[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 69 (Tuesday, April 13, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 19173-19174]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-07521]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION

39 CFR Part 3030

[Docket No. RM2021-2; Order No. 5862]


Market Dominant Products

AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Commission is initiating a review seeking input from the 
public about what additional regulations promulgated by the Commission 
may be necessary to achieve the objectives of the Postal Accountability 
and

[[Page 19174]]

Enhancement Act (PAEA) particularly related to maximizing incentives to 
increase efficiency and reduce costs, maintaining high-quality service 
standards, and assuring financial stability (including retained 
earnings). This advance notice informs the public of the docket's 
initiation, invites public comment, and takes other administrative 
steps.

DATES: 
    Comments are due: July 14, 2021.
    Reply comments are due: August 13, 2021.

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: On January 15, 2021, the Commission 
established this proceeding to seek public input regarding any 
additional regulations that may be necessary to achieve the objectives 
of the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA) \1\ over the 
longer-term, particularly for issues such as ``maximizing incentives to 
increase efficiency and reduce costs, maintaining high-quality service 
standards, and assuring financial stability (including retained 
earnings).'' \2\ The Commission established April 15, 2021, and May 17, 
2021, as the deadlines for filing comments and reply comments, 
respectively. Order No. 5816 at 15.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Public Law 109-435, 201, 120 Stat. 3198, 3204 (2006).
    \2\ Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Regarding Performance 
Incentive Mechanism, January 15, 2021, at 1 (Order No. 5816).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    On March 23, 2021, the Postal Service published a ten-year plan 
announcing potential changes intended to achieve financial stability 
and service excellence.\3\ On April 1, 2021, the National Association 
of Presort Mailers (NAPM) filed a request for an extension of the 
deadline for initial comments in this proceeding.\4\ NAPM raises three 
reasons in support of its Request, which are generally premised on 
recent developments resulting from the potential changes announced in 
the Postal Service's Plan. See Request at 1-2. First, NAPM asserts that 
it would be premature to discuss the issues raised in this proceeding 
without a fuller understanding of the potential changes announced in 
the Postal Service's Plan. See id. Second, NAPM observes that 
commenters may face difficulties in providing effective comments on 
issues related to the maintenance of high-quality service standards by 
the established deadline because the Postal Service also recently 
announced plans to reduce service standards for First-Class Mail and 
Periodicals.\5\ Third, noting that the Postal Service has recently 
initiated five proceedings in which mailing association stakeholders 
intend to participate,\6\ NAPM requests that the Commission consider 
how the resources of commenters affect their ability to meaningfully 
respond to multiple filing deadlines. See Request at 2.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ See United States Postal Service, Delivering for America: 
Our Vision and Ten-Year Plan to Achieve Financial Sustainability and 
Service Excellence, March 23, 2021, at 3, available at https://about.usps.com/what/strategic-plans/delivering-for-america/assets/USPS_Delivering-For-America.pdf (Postal Service's Plan).
    \4\ Request for Extension of Initial Comments Deadline, April 1, 
2021 (Request).
    \5\ See Request at 2; see also Postal Service's Plan at 52; 
Docket No. N2021-1, Notice of Pre-Filing Conference, March 23, 2021.
    \6\ No specific proceedings are referenced in the Request other 
than Docket No. N2021-1; however, the Commission takes note of the 
following four proceedings recently initiated by the Postal Service: 
Docket Nos. RM2021-5, CP2021-81, MC2021-78, and RM2021-4. See Docket 
No. RM2021-5, United States Postal Service Application for Waiver 
Under 39 CFR 3030.286, March 26, 2021 (seeking waiver of rules for 
setting the First-Class Mail Letters 5-Digit Automation workshare 
discount in the next rate adjustment filing); Docket No. CP2021-81, 
USPS Notice of Changes in Class of General Applicability for a 
Competitive Product, March 26, 2021 (seeking to eliminate the 10:30 
a.m. delivery option for the Priority Mail Express product and the 
associated fee for that option); Docket No. MC2021-78, United States 
Postal Service Request to Transfer Bound Printed Matter Parcels to 
the Competitive Product List, March 26, 2021 (seeking to transfer 
Bound Printed Matter Parcels from the Market Dominant product list 
to the Competitive product list); Docket No. RM2021-4, Petition of 
the United States Postal Service for the Initiation of a Proceeding 
to Consider Proposed Changes in Analytical Principles (Proposal 
Two), March 24, 2021 (seeking to change the assignment of cost pools 
in the First-Class Mail cost avoidance model).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Association of Postal Commerce (PostCom) and the Public 
Representative support this Request.\7\ PostCom agrees with NAPM's 
assessment of the recent developments. PostCom Statement at 1. The 
Public Representative asserts that extending both the initial and reply 
comment deadlines would allow interested persons to better evaluate the 
advisability of adopting a performance incentive mechanism and the 
structure of such a mechanism in light of the Postal Service's recently 
announced service changes. Public Representative Response at 1.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \7\ Statement in Support of the National Association of Presort 
Mailers Request for Extension of Initial Comments Deadline, March 
30, 2021 (PostCom Statement); Response of the Public Representative 
in Support of Request for Extension of Comment Deadlines, April 2, 
2021 (Public Representative Response).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Given the recent developments, this requested extension is 
reasonable and does not prejudice any party. Therefore, the Request is 
granted.
    Comments are due July 14, 2021. Reply comments are due August 13, 
2021.
    It is ordered:
    1. The Request for Extension of Initial Comments Deadline, filed on 
April 1, 2021, is granted.
    2. Interested persons may submit comments no later than July 14, 
2021.
    3. Interested persons may submit reply comments no later than 
August 13, 2021.
    4. The Secretary shall arrange for publication of this order in the 
Federal Register.

    By the Commission.
Erica A. Barker,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-07521 Filed 4-12-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P