[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 125 (Wednesday, July 1, 2009)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 31386]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-15499]


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 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 125 / Wednesday, July 1, 2009 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 31386]]



POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION

39 CFR Part 3050

[Docket No. RM2009-5; Order No. 229]


Periodic Reporting Rules

AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule; availability of rulemaking petition.

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SUMMARY: Under a new law, the Postal Service must file an annual 
compliance report with the Postal Regulatory Commission on costs, 
revenues, rates and quality of service associated with its products. It 
has filed a petition with the Commission to consider a change in the 
analytical methods approved for use in periodic reporting. This 
document provides an opportunity for the public to comment on potential 
changes in periodic reporting rules.

DATES: Comments are due by July 15, 2009.

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 June 22, 2009, the Postal Service filed a 
petition to initiate an informal rulemaking proceeding to consider a 
change in the analytical methods approved for use in periodic 
reporting.\1\ The Postal Service proposes to reduce the size of the 
sample that it uses to collect Origin-Destination Information System/
Revenue Pieces and Weight (ODIS/RPW) data by 20 percent starting in the 
first quarter of FY 2010. The Petition explains that the Postal Service 
intends to eliminate 25,600 tests, thereby saving approximately $6 
million annually. It asserts that the reduction in accuracy of the data 
collected is small and should be acceptable in view of the expense that 
it would avoid. In support of this assertion, the Petition includes two 
tables. Table 1 shows the estimated impact of the proposed reduction in 
sample size on the coefficients of variation (CVs) for volume and for 
revenue for the major categories of single-piece mail. Table 2 shows 
the estimated impact on the CVs for unit volume variable costs for 
those same categories of single-piece mail. The attachment to the 
Postal Service's Petition explains its proposal in more detail, 
including its background, objective, rationale, and estimated impact.
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    \1\ Petition of the United States Postal Service Requesting 
Initiation of a Proceeding To Consider Proposed Change in Analytic 
Principles (Proposal One), June 22, 2009 (Petition).
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    It is Ordered:
    1. Petition of the United States Postal Service Requesting 
Initiation of a Proceeding to Consider Proposed Change in Analytic 
Principles (Proposal One), filed June 22, 2009, is granted.
    2. The Commission establishes Docket No. RM2009-5 to consider the 
matters raised by the Postal Service's Petition.
    3. Interested persons may submit initial comments on or before July 
15, 2009.
    4. The Commission will determine the need for reply comments after 
review of the initial comments.
    5. Diane Monaco is designated to serve as the Public Representative 
representing the interests of the general public in this proceeding.
    6. The Secretary shall arrange for publication of this Notice in 
the Federal Register.

    Authority: 39 U.S.C. 3652.

    By the Commission.
Steven W. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E9-15499 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P