[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 201 (Thursday, October 17, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55599-55600]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-22651]
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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. R2020-1; Order No. 5273]
Market Dominant Price Adjustment
AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recently filed Postal Service
notice of inflation-based rate adjustments affecting market dominant
domestic and international products and services, along with temporary
mailing promotions and numerous proposed classification changes. The
adjustments and other changes are scheduled to take effect January 26,
2020. This notice informs the public of the filing, invites public
comment, and takes other administrative steps.
DATES: Comments are due: October 29, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments electronically via the Commission's Filing
Online system at http://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 and Overview
II. Initial Administrative Actions
III. Ordering Paragraphs
I. Introduction and Overview
On October 9, 2019, the Postal Service filed a notice of inflation-
based price adjustments affecting market dominant domestic and
international products and services, along with temporary mailing
promotions and numerous
[[Page 55600]]
proposed classification changes to the Mail Classification Schedule
(MCS).\1\ The intended effective date is January 26, 2020. Notice at 1.
The Notice, which was filed pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 3622 and 39 CFR part
3010, triggers a notice-and-comment proceeding.\2\
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\1\ United States Postal Service Notice of Market-Dominant Price
Change, October 9, 2019 (Notice).
\2\ This is a Type 1-B proceeding. See 39 CFR part 3010,
subparts A-C for additional information.
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Contents of filing. The Postal Service's filing consists of the
Notice, which the Postal Service represents addresses the data and
information required under 39 CFR 3010.12; four attachments
(Attachments A-D) to the Notice; and seven sets of workpapers filed as
library references.
Attachment A presents the proposed price and related product
description changes to the MCS. Notice, Attachment A. Attachments B and
C address workshare discounts and the price cap calculation,
respectively. Id. Attachments B and C. Attachment D presents the
promotions schedule. Id. Attachment D.
Several library references present supporting financial
documentation for the five classes of mail. Notice at 4-5 nn.9-11. The
Postal Service filed one library reference pertaining to the two
international mail products within First-Class Mail (Outbound Single-
Piece First-Class Mail International and Inbound Letter Post) under
seal and applied for non-public treatment of those materials.\3\
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\3\ See USPS Notice of Filing USPS-LR-R2020-1/NP1, October 9,
2019, Attachment 1.
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Planned price adjustments. The Postal Service's planned percentage
changes by class are, on average, as follows:
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Planned price
Market dominant class adjustment
(%)
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First-Class Mail........................................ 1.919
USPS Marketing Mail..................................... 1.891
Periodicals............................................. 1.900
Package Services........................................ 1.892
Special Services........................................ 1.905
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Id. at 4.
Price adjustments for products within classes vary from the
average. See, e.g., id. at 7, 22 (Table 5 showing range for First-Class
Mail products and Table 7 showing range for USPS Marketing Mail
products). Most of the planned adjustments entail increases to market
dominant rates and fees; however, in a few instances, the Postal
Service proposes either no adjustment or a decrease. See id. at 7.
Proposed classification changes. The Postal Service proposes
numerous classification changes in its Notice and identifies the impact
on the MCS in Attachment A. Id. at 37-39; id. Attachment A.
Calendar year 2020 promotions. The Postal Service seeks approval
for the following six promotions for the indicated periods:
Tactile, Sensory and Interactive Mailpiece Engagement Promotion
(February 1-July 31, 2020);
Emerging and Advanced Technology Promotion (March 1-August
31, 2020);
Earned Value Reply Mail Promotion (April 1-June 30, 2020);
Personalized Color Transpromo Promotion (July 1-December
31, 2020);
Mobile Shopping Promotion (August 1-December 31, 2020);
and
Informed Delivery Promotion (September 1-November 30,
2020).
Id. Attachment D.
II. Initial Administrative Actions
Pursuant to 39 CFR 3010.11(a), the Commission establishes Docket
No. R2020-1 to consider the planned price adjustments for market
dominant postal products and services, as well as the related
classification changes, identified in the Notice. The Commission
invites comments from interested persons on whether the Postal
Service's filing is consistent with the applicable statutory and
regulatory requirements, including 39 U.S.C. 3622 and 39 CFR part 3010.
The Commission further notes that any issues specifically related to
Docket No. R2019-1 First-Class Mail rates and the Carlson decision will
be addressed in a separate order in Docket No. R2019-1 and will not be
adjudicated as part of the instant proceeding. Comments are due no
later than October 29, 2019.\4\
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\4\ The Commission is mindful of the Comments on Procedure of
the National Postal Policy Council, the Greeting Card Association,
and the Major Mailers Association, October 10, 2019 and the United
States Postal Service Response to Procedural Schedule Comments,
October 10, 2019. The Commission continues to use the 20-day comment
period as set forth in 39 CFR 3010.11(a)(5); however, the Commission
notes that in order to sufficiently address the issues identified in
the Carlson decision, its determination may exceed the 14-day
deadline set forth in 39 CFR 3010.11(d). See Carlson v. Postal
Regulatory Commission, No. 18-1328, slip op. (D.C. Cir. Sept. 13,
2019).
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The public portions of the Postal Service's filing are available
for review on the Commission's website (http://www.prc.gov). Comments
and other material filed in this proceeding will be available for
review on the Commission's website, unless the information contained
therein is subject to an application for non-public treatment. The
Commission's rules on non-public materials (including access to
documents filed under seal) appear in 39 CFR part 3007.
Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, the Commission appoints Anne C. O'Connor
to represent the interests of the general public (Public
Representative) in this proceeding.
III. Ordering Paragraphs
It is ordered:
1. The Commission establishes Docket No. R2020-1 to consider the
planned price adjustments for market dominant postal products and
services, as well as the related classification changes, identified in
the Postal Service's October 9, 2019 Notice.
2. Comments on the planned price adjustments and related
classification changes are due no later than October 29, 2019.
3. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, Anne C. O'Connor is appointed to
serve as an officer of the Commission (Public Representative) to
represent the interests of the general public in this proceeding.
4. The Commission directs the Secretary of the Commission to
arrange for prompt publication of this notice in the Federal Register.
By the Commission.
Darcie S. Tokioka,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-22651 Filed 10-16-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P