[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 200 (Tuesday, October 16, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52242-52243]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-22492]


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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. R2019-1; Order No. 4851]


Market Dominant Price Adjustment

AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recently filed Postal Service 
notice of inflation-based rate adjustments affecting market dominant 
domestic and international products and services, along with temporary 
mailing promotions and numerous proposed classification changes. The 
adjustments and other changes are scheduled to take effect January 27, 
2019. This notice informs the public of the filing, invites public 
comment, and takes other administrative steps.

DATES: Comments are due: October 30, 2018.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David A. Trissell, General Counsel, at 
202-789-6820.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Contents

I. Introduction and Overview
II. Initial Administrative Actions
III. Ordering Paragraphs

I. Introduction and Overview

    On October 10, 2018, the Postal Service filed a notice of 
inflation-based price adjustments affecting market dominant domestic 
and international products and services, along with temporary mailing 
promotions and numerous proposed classification changes to the Mail 
Classification Schedule (MCS).\1\ The intended effective date is 
January 27, 2019. Notice at 1. The Notice, which was filed pursuant to 
39 U.S.C. 3622 and 39 CFR part 3010, triggers a notice-and-comment 
proceeding.\2\
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    \1\ United States Postal Service Notice of Market-Dominant Price 
Change, October 10, 2018 (Notice).
    \2\ This is a Type 1-B proceeding. See 39 CFR part 3010, 
subparts A-C for additional information.
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    Contents of filing. The Postal Service's filing consists of the 
Notice, which the Postal Service represents addresses the data and 
information required under 39 CFR 3010.12; four attachments 
(Attachments A-D) to the Notice; and eight sets of workpapers filed as 
library references.
    Attachment A presents the proposed price and related product 
description changes to the MCS. Notice, Attachment A. Attachments B and 
C address workshare discounts and the price cap calculation, 
respectively. Notice, Attachments B and C. Attachment D presents the 
promotions schedule. Notice, Attachment D.
    Several library references present supporting financial 
documentation for the five classes of mail. Notice at 4-5 nn. 7-9. The 
Postal Service filed one library reference pertaining to the two 
international mail products within First-Class Mail (Outbound Single-
Piece First-Class Mail International and Inbound Letter Post) under 
seal and applied for non-public treatment of those materials.\3\
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    \3\ See USPS Notice of Filing USPS-LR-R2019-1/NP1, October 10, 
2018, Attachment 1.
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    Planned price adjustments. The Postal Service's planned percentage 
changes by class are, on average, as follows:

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                                                           Planned price
                  Market dominant class                   adjustment (%)
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First-Class Mail........................................           2.486
USPS Marketing Mail.....................................           2.479
Periodicals.............................................            2.52
Package Services........................................           2.522
Special Services........................................           2.512
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Notice at 4.

    Price adjustments for products within classes vary from the 
average. See, e.g., id. at 6, 15 (Table 5 showing range for First-Class 
Mail products and Table 7 showing range for USPS Marketing Mail 
products). Most of the planned adjustments entail increases to market 
dominant rates and fees; however, in a few instances, the Postal 
Service proposes either no adjustment or a decrease. See id. at 6.
    Proposed classification changes. The Postal Service proposes 
numerous classification changes in its Notice and identifies the impact 
on the MCS in Attachment A. Id. at 32-34; id. Attachment A.
    Calendar Year 2019 promotions. The Postal Service seeks approval 
for the following six promotions for the indicated periods:
     Emerging and Advanced Technology Promotion (Mar. 1-Aug. 
31, 2019);
     Mobile Shopping Promotion (Aug. 1-Dec. 31, 2019);
     Tactile, Sensory and Interactive Mailpiece Engagement 
Promotion (Feb.1-July 31, 2019);
     Personalized Color Transpromo Promotion (July 1-Dec. 31, 
2019);
     Informed Delivery Promotion (Sept.1-Nov. 30, 2019); and
     Earned Value Reply Mail Promotion (Apr. 1-June 30, 2019).
Notice, Attachment D.

II. Initial Administrative Actions

    Pursuant to 39 CFR 3010.11(a), the Commission establishes Docket 
No. R2019-1 to consider the planned price adjustments for market 
dominant postal products and services, as well as the related 
classification changes, identified in the Notice. The Commission 
invites

[[Page 52243]]

comments from interested persons on whether the Postal Service's filing 
is consistent with the applicable statutory and regulatory 
requirements, including 39 U.S.C. 3622 and 39 CFR part 3010. Comments 
are due no later than October 30, 2018.
    The public portions of the Postal Service's filing are available 
for review on the Commission's website (http://www.prc.gov). Comments 
and other material filed in this proceeding will be available for 
review on the Commission's website, unless the information contained 
therein is subject to an application for non-public treatment. The 
Commission's rules on non-public materials (including access to 
documents filed under seal) appear in 39 CFR part 3007.
    Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, the Commission appoints Kenneth R. 
Moeller to represent the interests of the general public (Public 
Representative) in this proceeding.

III. Ordering Paragraphs

    It is ordered:
    1. The Commission establishes Docket No. R2019-1 to consider the 
planned price adjustments for market dominant postal products and 
services, as well as the related classification changes, identified in 
the Postal Service's October 10, 2018 Notice.
    2. Comments on the planned price adjustments and related 
classification changes are due no later than October 30, 2018.
    3. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, Kenneth R. Moeller is appointed to 
serve as an officer of the Commission (Public Representative) to 
represent the interests of the general public in this proceeding.
    4. The Commission directs the Secretary of the Commission to 
arrange for prompt publication of this notice in the Federal Register.

Stacy L. Ruble,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-22492 Filed 10-15-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P