74542 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 209 / Tuesday, October 31, 2023 / Notices 

1Order Authorizing Market Test of Experimental 

Product—USPS Connect Local Mail, January 4, 

2022 (Order No. 6080). 

2United States Postal Service Request for 

Extension of Market Test, October 24, 2023, at 1 

(Request). 

3 Docket No. MC2023–12, United States Postal 

Service Request to Convert USPS Connect Local 

Mail to a Permanent Offering, October 11, 2022 

(Initial Request). 

4 Docket No. MC2023–12, 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). 

5 Docket No. MC2023–12, United States Postal 

Service Revised Request to Convert USPS Connect 

Local Mail to a Permanent Offering, November 9, 

2022 (Revised Request). 

6 Docket No. MC2023–12, Order Dismissing 

Without Prejudice the Postal Service’s Revised 

Request to Convert USPS Connect Local Mail 

Market Test to a Permanent Offering, January 20, 

2023, at 3 (Order No. 6423). 7 Id. at 5; see Order No. 6423 at 14. 

This Notice will be published in the 

Federal Register. 

Erica A. Barker, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2023–23995 Filed 10–30–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7710–FW–P 

POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION 

[Docket No. MT2022–1; Order No. 6758] 

Market Test of Experimental Product 

AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Commission is 

recognizing a recently filed Postal 

Service request to extend the duration of 

USPS Connect Local Mail market test. 

This notice informs the public of the 

filing, invites public comment, and 

takes other administrative steps. 

DATES: Comments are due: November 

16, 2023. 

ADDRESSES: Submit comments 

electronically via the Commission’s 

Filing Online system at https://

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. Background 

III. Notice of Filing 

IV. Ordering Paragraphs 

I. Introduction 

On January 4, 2022, the Commission 

authorized the Postal Service to proceed 

with a 2-year market test of an 

experimental product called USPS 

Connect Local Mail.1 The market test 

began on January 9, 2022 and is 

scheduled to expire on January 8, 2024 

unless extended or canceled. Order No. 

6080 at 20. USPS Connect Local Mail 

offers an alternative to long-distance 

end-to-end mailing that business 

mailers may use to send documents 

locally with regular frequency. Id. at 2. 

USPS Connect Local Mail provides 

same-day or next-day delivery, 6 days 

per week, with customers receiving 

same-day or next-day delivery based on 

when they enter their mail. Id. On 

October 24, 2023, the Postal Service 

filed a request pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 

3641 and 39 CFR 3045.11 to extend the 

duration of the USPS Connect Local 

Mail market test until January 9, 2025, 

an additional 12 months.2

II. Background 

Before filing the Request, the Postal 

Service filed two requests to convert 

USPS Connect Local Mail to a 

permanent offering that were both 

dismissed without prejudice. On 

October 11, 2022, the Postal Service 

filed its initial request, which the 

Commission considered in Docket No. 

MC2023–12.3 The Commission 

dismissed the Initial Request without 

prejudice because it did not ‘‘contain 

the information required by law and 

necessary for the Commission to 

determine the appropriateness of 

converting USPS Connect Local Mail to 

a permanent product offering. . . .’’ 4 It 

provided the Postal Service the 

opportunity to refile a compliant 

request, which the Postal Service 

submitted on November 9, 2022.5 After 

reviewing the record and considering 

comments received, the Commission 

dismissed the Revised Request without 

prejudice because the Postal Service did 

not adequately address significant 

issues regarding potential unfair 

competition under 39 U.S.C. 404a.6 In 

Order No. 6423, the Commission stated 

that it expects a future request to 

convert USPS Connect Local Mail to a 

permanent product offering to address 

four topics regarding sufficient data, 

financial stability, pricing, and impact 

of new sorting and delivery centers on 

customer demand. Order No. 6423 at 

12–15. 

