[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 222 (Friday, November 18, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 69348]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-25115]


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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. MC2023-12; Order No. 6326]


Market Dominant Product List

AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Commission is recognizing a recent Postal Service filing 
requesting to add USPS Connect Local Mail as a new, permanent product 
to the Mail Classification Schedule and the request's dismissal.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David A. Trissell, General Counsel, at 
202-789-6820.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Contents

I. Introduction
II. Commission Action
III. Ordering Paragraphs

I. Introduction

    On October 11, 2022, the Postal Service filed a request with the 
Commission pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 3642 and 39 CFR 3045.18 to convert the 
experimental product offering USPS Connect Local Mail into a permanent 
product offering on the Mail Classification Schedule.\1\ On October 17, 
2022, the Commission dismissed the Request without prejudice, allowing 
the Postal Service to file an amended request if it so chose.\2\
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    \1\ United States Postal Service Request to Convert USPS Connect 
Local Mail to a Permanent Offering, October 11, 2022 (Request).
    \2\ Order Dismissing Without Prejudice Postal Service's Request 
to Convert USPS Connect Local Mail Market Test to a Permanent 
Offering, October 17, 2022, at 5-6 (Order No. 6301).
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    On November 9, 2022, the Postal Service filed a revised request to 
convert USPS Connect Local Mail into a permanent offering, effective 
January 22, 2023.\3\ In support of its Revised Request, the Postal 
Service filed the following documents:
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    \3\ United States Postal Service Revised Request to Convert USPS 
Connect Local Mail to a Permanent Offering, November 9, 2022 
(Revised Request).
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     Attachment A--Proposed Changes to the Mail Classification 
Schedule;
     Attachment B--Market Test Quarterly Data Collection 
Reports;
     Attachment C--Resolution of the Governors of the United 
States Postal Service; and
     Attachment D--Statement of Supporting Justification
    See Revised Request, Attachments A through D.
    The USPS Connect Local Mail market test was initially authorized by 
the Commission on January 4, 2022.\4\ It is currently set to expire on 
January 8, 2024. Order No. 6080 at 20. USPS Connect Local Mail is a 
derivative of First-Class Mail that functions as an alternative to 
long-distance, end-to-end mailing for use by business mailers who wish 
to send mail locally with regular frequency. Order No. 6080 at 2. The 
Postal Service asserts that the USPS Connect Local Mail market test has 
proven successful and that it now wishes to insert the USPS Connect 
Local Mail product offering into the Mail Classification Schedule under 
section 1115 (Market Dominant Products: First-Class Mail: First-Class 
Mail Flats). Revised Request at 2. The Postal Service maintains that 
the USPS Connect Local Mail product meets all the conditions in 39 
U.S.C. 3642 and 39 CFR 3045.18 for adding a non-experimental product 
based on an experimental product to the product list. Id. at 3-6. The 
Postal Service also, as required by 39 CFR 3045.18(e), filed a separate 
notice of the instant request in Docket No. MT2022-1.\5\ The planned 
rate for USPS Connect Local Mail is $2.95. Revised Request at 2-3.
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    \4\ Docket No. MT2022-1, Order Authorizing Market Test of 
Experimental Product--USPS Connect Local Mail, January 4, 2022 
(Order No. 6080).
    \5\ Docket No. MT2022-1, United States Postal Service Notice of 
Revised Request to Convert USPS Connect Local Mail to a Permanent 
Offering, November 9, 2022.
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II. Commission Action

    The Commission reopens Docket No. MC2023-12 to consider the Postal 
Service's Revised Request. Interested persons may submit comments on 
whether the Request is consistent with the policies of 39 U.S.C. 3642, 
39 CFR 3045.18, and 39 CFR 3040.130 through .135. Comments are due by 
December 9, 2022.
    The Request and related filings are available on the Commission's 
website (http://www.prc.gov). The Commission encourages interested 
persons to review the Request for further details.
    The Commission appoints Mallory L. Smith to serve as Public 
Representative in this proceeding.

III. Ordering Paragraphs

    It is ordered:
    1. The Commission reopens Docket No. MC2023-12 for consideration of 
the United States Postal Service Revised Request to Convert USPS 
Connect Local Mail to a Permanent Offering, filed November 9, 2022.
    2. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, Mallory L. Smith is appointed to 
serve as an officer of the Commission (Public Representative) to 
represent the interests of the general public in this proceeding.
    3. Comments by interested persons are due by December 9, 2022.
    4. The Secretary shall arrange for publication of this order in the 
Federal Register.

    By the Commission.
Erica A. Barker,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-25115 Filed 11-17-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P