[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 153 (Thursday, August 9, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44880-44881]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-15529]


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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. MC2007-3; Order No. 22]


Premium Forwarding Service

AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice and order.

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SUMMARY: This document announces a formal docket to consider changing 
the status of Premium Forwarding Service (PFS) from experimental to 
permanent. It describes the Postal Service's proposal and makes several 
preliminary administrative decisions. Issuance of this document meets 
legal publication requirements and informs interested persons about key 
details, including opportunities for public participation and the 
decisionmaking timetable.

DATES:  1. August 21, 2007: Deadline for intervention.
    2. August 22, 2007: Deadline for response to motion for waiver.
    3. August 28, 2007: Prehearing conference (10 a.m.).

ADDRESSES: Submit comments electronically via the Commission's Filing 
Online system at http://www.prc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephen L. Sharfman, General Counsel, 
202-789-6820 and [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 31, 2007, the Postal Service filed a 
request seeking a recommended decision approving a change in the 
Domestic Mail Classification Schedule (DMCS) making Premium Forwarding 
Service (PFS) permanent.\1\ The request, which was filed pursuant to 
chapter 36 of title 39, United States Code, includes five 
attachments.\2\ In support of the Request, the Postal Service has filed 
Direct Testimony of Laraine B. Hope (USPS-T-1), Abdulkadir M. 
Abdirahman (USPS-T-2) and Gregory Dawson (USPS-T-3).
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    \1\ Request of the United States Postal Service for a 
Recommended Decision on Premium Forwarding Service, July 31, 2007 
(Request).
    \2\ Attachment A contains the proposed Domestic Mail 
Classification Schedule language changes; Attachment B sets forth 
proposed Fee Schedule 937 for PFS; Attachment C is the Compliance 
Statement composed of responses to the Commission's filing 
requirements; Attachment D is an index of testimony; and Attachment 
E is the certification required by Commission rule 54(p).
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    For two years the Postal Service has been offering experimental PFS 
in accordance with the Commission's Recommended Decision Approving the 
Stipulation and Agreement in Docket No. MC2005-1 and the Governor's 
Decision of May 10, 2005, approving the recommendation. Based on the 
results of the experiment, the Postal Service has concluded that PFS is 
an attractive supplement to pre-existing options for customers who 
temporarily relocate. Request at 1-2.
    The Postal Service concurrently filed a conditional motion for 
waiver of certain filing requirements.\3\ The Postal Service claims 
that its submissions comply with the Commission's filing requirements 
through incorporation by reference. It also acknowledges that it has 
supplemented materials developed for this request by incorporating 
documentation submitted by the Postal Service in the most recently 
concluded omnibus rate proceeding, Docket No. R2006-1. Accordingly, the 
Service requests a waiver of certain filing requirements pursuant to 39 
CFR 3001.22, 3001.54(r), and 3001.64(h)(3) if the Commission finds that 
materials incorporated from Docket No. R2006-1 are not sufficient. 
Motion for Waiver at 2-3.
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    \3\ Statement of the United States Postal Service Concerning 
Compliance with Filing Requirements and Conditional Motion for 
Waiver, July 31, 2007 (Motion for Waiver).
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    The Postal Service also has filed United States Postal Service 
Request for Establishment of Settlement Procedures, August 2, 2007 
(Settlement Request). The Postal Service contends that the testimony of 
its three witnesses in support of the Settlement Request is 
straightforward and the proposal to make PFS permanent would not change 
the terms of the existing service or its prices. Further, it maintains 
that PFS customer benefits and minor financial impact may increase the 
likelihood of settlement. Id. at 1. Thus, the Postal Service requests 
the Commission's assistance in establishing settlement procedures for 
this proceeding. Id. at 3.
    The Request, accompanying testimony and other related material can 
be accessed electronically, via the Internet, on the Commission's Web 
site (http://www.prc.gov).

