[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