[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 14 (Monday, January 23, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3288-3289]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-1218]


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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. CP2012-14; Order No. 1138]


International Mail Contract

AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recently-filed Postal Service 
request to enter into an additional Global Reseller Expedited Package 
contract. This document invites public comments on the request and 
addresses several related procedural steps.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments electronically by accessing the ``Filing 
Online'' link in the banner at the top of the Commission's Web site 
(http://www.prc.gov) or by directly accessing the Commission's Filing 
Online system at https://www.prc.gov/prc-pages/filing-online/login.aspx. Commenters who cannot submit their views electronically 
should contact the person identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT section as the source for case-related information for advice 
on alternatives to electronic filing.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephen L. Sharfman, General Counsel, 
at (202) 789-6820 (case-related information) or [email protected] 
(electronic filing assistance).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Table of Contents

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

I. Introduction

    On January 12, 2012, the Postal Service filed a notice announcing 
that it has entered into an additional Global Reseller Expedited 
Package (GREP) contract.\1\ The Postal Service believes the instant 
contract is functionally equivalent to the GREP baseline agreement and 
is supported by Governors' Decision No. 10-1 attached to the Notice and 
originally filed in Docket No. CP2010-36. Id. at 2-3, Attachment 3. The 
Notice explains that Order No. 445, which established GREP Contracts 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 1-2. Additionally, the Postal Service 
requested to have the contract in Docket No. CP2010-36 serve as the 
baseline contract for future functional equivalence analyses of the 
GREP Contracts 1 product.
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    \1\ Notice of United States Postal Service of Filing a 
Functionally Equivalent Global Reseller Expedited Package Negotiated 
Service Agreement and Application For Non-Public Treatment of 
Materials Filed Under Seal, January 12, 2012 (Notice).
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    The instant contract. The Postal Service filed the instant contract 
pursuant to 39 CFR 3015.5. In addition, the Postal Service contends 
that the instant contract is in accordance with Order No. 445. The 
instant contract is a renewal of the GREP contract, filed in Docket No. 
CP2011-65, which is scheduled to expire on January 21, 2012. Id. at 1. 
The Postal Service will notify the mailer of the effective date

[[Page 3289]]

within 30 days after all necessary regulatory approvals have been 
received. The contract will remain in effect until June 30, 2014. Id. 
Attachment 1 at 5. It may, however, be terminated by either party on 
not less than 30 days' written notice. Id.
    In support of its Notice, the Postal Service filed four attachments 
as follows:
     Attachment 1--a redacted copy of the contract and 
applicable annexes;
     Attachment 2--a certified statement required by 39 CFR 
3015.5(c)(2);
     Attachment 3--a redacted copy of Governors' Decision No. 
10-1, which establishes prices and classifications for GREP contracts, 
a description of applicable GREP 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 contract and supporting 
documents under seal.
    The Notice advances reasons why the instant GREP contract fits 
within the Mail Classification Schedule language for GREP Contracts 1. 
The Postal Service identifies general contract terms that distinguish 
the instant contract from the baseline GREP agreement. It states that 
the instant contract differs from the contract in Docket No. CP2010-36 
pertaining to revisions or clarification of terms, e.g., definition of 
qualifying mail, discounts offered by the reseller, minimum revenue, 
periodic review of minimum commitment, term, assignment, number of rate 
groups, and solicitation of reseller's customers. Id. at 4-6. The 
Postal Service states that the differences, which include price 
variations based on updated costing information and volume commitments, 
do not alter the contract's functional equivalency. Id. at 4. The 
Postal Service asserts that ``[b]ecause the agreement incorporates the 
same cost attributes and methodology, the relevant characteristics of 
this GREP contract are similar, if not the same, as the relevant 
characteristics of the contract filed in Docket No. CP2010-36.'' Id. at 
4-5.
    The Postal Service concludes that its filing demonstrates that the 
new GREP contract complies with the requirements of 39 U.S.C. 3633 and 
is functionally equivalent to the baseline GREP contract. It states 
that the differences do not affect the services being offered or the 
fundamental structure of the contract. Therefore, it requests that the 
instant contract be included within the GREP Contracts 1 product. Id. 
at 5-6.

II. Notice of Filing

    The Commission establishes Docket No. CP2012-14 for consideration 
of matters related to the contract identified in the Postal Service's 
Notice.
    Interested persons may submit comments on whether the Postal 
Service's contract is consistent with the policies of 39 U.S.C. 3632, 
3633, or 3642. Comments are due no later than January 23, 2012. The 
public portions of this filing can be accessed via the Commission's Web 
site, http://www.prc.gov.
    The Commission appoints James F. Callow to serve as Public 
Representative in the captioned proceeding.

III. Ordering Paragraphs

    It is ordered:
    1. The Commission establishes Docket No. CP2012-14 for 
consideration of matters raised by the Postal Service's Notice.
    2. Comments by interested persons in this proceeding are due no 
later than January 23, 2012.
    3. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, James F. Callow is appointed to serve 
as the officer of the Commission (Public Representative) to represent 
the interests of the general public in this proceeding.
    4. The Secretary shall arrange for publication of this order in the 
Federal Register.

    By the Commission.
Shoshana M. Grove,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012-1218 Filed 1-20-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE ;P