I. Proposed Premium Forwarding Service

    The Postal Service proposes to make Premium Forwarding Service 
permanent. PFS is intended for residential customers. When residential 
customers temporarily relocate to another domestic address this service 
reships all of their mail once a week. After a customer enrolls in PFS 
and his or her application is accepted, the Postal Service bundles and 
reships the mail to a temporary address. The customer's mail is 
reshipped via Priority Mail in a Priority Mail package. PFS is 
available for a period of at least two weeks and no longer than one 
year (per application). This service also allows customers to specify 
whether to include the mail of the entire household or merely an 
individual addressee. Id. at 2. The Postal Service proposes that the 
existing application and weekly prices be retained.
    The fee for mail reshipped by PFS includes a $10.00 enrollment fee 
for the service and a weekly reshipment fee of $2.85. The customer also 
will be charged the Priority Mail postage appropriate for a 3-pound 
parcel to zone 6, currently $9.10. Altogether, customers will pay 
$11.95 for the weekly reshipment of their mail.
    The Postal Service asserts that permanent PFS would advance the 
general policies of the Postal Reorganization Act by reducing the time 
between entry of mail and recipients' access to its valuable contents.

[[Page 44881]]

II. Commission's Response

    Intervention. Those wishing to be heard in this matter are directed 
to file a notice of intervention on or before August 21, 2007. The 
notice of intervention shall be filed using the Internet (Filing 
Online) at the Commission's Web site (http://www.prc.gov), unless a 
waiver is obtained for hardcopy filing. 39 CFR 3001.9(a) and 10(a).
    Settlement. The Commission will authorize settlement negotiations 
in this proceeding and appoint Postal Service counsel as settlement 
coordinator. In this capacity, Postal Service counsel shall file 
periodic reports on the status of settlement discussions. The 
Commission authorizes the settlement coordinator to hold a settlement 
conference, and will make its hearing room available for this purpose 
upon request. Authorization of settlement discussions does not 
constitute a finding on the necessity of hearings in this case.
    Prehearing conference. A prehearing conference will be held August 
28, 2007, at 10 a.m. in the Commission's hearing room. Participants 
shall be prepared to identify any issues(s) that would indicate a need 
to schedule a hearing, along with other matters referred to in this 
order.
    Conditional Motion for Waiver. Participants may comment on the 
Postal Service's conditional motion to waive certain filing 
requirements. Responses to the Postal Service's Motion for Waiver are 
due on or before August 22, 2007.
    Representation of the general public. In conformance with section 
3624(a) of title 39, the Commission designates Kenneth E. Richardson, 
acting director of the Commission's Office of the Consumer Advocate 
(OCA), to represent the interests of the general public in this 
proceeding. Pursuant to this designation, Mr. Richardson will direct 
the activities of Commission personnel assigned to assist him and, upon 
request, will supply their names for the record. Neither Mr. Richardson 
nor any of the assigned personnel will participate in or provide advice 
on any Commission decision in this proceeding.

It is ordered:

    1. The Commission establishes Docket No. MC2007-3, Premium 
Forwarding Service, to consider the Postal Service Request referred to 
in the body of this order.
    2. The Commission will sit en banc for this proceeding.
    3. Postal Service counsel is appointed to serve as settlement 
coordinator in this proceeding.
    4. Kenneth E. Richardson, acting director of the Commission's 
Office of the Consumer Advocate, is designated to represent the 
interests of the general public.
    5. The deadline for filing notices of intervention is August 21, 
2007.
    6. A prehearing conference will be held August 28, 2007 at 10 a.m. 
in the Commission's hearing room.
    7. Responses to the Postal Service's Conditional Motion for Waiver 
of certain filing requirements are due on or before August 22, 2007.
    8. The Secretary shall arrange for publication of this notice and 
order in the Federal Register.

    By the Commission.
Steven W. Williams,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E7-15529 Filed 8-8-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P