[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 201 (Thursday, October 17, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 55504-55507]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-22640]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111


Domestic Competitive Products Pricing and Mailing Standards 
Changes

AGENCY: Postal ServiceTM.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Postal Service is amending Mailing Standards of the United 
States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]), to reflect 
changes to prices and mailing standards for competitive products.

DATES: Effective Date: January 26, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Foti at (202) 268-2931 or Garry 
Rodriguez at (202) 268-7281.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This final rule describes new prices and 
product features for competitive products, by class of mail, 
established by the Governors of the United States Postal 
Service[supreg]. New prices are available under Docket Number CP2020-5 
on the Postal Regulatory Commission PRC website at http://www.prc.gov, 
and on the Postal Explorer[supreg] website at http://pe.usps.com.
    The Postal Service will revise Mailing Standards of the United 
States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), to reflect changes 
to prices and mailing standards for the following competitive products:
     Priority Mail Express[supreg].
     Priority Mail[supreg].
     First-Class Package Service[supreg].
     Parcel Select[supreg].
     USPS Retail Ground[supreg].
     Extra Services.
     Return Services.
     Mailer Services.
     Recipient Services.
     Other.

[[Page 55505]]

    Competitive product prices and changes are identified by product as 
follows:

Priority Mail Express

Prices

    Overall, Priority Mail Express prices will increase 3.5 percent. 
Priority Mail Express will continue to offer zoned and Flat Rate 
Retail, Commercial Base[supreg], and Commercial Plus[supreg] pricing.
    Retail prices will increase an average of 3.8 percent. The Flat 
Rate Envelope price will increase to $26.35, the Legal Flat Rate 
Envelope will increase to $26.50, and the Padded Flat Rate Envelope 
will increase to $26.95.
    Commercial Plus prices were matched to the Commercial Base prices 
in the 2016 price change and will continue to be matched in 2020. 
Commercial Base and Commercial Plus prices will increase an average of 
2.2 percent.

Priority Mail

Prices

    Overall, Priority Mail prices will increase 4.1 percent. Priority 
Mail will continue to offer zoned and Flat Rate Retail, Commercial 
Base, and Commercial Plus pricing.
    Retail prices will increase an average of 4.9 percent. The Flat 
Rate Envelope price will increase to $7.75, the Legal Flat Rate 
Envelope will increase to $8.05, and the Padded Flat Rate Envelope will 
increase to $8.40. The Small Flat Rate Box price will increase to $8.30 
and the Medium Flat Rate Boxes will increase to $15.05. The Large Flat 
Rate Box will increase to $21.10 and the APO/FPO/DPO Large Flat Rate 
Box will increase to $19.60.
    Commercial Base prices offer lower prices to customers who use 
authorized postage payment methods. Commercial Base prices will 
increase an average of 2.8 percent.
    The Commercial Plus price category offers price incentives to large 
volume customers who have a customer commitment agreement with 
USPS[supreg]. Commercial Plus prices as a whole will increase 3.0 
percent.

First-Class Package Service

Prices

    Overall, First-Class Package Service--Retail prices will increase 
3.9 percent.
    Overall, First-Class Package Service--Commercial prices will 
increase 2.2 percent.

Parcel Select

Prices

    The prices for Parcel Select Destination Entry increase an average 
of 2.5 percent. Parcel Select Ground prices will increase an average of 
3.9 percent. The prices for Parcel Select Lightweight[supreg] will 
increase an average of 4.2 percent.

USPS Retail Ground

    Overall, USPS Retail Ground prices will increase an average of 3.9 
percent.

Dimensional Weight Pricing

    The Postal Service is implementing Dimensional Weight (DIM) pricing 
for USPS Retail Ground parcels. Postage for USPS Retail Ground parcels 
addressed for delivery to Zones 1 through 9 and exceeding 1 cubic foot 
(1,728 cubic inches) will be based on the actual weight or the 
dimensional weight, whichever is greater.
    USPS Retail Ground DIM weight pricing will be calculated using one 
of two formulas, rectangular or nonrectangular, with a DIM divisor of 
166.
    USPS Retail Ground--Limited Overland Route pricing will not be 
subject to DIM pricing.

Balloon Pricing

    As a result of the implementation of DIM pricing for USPS Retail 
Ground parcels in zones 1 through 9, the Postal Service will eliminate 
balloon pricing.
    USPS Retail Ground--Limited Overland Route pricing will continue to 
be subject to balloon pricing.

