[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 201 (Thursday, October 17, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55599-55600]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-22651]


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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. R2020-1; Order No. 5273]


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 26, 
2020. This notice informs the public of the filing, invites public 
comment, and takes other administrative steps.

DATES: Comments are due: October 29, 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 and Overview
II. Initial Administrative Actions
III. Ordering Paragraphs

I. Introduction and Overview

    On October 9, 2019, 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

[[Page 55600]]

proposed classification changes to the Mail Classification Schedule 
(MCS).\1\ The intended effective date is January 26, 2020. 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 9, 2019 (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 seven 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. Id. Attachments B and C. Attachment D presents the 
promotions schedule. Id. Attachment D.
    Several library references present supporting financial 
documentation for the five classes of mail. Notice at 4-5 nn.9-11. 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-R2020-1/NP1, October 9, 
2019, Attachment 1.
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    Planned price adjustments. The Postal Service's planned percentage 
changes by class are, on average, as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Planned price
                  Market dominant class                     adjustment
                                                                (%)
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First-Class Mail........................................           1.919
USPS Marketing Mail.....................................           1.891
Periodicals.............................................           1.900
Package Services........................................           1.892
Special Services........................................           1.905
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Id. at 4.
    Price adjustments for products within classes vary from the 
average. See, e.g., id. at 7, 22 (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 7.
    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 37-39; id. Attachment A.
    Calendar year 2020 promotions. The Postal Service seeks approval 
for the following six promotions for the indicated periods:
    Tactile, Sensory and Interactive Mailpiece Engagement Promotion 
(February 1-July 31, 2020);
     Emerging and Advanced Technology Promotion (March 1-August 
31, 2020);
     Earned Value Reply Mail Promotion (April 1-June 30, 2020);
     Personalized Color Transpromo Promotion (July 1-December 
31, 2020);
     Mobile Shopping Promotion (August 1-December 31, 2020); 
and
     Informed Delivery Promotion (September 1-November 30, 
2020).

Id. Attachment D.

II. Initial Administrative Actions

    Pursuant to 39 CFR 3010.11(a), the Commission establishes Docket 
No. R2020-1 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 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. 
The Commission further notes that any issues specifically related to 
Docket No. R2019-1 First-Class Mail rates and the Carlson decision will 
be addressed in a separate order in Docket No. R2019-1 and will not be 
adjudicated as part of the instant proceeding. Comments are due no 
later than October 29, 2019.\4\
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    \4\ The Commission is mindful of the Comments on Procedure of 
the National Postal Policy Council, the Greeting Card Association, 
and the Major Mailers Association, October 10, 2019 and the United 
States Postal Service Response to Procedural Schedule Comments, 
October 10, 2019. The Commission continues to use the 20-day comment 
period as set forth in 39 CFR 3010.11(a)(5); however, the Commission 
notes that in order to sufficiently address the issues identified in 
the Carlson decision, its determination may exceed the 14-day 
deadline set forth in 39 CFR 3010.11(d). See Carlson v. Postal 
Regulatory Commission, No. 18-1328, slip op. (D.C. Cir. Sept. 13, 
2019).
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    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 Anne C. O'Connor 
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. R2020-1 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 9, 2019 Notice.
    2. Comments on the planned price adjustments and related 
classification changes are due no later than October 29, 2019.
    3. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, Anne C. O'Connor 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.

    By the Commission.
Darcie S. Tokioka,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-22651 Filed 10-16-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P