[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 204 (Wednesday, October 22, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63177-63178]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-25056]


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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. R2015-1; Order No. 2216]


New Postal Product

AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recent Postal Service filing 
concerning a modification of a bilateral agreement with Korea Post. 
This notice informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, 
and takes other administrative steps.

DATES: Comments are due: October 24, 2014.

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. Background
III. Contents of Filing
IV. Commission Action
V. Ordering Paragraphs

I. Introduction

    On October 15, 2014, the Postal Service filed notice of a Type 2 
rate adjustment and notice of a modification (Modification One) of a 
bilateral agreement with Korea Post (Agreement).\1\ The Postal Service 
seeks to have Modification One included within the Inbound Market 
Dominant Multi-Service Agreements with Foreign Postal Operators 1 
(Foreign Postal Operators 1) product on grounds of functional 
equivalence to the China Post 2010 Agreement approved in Docket No. 
R2010-6 (baseline China Post Agreement). Id. at 8.
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    \1\ Notice of United States Postal Service of Type 2 Rate 
Adjustment, and Notice of Filing Functionally Equivalent Agreement, 
October 15, 2014 (collectively, Notice). The Notice was filed 
pursuant to 39 CFR 3010.40 et seq.
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II. Background

    The Agreement and Modification One concern negotiated pricing for 
inbound small packets with delivery scanning.\2\ Notice at 1. The 
Modification amends the Agreement in two ways: It extends the term to 
November 30, 2015, and revises the Financial Requirements section of 
Annex 2 of the Agreement by clarifying procedures related to settlement 
charges. Id. at 1-2; 5. The Postal Service expects the rate changes to 
take effect December 1, 2014. Id. at 3. The Postal Service asserts that 
it is presenting only an extension and a revision of the Financial 
Requirements section of Annex 2 to the Agreement, which concerns 
negotiated rates for an inbound market dominant product. Id. at 5.
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    \2\ Docket No. R2013-9, Order Approving an Additional Inbound 
Market Dominant Multi-Service Agreement with Foreign Postal 
Operators 1 Negotiated Service Agreement (with Korea Post), October 
30, 2013.
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III. Contents of Filing

    The Postal Service's filing consists of the Notice (which includes 
three attachments) and supporting financial workpapers. Attachment 1 is 
the Application of the United States Postal Service for Non-Public 
Treatment of Materials (Application).\3\ Attachment 2 is an unredacted 
copy of Modification One. Attachment 3 is a redacted copy of the 
Agreement (filed in Docket No. R2013-9). The Postal Service includes a 
redacted version of the financial workpapers with its filing as a 
separate public Excel file.
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    \3\ The material filed under seal consists of a copy of the 
Korea Post Agreement filed in Docket No. R2013-9 (Notice, Attachment 
3) and supporting financial workpapers. The Application seeks 
protection for the period allowed under Commission rules (ten 
years). Notice, Attachment 1 at 8.

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[[Page 63178]]

    The Postal Service states that the intended effective date of 
Modification One is December 1, 2014; asserts that it is providing more 
than the 45 days advance notice required under 39 CFR 3010.41; and 
identifies the parties to Modification One as the United States Postal 
Service and Korea Post, the postal operator for Korea. Id. at 3-4.
    Reporting requirements. In lieu of the detailed data collection 
plan required by rule 3010.43, the Postal Service proposes to report 
information on Modification One through the Annual Compliance Report. 
Id at 6. The Postal Service also invokes, with respect to service 
performance measurement reporting under rule 3055.3(a)(3), the standing 
exception in Order No. 996 for all agreements filed in the Foreign 
Postal Operators 1 product grouping. Id.
    Consistency with applicable statutory criteria. The Postal Service 
recites the three criteria for Commission review in 39 U.S.C. 3622 and 
asserts that it addresses the two it considers pertinent to this filing 
(concerning whether the modification improves the Postal Service's net 
financial position (or enhances the performance of operational 
functions) and will not cause unreasonable harm to the marketplace). 
The Postal Service asserts that the third criterion (available on 
public and reasonable terms to similarly situated mailers) is not 
applicable. Id. at 6-7.
    Functional equivalence. The Postal Service addresses reasons why it 
considers the modification functionally equivalent to the baseline 
China Post Agreement, notwithstanding acknowledgement and 
identification of similarities and differences. Id. at 8-10. The Postal 
Service asserts that it does not consider that the specified 
differences detract from the conclusion that Modification One is 
functionally equivalent to the baseline China Post Agreement. Id. at 
10.

IV. Commission Action

    The Commission, in conformance with rule 3010.44, establishes 
Docket No. R2015-1 to consider issues raised by the Notice. The 
Commission invites comments from interested persons on whether 
Modification One is consistent with 39 U.S.C. 3622 and the requirements 
of 39 CFR part 3040. Comments are due no later than October 24, 2014. 
The public portions of this filing can be accessed via the Commission's 
Web site (http://www.prc.gov). Information on how to obtain access to 
non-public material appears in 39 CFR part 3007.
    The Commission appoints John P. Klingenberg to serve as Public 
Representative in this docket.

V. Ordering Paragraphs

    It is ordered:
    1. The Commission establishes Docket No. R2015-1 for consideration 
of matters raised by the Postal Service's Notice.
    2. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, John P. Klingenberg 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 in this proceeding are due no 
later than October 24, 2014.
    4. The Secretary shall arrange for publication of this order in the 
Federal Register.

    By the Commission.
Shoshana M. Grove,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014-25056 Filed 10-21-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P