[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 140 (Tuesday, July 22, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 42460-42461]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-17138]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111


Domestic Competitive Products Pricing and Mailing Standards 
Changes

AGENCY: Postal Service\TM\.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Postal Service will revise Mailing Standards of the United 
States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]), to reflect 
changes to some of the prices for Priority Mail[supreg] and the mailing 
standards for Premium Forwarding Service Commercial\TM\ competitive 
products.

DATES: Effective Date: September 7, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Margaret Choiniere (202) 268-7231 or 
Garry Rodriguez (202) 268-7281.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This final rule describes the new prices for 
Priority Mail established by the Governors of the United States Postal 
Service[supreg] and the enhancement to Premium Forwarding Service 
Commercial enrollment. New prices are available under Docket Number 
CP2014-55 on the Web site of the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) at 
http://www.prc.gov, and also on the Postal Explorer[supreg] Web site at 
http://pe.usps.com.

Priority Mail

    Overall, Priority Mail prices will average a zero percent price 
increase. The price increase varies by price cell and price tier.
    Retail prices will average a 1.7 percent price increase. The Flat 
Rate Envelope will be priced at $5.75, the Legal Flat Rate Envelope 
will be priced at $5.90 and the Padded Flat Rate Envelope will be 
priced at $6.10. The Flat Rate Box prices will be: Small, $5.95, and 
Medium boxes, $12.65. The Large Flat Rate Box will be priced at $17.90 
and Large APO/FPO/DPO Box will be priced at $15.90.
    Commercial Base prices offer lower prices to customers who use 
online and other authorized postage payment methods. Commercial Base 
prices will average a 0.9 percent price decrease. Commercial Base 
pricing offers an average 13.8 percent discount off retail prices.
    Commercial Plus prices offer attractive price incentives to large 
volume customers. Commercial Plus prices will average a 2.3 percent 
price decrease. Commercial Plus pricing offers an average 15.7 percent 
discount off retail prices.

Mailer Services

Premium Forwarding Service

Premium Forwarding Service Commercial
    The Postal Service provided advance notice of the redesign of 
commercial reshipment services and an introduction to Premium 
Forwarding Service Commercial (PFS Commercial\TM\) in Federal Register 
Docket No: 2013-27728 (available at www.gpo.gov). The Postal Service 
anticipated a systems implementation date of July 2014; however, many 
of the new features of PFS Commercial could be made available sooner. 
Therefore, the Postal Service began revising the DMM standards using a 
phased-in approach. The first phase of PFS Commercial features was 
implemented January 23, 2014, as announced in Postal Bulletin issue 
22381.
    Effective September 7, 2014, a subsequent phase of system 
implementation activates the enrollment and postage and fee payments 
for PFS Commercial (for customers desiring shipments sent by Priority 
Mail Express\TM\) through the Business Customer Gateway at: https://gateway.usps.com/bcg/login.htm. At this time, no changes are being made 
to enrollment for PFS Commercial customers desiring shipments be sent 
by Priority Mail.

Resources

    The Postal Service provides additional resources to assist 
customers with this price change for competitive products. These tools 
include price lists, downloadable price files, and Federal Register 
Notices, which may be found on the Postal Explorer[supreg] Web site at 
pe.usps.com.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111

    Administrative practice and procedure, Postal Service.

    The Postal Service adopts the following changes to Mailing 
Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual 
(DMM), incorporated by reference in the Code of Federal Regulations. 
See 39 CFR 111.1.
    Accordingly, 39 CFR part 111 is amended as follows:

PART 111--[AMENDED]

0
1. The authority citation for 39 CFR part 111 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a); 13 U.S.C. 301-307; 18 U.S.C. 1692-
1737; 39 U.S.C. 101, 401, 403, 404, 414, 416, 3001-3011, 3201-3219, 
3403-3406, 3621, 3622, 3626, 3632, 3633, and 5001.


0
2. Revise the following sections of Mailing Standards of the United 
States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) as follows:
* * * * *

Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail 
Manual (DMM)

* * * * *

500 Additional Mailing Services

* * * * *

507 Mailer Services

* * * * *

3.0 Premium Forwarding Services

* * * * *

3.3 Premium Forwarding Service Commercial

* * * * *

3.3.1 Description

    [Revise 3.3.1 as follows:]
    Premium Forwarding Service Commercial (PFS Commercial) provides 
business commercial customers the option to have USPS gather their mail 
addressed to PO Boxes (including Caller Service) or business street 
addresses within the same servicing postal facility, and dispatch the 
mail as Priority Mail Express or Priority Mail shipments to a new 
address. Customers must establish a service agreement with the USPS, 
pay an annual enrollment fee and the applicable postage for the class 
of mail desired for the shipments. See Notice 123--Price List.

3.3.2 Authorization

    [Revise 3.3.2 as follows:]

    Commercial customers may establish PFS Commercial service by making 
a request in writing to the origin Post Office if shipments sent by 
Priority Mail are desired, or through the Business Customer Gateway at 
https://gateway.usps.com/bcg/login.htm if shipments by Priority Mail 
Express are desired. Requests must specify the business street delivery 
or P.O. Boxes (or Caller Service) addresses, destination address, 
frequency (Monday through Saturday) and the postage payment method (see 
3.3.3b). Service is activated upon written approval by the Postmaster 
for the origin office.

[[Page 42461]]

3.3.3 Additional Conditions

    Only the authorized recipient (or legal agent) of the business's 
(or organization's) mail may activate the request for PFS Commercial 
service. PFS Commercial service agreements are subject to these 
additional standards:

    [Revise items 3.3.3a and 3.3.3b as follows:]

    a. Customers must pay an annual enrollment fee to establish 
service, regardless of the number of individual P.O. Boxes, Caller 
Service numbers, or street delivery addresses included for each 
servicing post office. The enrollment fee is refundable only if the 
request is denied.
    b. For requests made in writing to the origin Post Office, the 
annual enrollment fee may be paid at a retail Post Office location, 
station or branch; the applicable Priority Mail postage for each 
shipment container is paid using the customer's PostalOne! permit 
account. For requests made through the Business Customer Gateway, the 
annual enrollment fee and applicable Priority Mail Express postage for 
each shipment container is paid using a USPS Corporate Account 
including CAPS, for customers choosing Priority Mail Express service.
* * * * *
    [Revise item 3.3.3g as follows:]

    g. Priority Mail Express, or mailpieces with USPS Tracking, 
Certified Mail, COD, Insured Mail, Signature Confirmation, or Adult 
Signature are shipped to the destination delivery office Postmaster 
separately, for proper handling. Registered Mail is not eligible for 
PFS Commercial service.
* * * * *
    [Revise item 3.3.3i as follows:]

    i. Business customers may terminate their PFS Commercial service 
agreement, effective 24 hours after the USPS receives customer's 
written notice of termination at the serving Post Office or through the 
Business Customer Gateway. The customer must pay all postage and fees 
as applicable for any shipments already scheduled before termination of 
service is made effective.
* * * * *
    We will publish an appropriate amendment to 39 CFR part 111 to 
reflect these changes.

Stanley F. Mires,
Attorney, Federal Requirements.
[FR Doc. 2014-17138 Filed 7-21-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-P