[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 131 (Tuesday, July 13, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36788-36790]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-14859]


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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. N2021-2; Order No. 5933]


Service Standard Changes

AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Commission is revising the procedural schedule for the 
proposed service standard changes to First-Class Package Service. This 
notice informs the public of the revised procedural schedule.

DATES: Discovery requests are due: July 21, 2021; Postal Service's 
answers to discovery are due: July 28, 2021; Notices confirming intent 
to conduct oral cross-examination are due: July 28, 2021; Requests to 
present oral argument are due: July 28, 2021; Notices of designations 
are due: July 27, 2021; Notices of designated materials are due: July 
30, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Submit filings electronically via the Commission's Filing 
Online system at http://www.prc.gov. Those who cannot submit filings 
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 June 17, 2021, the Postal Service filed a 
request for an advisory opinion regarding planned changes to the 
service standards for First-Class Package Service.\1\ On June 21, 2021, 
the Commission issued a notice and order concerning the Postal 
Service's request,\2\ setting forth a procedural schedule for 
consideration of the planned changes. See Order No. 5920, Attachment 1.
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    \1\ United States Postal Service Request for an Advisory Opinion 
on Changes in the Nature of Postal Services, June 17, 2021 
(Request).
    \2\ Notice and Order on the Postal Service's Request for an 
Advisory Opinion on Changes in the Nature of Postal Services, June 
21, 2021 (Order No. 5920).
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    On July 2, 2021, the Postal Service filed a notice of errata 
modifying certain pages of the Request and the supporting testimony 
filed on behalf of its three witnesses.\3\ The Postal Service also 
filed a notice revising the following supporting library references: 
USPS-LR-N2021-2-1, USPS-LR-N2021-2-4, USPS-LR-N2021-2-NP1, and USPS-LR-
N20201-2-NP2.\4\ The Postal Service states that both sets of revisions 
are related to errors in how its summary tables were compiled and/or 
deficiencies in aggregating modeled results with unmodeled results. See 
Errata to Request and Testimony at 1-2.
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    \3\ Notice of the United States Postal Service of Revisions to 
Certain Pages of the Request for an Advisory Opinion, USPS-T-1, 
USPS-T-2, and USPS-T-3--Errata, July 2, 2021 (Errata to Request and 
Testimony).
    \4\ Notice of the United States Postal Service of Revisions to 
Library References 1, 4, NP1, and NP2--Errata, July 2, 2021.
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    In order to provide sufficient time for parties to analyze the 
implications of the modified data that were submitted following the 
Postal Service's initial filing, the Commission finds good cause to 
adjust the procedural schedule as described below and in the Attachment 
appearing below the signature of this Order. See 39 CFR 3020.112(b).
    The Commission previously set July 15, 2021 as the deadline for 
parties to file discovery requests regarding the Postal Service's 
direct case, and July 22, 2021 as the Postal Service's deadline to file 
answers to discovery requests. Order No. 5920 at 17. The deadline for 
parties to file discovery requests on the Postal Service's direct case 
has been changed to July 21, 2021, and the Postal Service's discovery 
answers must be filed by July 28, 2021.
    The Commission previously set July 20, 2021 as the deadline for 
parties to file notices confirming intent to file a rebuttal case. Id. 
at 18. The deadline for parties to file these notices has been changed 
to July 23, 2021. The deadline to file a rebuttal case has been changed 
from July 29, 2021 to August 4, 2021. See id.

[[Page 36789]]

