[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 210 (Monday, November 1, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67146-67147]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-27474]


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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. CP2011-13 Through CP2011-18; Order No. 559]


New Postal Product

AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recently-filed Postal Service 
request to add six Global Expedited Package Services 3 contracts to the 
competitive product list. This notice addresses procedural steps 
associated with this filing.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments electronically via the Commission's Filing 
Online system at http://www.prc.gov. Commenters who cannot submit their 
views electronically should contact the person identified in FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT by telephone for advice on alternatives to 
electronic filing.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephen L. Sharfman, General Counsel,

[[Page 67147]]

at [email protected] or 202-789-6820.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Contents

I. Introduction
II. Notice of Filing
III. Ordering Paragraphs

I. Introduction

    On October 8, 2010, the Postal Service filed a notice announcing 
that it has entered into six additional Global Expedited Package 
Services 3 (GEPS 3) contracts.\1\ The Postal Service believes the 
instant contracts are functionally equivalent to previously submitted 
GEPS contracts, and are supported by Governors' Decision No. 08-7, 
attached to the Notice and originally filed in Docket No. CP2008-4. Id. 
at 1, Attachment 3. The Notice explains that Order No. 86, which 
established GEPS 1 as a product, also authorized functionally 
equivalent agreements to be included within the product, provided that 
they meet the requirements of 39 U.S.C. 3633. Id. at 2. In Order No. 
290, the Commission approved the GEPS 2 product.\2\ In Order No. 503, 
the Commission approved the GEPS 3 product. Additionally, the Postal 
Service requested to have the contract in Docket No. CP2010-71 serve as 
the baseline contract for future functional equivalence analyses of the 
GEPS 3 product.
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    \1\ Notice of United States Postal Service of Filing Six 
Functionally Equivalent Global Expedited Package Services 3 
Negotiated Service Agreements and Application For Non-Public 
Treatment of Materials Filed Under Seal, October 8, 2010 (Notice).
    \2\ Docket No. CP2009-50, Order Granting Clarification and 
Adding Global Expedited Package Services 2 to the Competitive 
Product List, August 28, 2009 (Order No. 290).
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    The instant contracts. The Postal Service filed the instant 
contracts pursuant to 39 CFR 3015.5. In addition, the Postal Service 
contends that each contract is in accordance with Order No. 86. The 
term of each contract is 1 year from the date the Postal Service 
notifies the customer that all necessary regulatory approvals have been 
received. Notice at 3.
    In support of its Notice, the Postal Service filed four attachments 
as follows:
    Attachments 1A through 1F--redacted copies of the six contracts and 
applicable annexes;
    Attachments 2A through 2F--certified statements required by 39 CFR 
3015.5(c)(2) for each contract;
    Attachment 3--a redacted copy of Governors' Decision No. 08-7 which 
establishes prices and classifications for GEPS contracts, a 
description of applicable GEPS contracts, formulas for prices, an 
analysis of the formulas, and certification of the Governors' vote; and
    Attachment 4--an application for non-public treatment of materials 
to maintain redacted portions of the contracts and supporting documents 
under seal.
    The Notice advances reasons why the instant GEPS 3 contracts fit 
within the Mail Classification Schedule language for the GEPS 3 
product. The Postal Service identifies customer-specific information 
and general contract terms that distinguish the instant contracts from 
the baseline GEPS 3 agreement. Id. at 4-5. It states that the 
differences, which include price variations based on updated costing 
information and volume commitments, do not alter the contracts' 
functional equivalency. Id. at 3-4. The Postal Service asserts that 
``[b]ecause the agreements incorporate the same cost attributes and 
methodology, the relevant characteristics of these six GEPS contracts 
are similar, if not the same, as the relevant characteristics of 
previously filed contracts.'' Id. at 4.
    The Postal Service concludes that its filings demonstrate that each 
of the new GEPS 3 contracts complies with the requirements of 39 U.S.C. 
3633 and is functionally equivalent to the baseline GEPS 3 contract. 
Therefore, it requests that the instant contracts be included within 
the GEPS 3 product. Id. at 5.

II. Notice of Filing

    The Commission establishes Docket Nos. CP2011-13 through CP2011-18 
for consideration of matters related to the contracts identified in the 
Postal Service's Notice.
    These dockets are addressed on a consolidated basis for purposes of 
this order. Filings with respect to a particular contract should be 
filed in that docket.
    Interested persons may submit comments on whether the Postal 
Service's contracts are consistent with the policies of 39 U.S.C. 3632, 
3633, or 3642. Comments are due no later than October 20, 2010.\3\ The 
public portions of these filings can be accessed via the Commission's 
Web site (http://www.prc.gov).
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    \3\ Those who cannot submit comments by the filing deadline 
should contact Mr. Sharfman.
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    The Commission appoints Natalie Rea to serve as Public 
Representative in the captioned proceedings.

III. Ordering Paragraphs

    It is ordered:
    1. The Commission establishes Docket Nos. CP2011-13 through CP2011-
18 for consideration of matters raised by the Postal Service's Notice.
    2. Comments by interested persons in these proceedings are due no 
later than October 20, 2010.
    3. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, Natalie Rea is appointed to serve as 
the officer of the Commission (Public Representative) to represent the 
interests of the general public in these proceedings.
    4. The Secretary shall arrange for publication of this order in the 
Federal Register.

    By the Commission.
Shoshana M. Grove,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2010-27474 Filed 10-29-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P