[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 71 (Tuesday, April 14, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19218-19219]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-07204]
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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. R2026-1; Order No. 9512]
Market Dominant Price Adjustment
AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Commission is recognizing a recently filed Postal Service
notice of inflation-based rate adjustments affecting market dominant
domestic and international products and services, along with proposed
classification changes. This notice informs the public of the filing,
invites public comment, and takes other administrative steps.
DATES: Comments are due: May 11, 2026.
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. Overview of the Postal Service's Filing
III. Initial Administrative Actions
IV. Ordering Paragraphs
I. Introduction
On April 9, 2026, the Postal Service filed a notice of price
adjustments affecting Market Dominant domestic and international
products and services, along with proposed classification changes to
the Mail Classification Schedule (MCS).\1\ The intended effective date
for the planned price adjustments is July 12, 2026. Notice at 1, 10.
The Notice, which was filed pursuant to 39 CFR part 3030, triggers a
notice-and-comment proceeding. 39 CFR 3030.125.
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\1\ United States Postal Service Notice of Market-Dominant Price
Change, April 9, 2026 (Notice).
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[[Page 19219]]
II. Overview of the Postal Service's Filing
The Postal Service's filing consists of the Notice, which the
Postal Service represents addresses data and information required under
39 CFR 3030.122 and 39 CFR 3030.123; two attachments (Attachments A and
B) to the Notice; and six public library references and two non-public
library references.
Attachment A presents the planned price and related product
description changes to the MCS. Notice, Attachment A. Attachment B
presents the price cap calculation. Id. Attachment B.
The first five public library references provide supporting
documentation for the five classes of mail, and the sixth public
library reference shows the banked rate adjustment authority for each
class of mail over the last 5 years.\2\ The Postal Service also filed
two library references under seal and applied for non-public treatment
of those materials.\3\ The first non-public library reference pertains
to the two international mail products within First-Class Mail
(Outbound Single-Piece First-Class Mail International and Inbound
Letter Post); and the second non-public library reference pertains to
mailer-specific volume and revenue information relating to the Mail
Growth Incentives supporting the First-Class Mail and USPS Marketing
Mail price cap calculations. See Notice of Non-Public Library
References at 1, Attachment 1 at 4.
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\2\ USPS Notice of Filing Public Library References, April 9,
2026, at 1.
\3\ United States Postal Service Notice of Filing Non-Public
Library References and Application for Non-Public Treatment, April
9, 2026, at 1-2, Attachment 1 (Notice of Non-Public Library
References).
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The Postal Service's planned percentage changes by class are, on
average, as follows:
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Planned price
Market dominant class adjustment (%)
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First-Class Mail........................................ 4.803
USPS Marketing Mail..................................... 4.803
Periodicals............................................. 6.803
Package Services........................................ 4.803
Special Services........................................ 4.803
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Notice at 5. Price adjustments for products within classes vary
from the average. See, e.g., id. at 6, 9 (Table 4 showing range for
First-Class Mail products and Table 8 showing range for USPS Marketing
Mail products).
The Postal Service identifies the effect of its proposed price and
classification changes on the MCS in Attachment A. Id. at 49; id.
Attachment A. The Postal Service also seeks approval for the following
seven promotions for the indicated periods:
Informed Delivery Add-On/Upgrade Promotion (January 1-
December 31, 2027);
Sustainability Add-On/Upgrade Promotion (January 1-
December 31, 2027);
Tactile, Sensory, and Interactive Base/Primary Promotion
(January 1-June 30, 2027); \4\
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\4\ The Notice states that this promotion period is from January
1-June 31, 2027. Notice at 42.
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Integrated Technology Base/Primary Promotion (mailers will
select a start date for a six-month promotion period within calendar
year 2027);
First-Class Mail Advertising Base/Primary Promotion (April
1-December 31, 2027);
Impact Messaging Base/Primary Promotion (May 1-September
30, 2027);
Direct Mail Discovery for Marketing Mail Base/Primary
Promotion (April 1-September 30, 2027)
Id. at 41-45.
III. Initial Administrative Actions
Pursuant to 39 CFR 3030.124(a), the Commission establishes Docket
No. R2026-1 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 planned price adjustments are consistent with applicable
statutory and regulatory requirements. 39 CFR 3030.125. The applicable
statutory and regulatory requirements the Commission considers in its
review are the requirements of 39 CFR part 3030, Commission directives
and orders, and 39 U.S.C. 3626, 3627, and 3629. 39 CFR 3030.126(b).
Comments are due no later than May 11, 2026. 39 CFR 3030.124(f). The
Commission will not accept late-filed comments as it is not practicable
due to the expedited timeline for this proceeding. See 39 CFR
3030.126(b). The Commission notes that its review in this proceeding is
limited to ensuring that the proposed prices comply with the
requirements of 39 CFR part 3030, Commission directives and orders, and
39 U.S.C. 3626, 3627, and 3629. The Commission has an ongoing
proceeding in which it is reviewing the broader aspects of the Market
Dominant ratemaking system.\5\
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\5\ See Docket Nos. RM2024-4, et al., Advance Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking on the Statutory Review of the System for Regulating
Rates and Classes for Market Dominant Products, April 5, 2024 (Order
No. 7032); Docket Nos. RM2024-4, et al., Order Presenting Findings
on the Statutory Review of the System for Regulating Rates and
Classes for Market Dominant Products (Phase 1 Completion), June 9,
2025 (Order No. 8891); Docket Nos. RM2024-4, et al., Procedural
Order on Phased Rulemaking, June 9, 2025 (Order No. 8892); Docket
Nos. RM2024-4, et al., Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the
Statutory Review of the System for Regulating Rates and Classes for
Market Dominant Products (Phase 2A Initiation), June 9, 2025 (Order
No. 8893); Docket Nos. RM2024-4, et al., Order Adopting Rules
Limiting Frequency of Rate Increases Above the De Minimis Threshold
and Adding Criteria for Workshare Discounts for Market Dominant
Products (Phase 2A Completion), January 13, 2026 (Order No. 9426);
Docket Nos. RM2024-4, et al., Procedural Order on 39 CFR 3010.201(B)
Proposals, January 13, 2026 (Order No. 9427); Docket Nos. RM2024-4,
et al., Order Granting Temporary Conditional Waiver Regarding
Required Minimum Remittance, April 9, 2026 (Order No. 9504).
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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 3011.
Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, the Commission appoints Mallory L. Smith
to represent the interests of the general public (Public
Representative) in this proceeding. The Public Representative does not
represent any individual person, entity or particular point of view,
and, when Commission attorneys are appointed, no attorney-client
relationship is established.
IV. Ordering Paragraphs
It is ordered:
1. The Commission establishes Docket No. R2026-1 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 April 9, 2026 Notice.
2. Comments on the planned price adjustments and related
classification changes are due no later than May 11, 2026.
3. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, Mallory L. Smith is appointed to
serve as an officer of the Commission to represent the interests of the
general public (Public Representative) in this proceeding.
4. The order, or abstract thereof, shall be published in the
Federal Register.
By the Commission.
Ashley Demchak,
Alternate Federal Register Liaison.
[FR Doc. 2026-07204 Filed 4-13-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P