    The Commission also stated that, assuming no rebuttal case is 
filed, any party that intends to conduct oral cross-examination shall 
file a notice of intent to do so by July 22, 2021. Id. at 19. The 
deadline for parties to file notices of intent to conduct oral cross-
examination has been changed to July 28, 2021. The previous deadline 
for Notices of Designations was set for July 23, 2021. Id. at 20. The 
deadline has been changed to July 27, 2021. The Postal Service was to 
file its Notice of Designated Materials by July 27, 2021. Id. The 
deadline for the Postal Service's Notice of Designated Materials has 
been changed to July 30, 2021.
    The Commission previously set July 22, 2021 as the deadline for 
parties to request to present oral argument at the hearing, assuming no 
rebuttal case is filed. Id. at 22. This deadline has been changed to 
July 28, 2021.
    Assuming no rebuttal case is filed, the Commission previously 
reserved July 29, 2021, July 30, 2021, and August 2, 2021 for hearing 
dates. Id. at 19. The new reserved hearing dates shall be August 4-6, 
2021.
    Assuming no rebuttal case is filed, the deadline for initial briefs 
or statements of position was previously set for August 9, 2021 and 
reply briefs for August 16, 2021. Id. at 21. The new deadline for 
initial briefs and statements of position is August 13, 2021. The new 
deadline for reply briefs is August 20, 2021.
    Additionally, the Commission also changes the dates previously 
reserved for hearing in the event of rebuttal and/or surrebuttal 
testimony as follows. If any party files a notice of intent to file a 
rebuttal case by July 23, 2021 but no surrebuttal testimony will be 
presented, then the new reserved hearing dates shall be August 11-13, 
2021. If any party files a notice of intent to file a rebuttal case by 
July 23, 2021, and the Commission approves the presentation of 
surrebuttal testimony, then the new reserved hearing dates shall be 
August 18-20, 2021.
    Motions for leave to file a surrebuttal case were due July 30, 2021 
and responses to these motions were due August 3, 2021. Id. at 18. 
These deadlines have been changed to August 6, 2021 and August 10, 
2021, respectively. If granted, any surrebuttal case--previously due by 
August 5, 2021--is now due by August 11, 2021. See id.
    The Commission shall issue its advisory opinion in this proceeding 
by September 29, 2021. The timing of the Commission's advisory opinion 
will still be completed prior to the Postal Service's announced plans 
to implement the changes no earlier than October 1, 2021. Request at 1.
    It is ordered:
    1. The modified procedural schedule for this proceeding is set 
forth below the signature of this order.
    2. The Secretary shall arrange for publication of this order in the 
Federal Register.

    By the Commission.
Erica A. Barker,
Secretary.

               Procedural Schedule for Docket No. N2021-2
               [Modified by the Commission, July 8, 2021]
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        Discovery Deadlines for the Postal Service's Direct Case
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Filing of Discovery Requests..............  July 21, 2021.
Filing of the Postal Service's Answers to   July 28, 2021.
 Discovery.
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                  Deadlines in Preparation for Hearing
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Filing of Notice Confirming Intent to       July 28, 2021.
 Conduct Oral Cross-Examination.
Filing of Request to Present Oral Argument  July 28, 2021.
Filing of Notice of Designations..........  July 27, 2021.
Filing of Notices of Designated Materials.  July 30, 2021.
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                 Rebuttal Case Deadlines (if applicable)
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Filing of Notice Confirming Intent to File  July 23, 2021.
 a Rebuttal Case.
Filing of Rebuttal Case...................  August 4, 2021.
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               Surrebuttal Case Deadlines (if applicable)
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Filing of Motion for Leave to File          August 6, 2021.
 Surrebuttal Case.
Filing of Response to Motion for Leave to   August 10, 2021.
 File Surrebuttal Case.
Filing of Surrebuttal Case (if authorized)  August 11, 2021.
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                              Hearing Dates
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Hearings (with no Rebuttal Case)..........  August 4-6, 2021.
Hearings (with Rebuttal Case, but no        August 11-13, 2021.
 authorized Surrebuttal Case).
Hearings (with Rebuttal Case and            August 18-20, 2021.
 authorized Surrebuttal Case).
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                           Briefing Deadlines
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Filing of Initial Briefs (with no Rebuttal  August 13, 2021.
 Case).
Filing of Reply Briefs (with no Rebuttal    August 20, 2021.
 Case).
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                     Statement of Position Deadline
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Filing of Statement of Position (with no    August 13, 2021.
 Rebuttal Case).
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                        Advisory Opinion Deadline
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Filing of Advisory Opinion (absent          September 29, 2021.
 determination of good cause for
 extension).
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[[Page 36790]]

[FR Doc. 2021-14859 Filed 7-12-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P