[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 16 (Friday, January 24, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 4079-4082]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-01382]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 121


Revised Service Standards for Market-Dominant Mail Products; 
Postponement of Implementation Date

AGENCY: Postal ServiceTM.

ACTION: Final rule; postponement of implementation date.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This document announces the postponement of the implementation 
date for the revised service standards for market-dominant mail 
products that were scheduled to take effect on February 1, 2014, as 
part of the Network Rationalization initiative. The new implementation 
date will be announced by the Postal Service in the Federal Register at 
least 90 days before it takes effect.

DATES: Effective date: January 24, 2014. Please see Supplementary 
Information concerning postponement of implementation date.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dave Williams, Network Operations, at 
202-268-4305.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    On September 21, 2011, the Postal Service published an advance 
notice of proposed rulemaking (the Advance Notice) in the Federal 
Register to solicit public comment on a conceptual

[[Page 4080]]

proposal to revise service standards for market-dominant products.\1\ 
After considering comments received in response to the Advance Notice, 
the Postal Service determined to develop the concept into a concrete 
proposal, termed Network Rationalization. The basic logic of Network 
Rationalization is that falling mail volumes and the resultant excess 
capacity in the Postal Service's mail processing network necessitate a 
major consolidation of the network, and this task in turn is contingent 
on revisions to service standards, particularly the overnight standard 
for First-Class Mail.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Proposal to Revise Service Standards for First-Class Mail, 
Periodicals, and Standard Mail, 76 FR 58433 (Sept. 21, 2011).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    On December 5, 2011, the Postal Service submitted a request to the 
Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) for an advisory opinion on the 
service changes associated with Network Rationalization, in accordance 
with 39 U.S.C. 3661(b).\2\ On December 15, 2011, the Postal Service 
published proposed revisions to its market-dominant service standards 
in the Federal Register and sought public comment (the Proposed 
Rulemaking).\3\ The comment period for the Proposed Rulemaking closed 
on February 13, 2012. The final rule was published on May 25, 2012.\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ PRC Docket No. N2012-1, Request of the United States Postal 
Service for an Advisory Opinion on Changes in the Nature of Postal 
Services (Dec. 5, 2011). Documents pertaining to the Request are 
available at the PRC Web site, http://www.prc.gov.
    \3\ Service Standards for Market-Dominant Mail Products, 76 FR 
77942 (Dec. 15, 2011).
    \4\ Revised Service Standards for Market-Dominant Mail Products, 
77 FR 31190 (May 25, 2012).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Having considered public input and the results of its market 
research, the Postal Service decided to implement Network 
Rationalization in a phased manner. The service standard changes 
associated with the first phase of Network Rationalization became 
effective on July 1, 2012.\5\ This document announces the Postal 
Service's decision to postpone the second phase of Network 
Rationalization, and the corresponding service standard changes.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \5\ Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Postal Service's market-dominant service standards are 
contained in 39 CFR part 121. This document revises the service 
standards by announcing the postponement of the implementation date for 
the service standards scheduled to become effective on February 1, 
2014, and establishing the continuation of service standards currently 
in effect. This revision is applied by replacing ``February 1, 2014'' 
with ``the effective date identified by the Postal Service in a future 
Federal Register document'' each place where ``February 1, 2014'' 
appears in the current version of 39 CFR part 121, and in Appendix A to 
that part.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 121

    Administrative practice and procedure, Postal Service.

    Accordingly, for the reasons stated in the preamble, the Postal 
Service adopts the following revisions to 39 CFR part 121:

PART 121--SERVICE STANDARDS FOR MARKET DOMINANT MAIL PRODUCTS

0
1. The authority citation for 39 CFR part 121 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 39 U.S.C. 101, 401, 403, 404, 1001, 3691.

0
2. Section 121.1 is amended by revising paragraphs (a) and (b) to read 
as follows:


Sec.  121.1  First-Class Mail.

    (a)(1) Until the effective date identified by the Postal Service in 
a future Federal Register document, a 1-day (overnight) service 
standard is applied to intra-Sectional Center Facility (SCF) domestic 
First-Class Mail[supreg] pieces properly accepted before the day-zero 
Critical Entry Time (CET), except for mail between Puerto Rico and the 
U.S. Virgin Islands, mail between American Samoa and Hawaii, and mail 
destined to the following 3-digit ZIP Code areas in Alaska (or 
designated portions thereof): 995 (5-digit ZIP Codes 99540 through 
99599), 996, 997, 998, and 999.
    (2) On and after the effective date identified by the Postal 
Service in a future Federal Register document, a 1-day (overnight) 
service standard is applied to intra-SCF domestic Presort First-Class 
Mail pieces properly accepted at the SCF before the day-zero CET, 
except for mail between Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 
mail destined to American Samoa and the following 3-digit ZIP Code 
areas in Alaska (or designated portions thereof): 995 (5-digit ZIP 
Codes 99540 through 99599), 996, 997, 998, and 999.
    (b)(1) Until the effective date identified by the Postal Service in 
a future Federal Register document, a 2-day service standard is applied 
to inter-SCF domestic First-Class Mail pieces properly accepted before 
the day-zero CET if the drive time between the origin Processing & 
Distribution Center or Facility (P&DC/F) and destination Area 
Distribution Center (ADC) is 6 hours or less; or if the origin and 
destination are separately in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; 
or if the origin or destination is in American Samoa or one of the 
following 3-digit ZIP Code areas in Alaska (or designated portions 
thereof): 995 (5-digit ZIP Codes 99540 through 99599), 996, 997, 998, 
and 999.
    (2) On and after the effective date identified by the Postal 
Service in a future Federal Register document, a 2-day service standard 
is applied to inter-SCF domestic First-Class Mail pieces properly 
accepted before the day-zero CET if the drive time between the origin 
P&DC/F and destination SCF is 6 hours or less; or if the origin and 
destination are separately in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; 
or if the origin or destination is in American Samoa or one of the 
following 3-digit ZIP Code areas in Alaska (or designated portions 
thereof): 995 (5-digit ZIP Codes 99540 through 99599), 996, 997, 998, 
and 999.
* * * * *

0
3. Section 121.2 is amended by revising paragraph (a)(1) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  121.2  Periodicals.

