[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 144 (Monday, July 27, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 45139-45140]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-15740]


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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION

39 CFR Part 3050

[Docket No. RM2020-11; Order No. 5587]


Periodic Reporting

AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Commission is acknowledging a recent filing requesting the 
Commission initiate a rulemaking proceeding to consider changes to 
analytical principles relating to periodic reports (Proposal Four). 
This document informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, 
and takes other administrative steps.

DATES: Comments are due: August 14, 2020.

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 Four
III. Notice and Comment
IV. Ordering Paragraphs

I. Introduction

    On July 13, 2020, the Postal Service filed a petition pursuant to 
39 CFR 3050.11 requesting that the Commission initiate a rulemaking 
proceeding to consider changes to analytical principles relating to 
periodic reports.\1\ The Petition identifies the proposed analytical 
changes filed in this docket as Proposal Four.
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    \1\ Petition of the United States Postal Service for the 
Initiation of a Proceeding to Consider Proposed Changes in 
Analytical Principles (Proposal Four), July 13, 2020 (Petition). The 
Postal Service also filed a notice of non-public materials relating 
to Proposal Four. Notice of Filing of USPS-RM2020-11-NP1 and 
Application for Nonpublic Treatment, July 13, 2020.
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II. Proposal Four

    Background. Proposal Four relates to the methodology used in 
International Cost and Revenue Analysis (ICRA) reporting to distribute 
international mail settlement expenses to international mail 
categories. Petition, Proposal Four at 1. The Postal Service reports 
outbound settlement costs in two General Ledger accounts: account no. 
53298 (INTERNATIONAL-FOREIGN POST EXPENSE (OTHER)) and account no. 
53299 (INTERNATIONAL-FOREIGN POST EXPENSE (AIR)). Id. Currently, the 
Postal Service applies a single benchmark factor to all of the products 
and sub-products in each of these two accounts. Id. The Postal Service 
also filed a detailed assessment of the impact of the proposal on 
particular products in a non-public attachment accompanying this 
proposal.\2\
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    \2\ See Library Reference USPS-RM2020-11-NP1.
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    Proposal. The Postal Service's proposal seeks to replace the 
existing methodology which uses a single benchmark factor for each 
account with an approach that benchmarks to eight product and sub-
product categories within the two settlement expense accounts. 
Petition, Proposal Four at 1-2. The Postal Service states that the 
proposal would use additional Foreign Postal Settlement (FPS) mail 
category item-and weight-component expense data to develop these 
benchmarks. Id. at 1. The Postal Service avers that the structure for 
more detailed benchmarking already existed in the ICRA but required 
more detailed information that is now available from FPS. Id. at 3.
    Rationale and impact. The Postal Service contends that the proposed 
methodology will improve ICRA reporting by providing ``a finer level of 
mail category detail.'' Id at 2. The Postal Service states that the 
proposed methodology ``eliminates the need to use single account-level 
factors to benchmark the expense amounts across all mail 
categories[,]'' and instead uses additional FPS data to report 
settlement expenses that are ``directly related'' to the eight product 
and sub-product categories in the two outbound settlement expense 
accounts. Id.
    The Postal Service states that the proposed methodology would shift 
$7 million of expenses in FY 2019 from market dominant to competitive 
products. Id. The Postal Service characterizes this impact as 
``relatively modest.'' Id.

III. Notice and Comment

    The Commission establishes Docket No. RM2020-11 for consideration 
of matters raised by the Petition. More information on the Petition may 
be accessed via the Commission's website at http://www.prc.gov. 
Interested persons may submit comments on the Petition and Proposal 
Four no later than August 14, 2020. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, Gregory 
Stanton is designated as an

[[Page 45140]]

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. RM2020-11 for 
consideration of the matters raised by the Petition of the United 
States Postal Service for the Initiation of a Proceeding to Consider 
Proposed Changes in Analytical Principles (Proposal Four), filed July 
13, 2020.
    2. Comments by interested persons in this proceeding are due no 
later than August 14, 2020.\3\
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    \3\ The Commission reminds interested persons that its revised 
and reorganized Rules of Practice and Procedure became effective 
April 20, 2020, and should be used in filings with the Commission 
after April 20, 2020. The new rules are available on the 
Commission's website and can be found in Order No. 5407. Docket No. 
RM2019-13, Order Reorganizing Commission Regulations and Amending 
Rules of Practice, January 16, 2020 (Order No. 5407).
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    3. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, the Commission appoints Gregory 
Stanton 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.
Erica A. Barker,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-15740 Filed 7-24-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P