Extra Services

Adult Signature Service

    Adult Signature Required and Adult Signature Restricted Delivery 
service prices are increasing 3.9 percent. The price for Adult 
Signature Required will increase to $6.65 and Adult Signature 
Restricted Delivery will increase to $6.90.

Return Services

Parcel Return Service

    Overall, Parcel Return Service prices will increase an average of 
4.9 percent.
    Return Sectional Center Facility (RSCF) prices will increase an 
average of 4.9 percent and Return Delivery Unit (RDU) prices will 
increase an average of 4.9 percent.

Mailer Services

Pickup on Demand Service

    The Pickup on Demand[supreg] service fee will increase 4.3 percent 
to $24.00.

Premium Data Retention and Retrieval Services

    The Postal Service is introducing ``Premium Data Retention and 
Retrieval'' service. Premium Data Retention and Retrieval service 
allows a customer to request that the Postal Service retain: (1) Scan 
data or (2) scan and signature data for the customer's packages beyond 
the Postal Service's standard data retention period, for up to ten 
years. Premium Data Retention service is available for packages shipped 
via Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, First-Class Package Service, 
Parcel Select, and packages with Adult Signature Services. For Scan and 
Signature Retention on products other than Priority Mail Express, the 
customer must have purchased an underlying signature service, such as 
Signature ConfirmationTM service. Customers can request 
Premium Data Retention and Retrieval service online at USPS.com or 
through a Shipping Services File.

Recipient Services

Post Office Box Service

    The competitive Post Office BoxTM service prices will 
increase an average of 10.4 percent within the existing price ranges.

Premium Forwarding Service

    Premium Forwarding Service[supreg] (PFS[supreg]) prices will 
increase between 0.9 and 5.3 percent depending on the specific price 
element. The enrollment fee paid at the retail counter for PFS-
Residential will increase to $21.90 and the PFS-Residential, PFS-
Commercial, and PFS-Local enrollment fee paid online will increase to 
$20.10 per application. The price of the weekly shipment charge for 
PFS-Residential and per container charge for PFS-Local will increase to 
$21.90.

USPS Package Intercept

    The USPS Package Intercept[supreg] fee will increase 3.9 percent to 
$14.65.

Other

Address Enhancement Service

    Address Enhancement Service competitive product prices will 
increase between 0.4 and 3.8 percent.

Small Parcel Forwarding Fee

    The small parcel forwarding fee, an optional service first offered 
in January 2019, will increase 4.9 percent to $4.75.

eVS Unmanifested Fee

    The Postal Service is introducing an ``eVS Unmanifested'' fee to 
discourage unmanifested eVS eligible pieces, reduce occurrences of 
lower postage assessments, and offset additional reconciliation, manual 
processes, and operational costs. The fee will apply to Priority Mail 
Express, Priority Mail,

[[Page 55506]]

First-Class Package Service, and Parcel Select, commercial pieces.

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] website at 
http://pe.usps.com.
    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.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111

    Administrative practice and procedure, Postal Service.

    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 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)

* * * * *

100 Retail Mail Letters, Cards, Flats, and Parcels

* * * * *

150 Retail Mail USPS Retail Ground

153 Prices and Eligibility

1.0 Prices and Fees

1.1 Price Eligibility

    USPS Retail Ground prices are calculated based on the zone to which 
the parcel is addressed and the weight of the parcel. USPS Retail 
Ground prices are available as follows:
* * * * *
    [Revise the text of item d to read as follows:]
    d. USPS Retail Ground--Limited Overland Routes parcels that weigh 
less than 20 pounds but measure more than 84 inches (but not more than 
108 inches) in combined length and girth are charged the applicable 
price for a 20-pound parcel (balloon price).
* * * * *
    [Add new section 1.4, Dimensional Weight Price for Low-Density 
Parcels to Zones 1-9, to read as follows:]

1.4 Dimensional Weight Price for Low-Density Parcels to Zones 1-9

    Except for USPS Retail Ground--Limited Overland Routes parcels 
under 1.3, postage for parcels addressed for delivery to Zones 1-9 and 
exceeding 1 cubic foot (1,728 cubic inches) is based on the actual 
weight or the dimensional weight (as calculated in 1.4.1 or 1.4.2), 
whichever is greater.