In its Request for extension, the Postal 

Service explains that extending the 

market test for another year would allow 

it to address the topics identified in 

Order No. 6423. Request at 3. It seeks a 

12-month extension of the USPS 

Connect Local Mail market test, which 

if approved would set a new expiration 

date of January 9, 2025. Id. at 1. It 

asserts that the Request meets the 

criteria for granting an extension under 

39 U.S.C. 3641(d)(2) and 39 CFR 

3045.11. Id. at 3. 

39 U.S.C. 3641(d)(2) allows a market 

test to be extended ‘‘[i]f necessary in 

order to determine the feasibility or 

desirability of a product being tested’’ in 

a market test. 39 U.S.C. 3641(d)(2). The 

Commission’s rules require the Postal 

Service to provide certain information 

in a request for extension. First, it must 

‘‘[e]xplain why an extension is 

necessary to determine the feasibility or 

desirability of the experimental 

product’’ USPS Connect Local Mail. 39 

CFR 3045.11(b)(1). The Postal Service 

asserts that it ‘‘needs additional time to 

determine the viability of USPS Connect 

Local Mail as a standalone offering and 

develop further strategies to ensure its 

success.’’ Request at 3. Specifically, it 

states that an extension would allow it 

to better understand customer usage and 

any related obstacles. Id. at 4. It 

observes that an extension would 

provide a meaningful opportunity to 

evaluate USPS Connect Local Mail’s 

viability in the context of the redesigned 

network, which was a concern raised in 

Order No. 6423.7

Second, a request for extension must 

list the new end date of the market test. 

39 CFR 3045.11(b)(2). In the Request, 

the Postal Service identifies a new 

market test termination date of January 

9, 2025. Request at 5. Third, a request 

for extension must ‘‘[c]alculate the total 

revenue received by the Postal Service 

from the market test for each fiscal year 

the market test has been in operation 

and provide supporting documentation 

for the calculations[.]’’ 39 CFR 

3045.11(b)(3). The Postal Service 

provides revenue and volume of 

mailpieces for each fiscal quarter the 

market test has been operating and 

attaches quarterly reports supporting 

these calculations. Request at 6. 

Fourth, the request for extension must 

‘‘[e]stimate the additional revenue that 

is anticipated by the Postal Service for 

each fiscal year remaining on the market 

test, including the requested extension 

period, and provide available 

supporting documentation[.]’’ 39 CFR 

3045.11(b)(4). The Postal Service asserts 

that based on the quarterly reports, it 

reasonably anticipates continued 

volume of approximately 100 pieces per 

month, which would amount to 

estimated additional revenue of 

approximately $4,000 through 

December 2024 assuming that volume 


lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 209 / Tuesday, October 31, 2023 / Notices 74543 

1See Docket No. RM2018–3, Order Adopting 

Final Rules Relating to Non-Public Information, 

June 27, 2018, Attachment A at 19–22 (Order No. 

4679). 

remains steady during the extension. 

Request at 6–7. 

Fifth, the request for extension must 

include ‘‘any additional information 

necessary for the Commission to 

evaluate the continued consistency with 

the requirements of 39 U.S.C. 3641.’’ 39 

CFR 3045.11(b)(5). The Postal Service 

explains that it has considered some of 

the Commission’s concerns in Order No. 

6423 and ‘‘is currently exploring 

additional options beyond Click-N-Ship 

and the Postal Service API that would 

enable third-party payment providers to 

sell USPS Connect Local Mail through 

their existing evidencing systems while 

still maintaining the desired end-user 

experience.’’ Request at 7–8. It also 

explains that after considering price 

alternatives, the current price for USPS 

Connect Local Mail is appropriate. Id. at 

8. 

III. Notice of Filing 

The Commission will continue to 

consider matters raised by the Postal 

Service’s Request in Docket No. 

MT2022–1. The Commission invites 

comments on whether the Request 

complies with applicable statutory and 

regulatory requirements, including 39 

U.S.C. 3641, 39 CFR part 3045, and 

Order No. 6080. Comments are due by 

November 16, 2023. The public portions 

of filings in this docket can be accessed 

via the Commission’s website (http://

www.prc.gov). 

