[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 98 (Tuesday, May 21, 2019)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 22994-22995]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-10507]


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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION

39 CFR Part 3050

[Docket No. RM2019-4; Order No. 5095]


Periodic Reporting

AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: The Commission is initiating a rulemaking proceeding to 
consider changes to analytical principles relating to periodic reports 
on Periodicals Outside County Carrier Route Basic Flats. This document 
informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, and takes 
other administrative steps.

DATES: Comments are due: June 14, 2019.

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
II. Proposal
III. Notice and Comment
IV. Ordering Paragraphs

I. Introduction

    Pursuant to Sec.  3050.11, the Commission initiates a rulemaking 
proceeding to consider changes to analytical principles related to 
periodic reports. In particular, the Commission intends to establish 
the methodology for which delivery costs estimate should be used to 
calculate the passthroughs for Periodicals Outside County Carrier Route 
Basic Flats (Carrier Route Basic).

II. Proposal

    Background. On April 22, 2019, MPA--The Association of Magazine 
Media (MPA) filed a motion requesting that the Commission amend 
specific portions of the FY 2018 Annual Compliance Determination Report 
(ACD).\1\ In particular, MPA stated that the passthrough for Carrier 
Route Basic was incorrectly calculated, which resulted in errors on 
pages 19 and 20 of the FY2018 ACD. Id. MPA presented calculations that 
use alternative unit delivery costs, which result in a higher cost 
avoidance for Carrier Route Basic and a lower passthrough. Id. at 3. In 
its response, the Postal Service stated that it did not disagree with 
MPA's methodology.\2\ The Postal Service explained that the delivery 
costs between Carrier Route Basic and Machinable Non-Auto Flats should 
translate into a non-zero delivery cost avoidance for Carrier Route 
Basic. Id.
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    \1\ Docket No. ACR2018, Motion of MPA--The Association of 
Magazine Media for Correction of FY 2018 Annual Compliance 
Determination Report, April 22, 2019 (MPA Motion). See also Annual 
Compliance Determination Report, Fiscal Year 2018, April 12, 2019 
(FY 2018 ACD).
    \2\ Docket No. ACR2018, Response of the United States Postal 
Service to MPA Motion Seeking Amendment of the FY 2018 Annual 
Compliance Determination, April 29, 2019, at 2 (Postal Service 
Response).
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    Although there was no disagreement between MPA and the Postal 
Service on the methodology, the Commission found that the Postal 
Service had previously used a different methodology in prior fiscal 
years.\3\ The Commission also found there was no rulemaking to 
establish the unit cost avoidance calculation, and the Postal Service 
had not explicitly stated why the unit cost estimate it used was the 
appropriate methodology. Since the calculations using either 
methodology would not materially change the Commission's findings in 
the FY 2018 ACD, the Commission denied MPA's motion for correction. 
Order No. 5094 at 5. However, the Commission stated that it would 
initiate a rulemaking to establish the appropriate methodology for use 
in future dockets. Id. at 4-5.
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    \3\ See Docket No. ACR2018, Order Denying Motion for Correction, 
May 15, 2019, at 3 (Order No. 5094).
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    Proposal. The passthrough calculations for Carrier Route Basic are 
based on cost avoidances for mail processing and delivery. The Postal 
Service uses USPS Marketing Mail proxies for Periodicals delivery 
costs. Library Reference USPS-FY18-19 contains the FY 2018 unit 
delivery cost workbooks, including a workbook with delivery costs for 
flat-shaped mail disaggregated for whether the pieces are delivered in 
Flats Sequencing System (FSS) zones.\4\ The ``FSSDeliveryModel18,'' 
Table 2, contains three estimates for both USPS Marketing Mail Flats 
and Carrier Route Flats costs, which are: (1) Delivery costs for pieces 
destinating in FSS zones, (2) delivery costs for pieces destinating in 
non-FSS zones, and (3) delivery costs for all pieces.
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    \4\ Docket No. ACR2018, Library Reference USPS-FY18-19, December 
28, 2018, Excel file ``FSSDeliveryModel18.xlsx.''
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    The Postal Service and the Commission have historically used 
delivery costs for pieces destinating in non-FSS zones to calculate the 
cost avoidance and passthrough for Carrier Route Basic. MPA used the 
delivery costs for all pieces for the unit cost estimate. MPA Motion at 
3. The Postal Services did not disagree with this approach. Postal 
Service Response at 2.
    To improve the accuracy of the avoidable cost estimates, the 
Commission proposes to use the delivery costs for all pieces as the 
unit cost estimate used to calculate the cost avoidance and passthrough 
for Carrier Route Basic.
    Rationale and impact. In the FY 2015 ACR and FY 2015 ACD, when the 
proxies were first introduced, it was more appropriate to use the 
pieces destinating in non-FSS zones as proxies because separate prices 
for FSS Flats were also offered. Only pieces

[[Page 22995]]

destinating to non-FSS zones would be prepared and processed as Carrier 
Route or 5-Digit. FSS Flats passthroughs were calculated using pieces 
destinating in FSS zones.\5\ In Docket No. R2017-1, the Postal Service 
removed FSS Flats.\6\ Since separate FSS Flats prices are no longer 
available, Carrier Route and 5-Digit pieces are being prepared and 
processed for all zones. With this pricing and operational change, it 
would be more accurate to use USPS Marketing Mail Flats and Carrier 
Route Flats for all pieces as the proxies for calculating Periodicals 
passthroughs.\7\ MPA and the Postal Service both supported this 
methodology in Docket No. ACR2018.
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    \5\ See, e.g., Docket No. ACR2015, Library Reference USPS-FY15-
3, December 29, 2015, Excel file ``FY15 3 Worksharing Discount 
Tables.xlsx,'' tab ``Periodicals Outside County,'' cell ``F9.''
    \6\ Docket No. R2017-1, United States Postal Service Notice of 
Market Dominant Price Adjustment, October 12, 2016.
    \7\ See accompanying Excel file ``2018 Periodicals 
Workshare_RM.xlsx,'' tab ``Periodicals Outside County.''
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III. Notice and Comment

    The Commission initiates Docket No. RM2019-4 to establish the 
methodology for which delivery costs estimate should be used to 
calculate the passthroughs for Periodicals Outside County Carrier Route 
Basic Flats. Interested persons may submit comments on the Proposal no 
later than June 14, 2019. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, Samuel M. Poole is 
designated as an officer of the Commission (Public Representative) to 
represent the interests of the general public in this proceeding.

IV. Ordering Paragraphs

    It is ordered:
    1. The Commission establishes Docket No. RM2019-4 to establish the 
methodology for which delivery costs estimate should be used to 
calculate the passthroughs for Periodicals Outside County Carrier Route 
Basic Flats.
    2. Comments by interested persons in this proceeding are due no 
later than June 14, 2019.
    3. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, the Commission appoints Samuel M. 
Poole to serve as an officer of the Commission (Public Representative) 
to represent the interests of the general public in this docket.
    4. The Secretary shall arrange for publication of this Order in the 
Federal Register.

    By the Commission.
Stacy L. Ruble,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-10507 Filed 5-20-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P