1.4.1 Determining Dimensional Weight for Rectangular Parcels

    Follow these steps to determine the dimensional weight for a 
rectangular parcel:
    a. Measure the length, width, and height in inches. Round off (see 
604.7.0) each measurement to the nearest whole inch.
    b. Multiply the length by the width by the height.
    c. If the result exceeds 1,728 cubic inches, divide the result by 
166 and round up (see 604.7.0) to the next whole number to determine 
the dimensional weight in pounds.
    d. If the dimensional weight exceeds 70 pounds, the customer pays 
the 70-pound price.

1.4.2 Determining Dimensional Weight for Nonrectangular Parcels

    Follow these steps to determine the dimensional weight for a 
nonrectangular parcel:
    a. Measure the length, width, and height in inches at their extreme 
dimensions. Round off (see 604.7.0) each measurement to the nearest 
whole inch.
    b. Multiply the length by the width by the height.
    c. Multiply the result by an adjustment factor of 0.785.
    d. If the final result exceeds 1,728 cubic inches, divide the 
result by 166 and round up (see 604.7.0) to the next whole number to 
determine the dimensional weight in pounds.
    e. If the dimensional weight exceeds 70 pounds, the customer pays 
the 70-pound price.
* * * * *

200 Commercial Mail Letters, Flats, and Parcels

* * * * *

210 Commercial Mail Priority Mail Express

213 Prices and Eligibility

1.0 Prices and Fees

* * * * *
    [Add new section 1.9, eVS Unmanifested Fee, to read as follows:]

1.9 eVS Unmanifested Fee

    Eligible eVS Priority Mail Express pieces omitted from the eVS 
manifest are subject to the eVS Unmanifested fee (see Notice 123--Price 
List), unless the piece is subject to the IMpb noncompliance fee under 
3.2.
* * * * *

220 Priority Mail

213 Prices and Eligibility

1.0 Prices and Fees

* * * * *
    [Add new section 1.11, eVS Unmanifested Fee, to read as follows:]

1.11 eVS Unmanifested Fee

    Eligible eVS Priority Mail pieces omitted from the eVS manifest are 
subject to the eVS Unmanifested piece fee (see Notice 123--Price List), 
unless the piece is subject to the IMpb noncompliance fee under 3.2.
* * * * *

250 Parcel Select

253 Prices and Eligibility

1.0 Prices and Fees

* * * * *
    [Add new section 1.5, eVS Unmanifested Fee, to read as follows:]

1.5 eVS Unmanifested Fee

    Eligible eVS Parcel Select pieces omitted from the eVS manifest are 
subject to the eVS Unmanifested fee (see Notice 123--Price List), 
unless the piece is subject to the IMpb noncompliance fee under 3.3.
* * * * *

280 Commercial Mail First-Class Package Service--Commercial

283 Prices and Eligibility

1.0 Prices and Fees

* * * * *
    [Add new section 1.4, eVS Unmanifested Piece Fee, to read as 
follows:]

1.4 eVS Unmanifested Fee

    Eligible eVS First-Class Package Service-Commercial pieces omitted 
from the eVS manifest are subject to the eVS Unmanifested fee (see 
Notice 123--Price List), unless the piece is subject to the IMpb 
noncompliance fee under 3.4.
* * * * *

500 Additional Mailing Services

* * * * *

507 Mailer Services

* * * * *

[[Page 55507]]

    [Add new section 11.0, Premium Data Retention and Retrieval 
Service, to read as follows:]

11.0 Premium Data Retention and Retrieval Service

    Premium Data Retention and Retrieval service allows a customer to 
request that the Postal Service retain: (1) Scan data or (2) scan and 
signature data for the customer's packages beyond the Postal Service's 
standard data retention period, for up to ten years. Premium Data 
Retention and Retrieval service is available for commercial packages 
shipped via Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, First-Class Package 
Service, Parcel Select, and commercial packages with Adult Signature 
Services. For Scan and Signature Retention on products other than 
Priority Mail Express, the customer must have purchased an underlying 
signature service, such as Signature Confirmation service (see Notice 
123--Price List). Customers can request Premium Data Retention and 
Retrieval service online at USPS.com or through a Shipping Services 
File.
* * * * *

Notice 123 (Price List)

    [Revise competitive prices as applicable.]
* * * * *

Quick Service Guides (QSGs)

    [Revise Quick Service Guides as applicable.]
* * * * *
    We will publish an appropriate amendment to 39 CFR part 111 to 
reflect these changes.

Joshua J. Hofer,
Attorney, Federal Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2019-22640 Filed 10-16-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7710-12-P