39 U.S.C. 505 requires the 

Commission to designate an officer of 

the Commission to represent the 

interests of the general public in all 

public proceedings (Public 

Representative). The Commission 

previously appointed Mallory L. Smith 

to serve as the Public Representative in 

this proceeding. She remains appointed 

to serve as the Public Representative. 

VI. Ordering Paragraphs 

It is ordered: 

1. The Commission invites comments 

on the United States Postal Service 

Request for Extension of Market Test, 

filed on October 24, 2023. 

2. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, Mallory 

L. Smith remains appointed to serve as 

the Public Representative in this 

proceeding. 

3. Comments are due by November 

16, 2023. 

4. The Secretary shall arrange for 

publication of this order in the Federal 

Register. 

By the Commission. 

Erica A. Barker, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2023–24010 Filed 10–30–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7710–FW–P 

POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION 

[Docket Nos. CP2022–5; CP2023–119] 

New Postal Products 

AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a 

recent Postal Service filing for the 

Commission’s consideration concerning 

a negotiated service agreement. This 

notice informs the public of the filing, 

invites public comment, and takes other 

administrative steps. 

DATES: Comments are due: November 1, 

2023. 

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. Docketed Proceeding(s) 

I. Introduction 

The Commission gives notice that the 

Postal Service filed request(s) for the 

Commission to consider matters related 

to negotiated service agreement(s). The 

request(s) may propose the addition or 

removal of a negotiated service 

agreement from the Market Dominant or 

the Competitive product list, or the 

modification of an existing product 

currently appearing on the Market 

Dominant or the Competitive product 

list. 

Section II identifies the docket 

number(s) associated with each Postal 

Service request, the title of each Postal 

Service request, the request’s acceptance 

date, and the authority cited by the 

Postal Service for each request. For each 

request, the Commission appoints an 

officer of the Commission to represent 

the interests of the general public in the 

proceeding, pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505 

(Public Representative). Section II also 

establishes comment deadline(s) 

pertaining to each request. 

The public portions of the Postal 

Service’s request(s) can be accessed via 

the Commission’s website (http://

www.prc.gov). Non-public portions of 

the Postal Service’s request(s), if any, 

can be accessed through compliance 

with the requirements of 39 CFR 

3011.301.1

The Commission invites comments on 

whether the Postal Service’s request(s) 

in the captioned docket(s) are consistent 

with the policies of title 39. For 

request(s) that the Postal Service states 

concern Market Dominant product(s), 

applicable statutory and regulatory 

requirements include 39 U.S.C. 3622, 39 

U.S.C. 3642, 39 CFR part 3030, and 39 

CFR part 3040, subpart B. For request(s) 

that the Postal Service states concern 

Competitive product(s), applicable 

statutory and regulatory requirements 

include 39 U.S.C. 3632, 39 U.S.C. 3633, 

39 U.S.C. 3642, 39 CFR part 3035, and 

39 CFR part 3040, subpart B. Comment 

deadline(s) for each request appear in 

section II. 

II. Docketed Proceeding(s) 

1. Docket No(s).: CP2022–5; Filing 

Title: USPS Notice of Amendment to 

Priority Mail & First-Class Package 

Service Contract 204, Filed Under Seal; 

Filing Acceptance Date: October 24, 

2023; Filing Authority: 39 CFR 

3035.105; Public Representative: 

Christopher C. Mohr; Comments Due: 

November 1, 2023. 

2. Docket No(s).: CP2023–119; Filing 

Title: USPS Notice of Amendment to 

Priority Mail, First-Class Package 

Service & Parcel Select Contract 7, Filed 

Under Seal; Filing Acceptance Date: 

October 24, 2023; Filing Authority: 39 

CFR 3035.105; Public Representative: 

Christopher C. Mohr; Comments Due: 

November 1, 2023. 

This Notice will be published in the 

Federal Register. 

Erica Barker, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2023–23933 Filed 10–30–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7710–FW–P 


lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1