that the specific
per-item and per-kilogram prices and supporting unredacted workpapers
should remain confidential. Id. at 1-2 n.2. The Postal Service further
explains its request for non-public treatment in its application for
non-public treatment, filed pursuant to 39 CFR part 3007. Id.
Attachment 1.
The Postal Service states that prices for the Inbound Letter Post
Small Packets and Bulky Letters pieces and associated Inbound
Competitive International Registered Mail Service would conform to the
requirements for competitive products under 39 U.S.C. 3633. Id. at 6-8.
The Postal Service states that, for a 12-month forward looking period,
the revenue generated by the proposed prices for CY 2020 cover
attributable costs, avoid cross-subsidization, and do not impede
competitive products' collective ability to cover the appropriate share
of institutional costs. Id. at 6. The Postal Service asserts that the
Commission should evaluate compliance based on the 12-month period
following the transfer, which includes both the CY 2020 terminal dues,
which go into effect on January 1, 2020, and the self-declared prices,
which the Postal Service intends to implement on July 1, 2020. Id. at
7.
IV. Administrative Actions
The Commission invites comments on whether the planned changes are
consistent with the policies of 39 U.S.C. 3632, 3633, and 3642; 39 CFR
part 3015; and 39 CFR 3020.30 et seq. Comments are due by December 10,
2019.
The Request and related filings are available on the Commission's
website (http://www.prc.gov). The Commission encourages interested
persons to review the Motion and the Notice for further details.
Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, Katalin K. Clendenin will serve as
Public Representative to represent the interests of the general public
in these dockets.
V. Ordering Paragraphs
It is ordered:
1. The Commission invites interested persons an opportunity to
express views and offer comments on whether the planned changes are
consistent with the policies of 39 U.S.C. 3632, 3633, and 3642; 39 CFR
part 3015; and 39 CFR 3020.30 et seq.
2. Comments are due no later than December 10, 2019.
3. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, Katalin K. Clendenin will serve as an
officer of the Commission (Public Representative) to represent the
interests of the general public in these dockets.
[[Page 66241]]
4. The Secretary shall arrange for publication of this Order in the
Federal Register.
By the Commission.
Darcie S. Tokioka,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-26061 Filed 12-2-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P