[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 106 (Friday, June 4, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30071-30072]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-11776]


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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. R2021-2; Order No. 5905]


Market-Dominant Price Change; Notice and Order on Price 
Adjustments and Classification Changes for Market Dominant Products

Issued June 1, 2021.

    Before Commissioners: Michael Kubayanda, Chairman; Ashley E. 
Poling, Vice Chairwoman; Mark Acton; Ann C. Fisher; and Robert G. 
Taub

I. Introduction

    On May 28, 2021, the Postal Service filed a notice of price 
adjustments affecting market dominant domestic and international 
products and services, along with temporary mailing promotions and 
proposed classification changes to the Mail Classification Schedule 
(MCS).\1\ The planned price adjustments described in the Notice are the 
first to be filed and reviewed pursuant to the new regulations of 39 
CFR part 3030, which were finalized in Order No. 5763 and include new 
forms of rate authority.\2\ The intended effective date for the planned 
price adjustments is August 29, 2021. Notice at 1. 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, May 28, 2021 (Notice).
    \2\ Docket No. RM2017-3, Order Adopting Final Rules for the 
System of Regulating Rates and Classes for Market Dominant Products, 
November 30, 2020 (Order No. 5763).
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II. Overview of the Postal Service's Filing

    The Postal Service's filing consists of the Notice, which the 
Postal Service represents addresses the data and information required 
under 39 CFR 3030.122 and 39 CFR 3030.123; four attachments 
(Attachments A-D) to the Notice; and six public library references and 
one non-public library reference.
    Attachment A presents the planned price and related product 
description changes to the MCS. Notice, Attachment A. Attachments B and 
C address workshare discounts and the price cap calculation, 
respectively. Id. Attachments B and C. Attachment D presents the 2022 
promotions schedule and descriptions of the 2022 promotions. Id. 
Attachment D.
    Five public library references provide supporting documentation for 
the five classes of mail. Notice at 5. The Postal Service also filed a 
public library reference containing workpapers for Seamless Volumes for 
all mail classes. Id. at 12. It also filed a library reference 
pertaining to the two international mail products within First-Class 
Mail (Outbound Single-Piece First-Class Mail International and Inbound 
Letter Post) under seal and applied for non-public treatment of those 
materials.\3\
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    \3\ See USPS Notice of Filing USPS-LR-R2021-2-NP1, May 28, 2021, 
Attachment 1.
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    The Postal Service's planned percentage changes by class are, on 
average, as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Planned price
                  Market dominant class                   adjustment (%)
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First-Class Mail........................................           6.814
USPS Marketing Mail.....................................           6.815
Periodicals.............................................           8.806
Package Services........................................           8.806
Special Services........................................           6.808
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Notice at 5.

    Price adjustments for products within classes vary from the 
average. See, e.g., id. at 7, 12 (Table 6 showing range for First-Class 
Mail products and Table 10 showing range for USPS Marketing Mail 
products). Most of the planned adjustments entail increases to market 
dominant rates and fees; however, in a few instances, the Postal 
Service proposes either no adjustment or a decrease. See id. at 7, 21, 
27.
    The Postal Service identifies the effect of its proposed 
classification changes on the MCS in Attachment A. Id. at 36; id. 
Attachment A. The Postal Service also seeks approval for the following 
six promotions for the indicated periods:
    <bullet> Tactile, Sensory and Interactive Mailpiece Engagement 
Promotion (February 1-July 31, 2022);
    <bullet> Emerging and Advanced Technology Promotion (March 1-August 
31, 2022);
    <bullet> Earned Value Reply Mail Promotion (April 1-June 30, 2022);
    <bullet> Personalized Color Transpromo Promotion (July 1-December 
31, 2022);
    <bullet> Mobile Shopping Promotion (September 1-December 31, 2022); 
and
    <bullet> Informed Delivery Promotion (August 1-December 31, 2022).
    Id. Attachment D.

III. Initial Administrative Actions

    Pursuant to 39 CFR 3030.124(a), the Commission establishes Docket 
No. R2021-2 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 June 28, 2021. 39 CFR 3030.124(f).
    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

[[Page 30072]]

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 Richard A. 
Oliver to represent the interests of the general public (Public 
Representative) in this proceeding.

IV. Ordering Paragraphs

    It is ordered:
    1. The Commission establishes Docket No. R2021-2 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 May 28, 2021 Notice.
    2. Comments on the planned price adjustments and related 
classification changes are due no later than June 28, 2021.
    3. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, Richard A. Oliver is appointed to 
serve as an officer of the Commission (Public Representative) to 
represent the interests of the general public in this proceeding.
    4. The Commission directs the Secretary of the Commission to 
arrange for prompt publication of this notice in the Federal Register.

    By the Commission.
Erica A. Barker,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-11776 Filed 6-3-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P