[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