    (a) End-to-End.
    (1)(i) Until the effective date identified by the Postal Service in 
a future Federal Register document, a 2- to 4-day service standard is 
applied to Periodicals pieces properly accepted before the day-zero 
Critical Entry Time (CET) and merged with First-Class Mail pieces for 
surface transportation (as per the Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)), with 
the standard specifically equaling the sum of 1 day plus the applicable 
First-Class Mail service standard;
    (ii) On and after the effective date identified by the Postal 
Service in a future Federal Register document, a 3- to 4-day service 
standard is applied to Periodicals pieces properly accepted before the 
day-zero CET and merged with First-Class Mail pieces for surface 
transportation (as per the DMM), with the standard specifically 
equaling the sum of 1 day plus the applicable First-Class Mail service 
standard.
* * * * *

0
4. Appendix A to Part 121 is amended by revising the introductory text 
and Tables 1 through 4 to read as follows:

Appendix A to Part 121--Tables Depicting Service Standard Day Ranges

    The following tables reflect the service standard day ranges 
resulting from the application of the business rules applicable to 
the market-dominant mail products referenced in Sec. Sec.  121.1 
through 121.4:
    Table 1. Prior to the effective date identified by the Postal 
Service in a future Federal Register document, end-to-end service 
standard day ranges for mail originating and destinating within the

[[Page 4081]]

contiguous 48 states and the District of Columbia.

                        Contiguous United States
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            End-to-end
                       Mail class                          range  (days)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
First-Class Mail........................................             1-3
Periodicals.............................................             2-9
Standard Mail...........................................            3-10
Package Services........................................             2-8
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Table 2. On and after the effective date identified by the 
Postal Service in a future Federal Register document, end-to-end 
service standard day ranges for mail originating and destinating 
within the contiguous 48 states and the District of Columbia.

                        Contiguous United States
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            End-to-end
                       Mail class                          range  (days)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
First-Class Mail........................................             1-3
Periodicals.............................................             3-9
Standard Mail...........................................            3-10
Package Services........................................             2-8
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Table 3. Prior to the effective date identified by the Postal 
Service in a future Federal Register document, end-to-end service 
standard day ranges for mail originating and/or destinating in non-
contiguous states and territories.

                                                          Non-Contiguous States and Territories
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                   End-to-end
                                                      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Intra state/territory         To/from contiguous 48 states     To/from states of Alaska and
                                                      ------------------------------------------------------------------  Hawaii, and the territories of
                                                                                                                         Guam, Puerto Rico and the  U.S.
                      Mail class                                                                                                  Virgin Islands
                                                                   Hawaii,     Puerto               Hawaii,     Puerto  --------------------------------
                                                         Alaska     Guam &     Rico &     Alaska    Guam, &     Rico &               Hawaii,
                                                                   American     USVI                American     USVI                Guam, &     Puerto
                                                                    Samoa                            Samoa                 Alaska    American    Rico &
                                                                                                                                      Samoa       USVI
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First-Class Mail.....................................        1-3        1-3        1-2        3-4        3-5        3-4        4-5        4-5        4-5
Periodicals..........................................        2-4        2-4        2-3      13-19      12-22      11-16      21-25      21-26      23-26
Standard Mail........................................        3-5        3-5        3-4      14-20      13-23      12-17      23-26      23-27      24-27
Package Services.....................................      * 2-4        2-4        2-3      12-18      11-21      10-15      21-26      20-26     20-24
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Excluding bypass mail.

    Table 4. On and after the effective date identified by the 
Postal Service in a future Federal Register document, end-to-end 
service standard day ranges for mail originating and/or destinating 
in non-contiguous states and territories.

                                                          Non-Contiguous States and Territories
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                   End-to-end
                                                      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Intra state/territory         To/from contiguous 48 states     To/from states of Alaska and
                                                      ------------------------------------------------------------------  Hawaii, and the territories of
                                                                                                                         Guam, Puerto Rico and the  U.S.
                      Mail class                                                                                                  Virgin Islands
                                                                   Hawaii,     Puerto               Hawaii,     Puerto  --------------------------------
                                                         Alaska     Guam &     Rico &     Alaska    Guam, &     Rico &               Hawaii,
                                                                   American     USVI                American     USVI                Guam, &     Puerto
                                                                    Samoa                            Samoa                 Alaska    American    Rico &
                                                                                                                                      Samoa       USVI
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First-Class Mail.....................................        1-3        1-3        1-2        3-4        3-5        3-4        4-5        4-5        4-5
Periodicals..........................................        3-4        3-4          3      13-19      12-22      11-16      21-25      21-26      23-26
Standard Mail........................................        3-5        3-5        3-4      14-20      13-23      12-17      23-26      23-27      24-27
Package Services.....................................      * 2-4        2-4        2-3      12-18      11-21      10-15      21-26      20-26     20-24
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Excluding bypass mail.


[[Page 4082]]

* * * * *

Stanley F. Mires,
Attorney, Legal Policy & Legislative Advice.
[FR Doc. 2014-01382 Filed 1-23-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P