[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 72 (Wednesday, April 16, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16012-16013]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-06423]
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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. R2025-1; Order No. 8785]
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 9, 2025.
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, 2025, 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 13, 2025. Notice at 5. 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, 2025 (Notice).
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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 data and information required under
39 CFR 3030.122 and 39 CFR 3030.123; three attachments (Attachments A,
B, and C) to the Notice; one set of appended workpapers; and six public
library references and three 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. Attachment C
presents alternative planned price and related product description
changes to the MCS.\2\ The set of appended workpapers present
[[Page 16013]]
consolidated projections related to the proposed continuation of the
First-Class Mail and Marketing Mail Growth Incentives. Notice at 38.
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\2\ Id. at 8, 53, Attachment C; see Docket Nos. MC2025-948 and
MC2025-958, Order Concerning Planned Upcoming Market Dominant Rate
Adjustments and Reply Comments, March 25, 2025, at 6-7 (Order No.
8753). In Order No. 8753, the Commission directed the Postal Service
to file in its anticipated April notice of rate adjustment the
proposed rates and associated MCS changes that reflect the status
quo with regard to issues in Docket Nos. MC2025-948 and MC2025-958,
including that Bound Printed Matter Flats and Bound Printed Matter
Parcels remain Market Dominant products. Order No. 8753 at 6. The
Commission allowed the Postal Service the option to file an
alternative set of rates and MCS changes that show the proposed rate
and MCS changes that the Postal Service would opt to make if the
Commission were to issue a final order approving the requests in
these dockets prior to the conclusion of the rate adjustment
proceeding. Id. at 6-7.
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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.\3\ The Postal Service also filed
three library references under seal and applied for non-public
treatment of those materials.\4\ 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); the second non-public library reference pertains to
mailer-specific volume and revenue data; and the third non-public
library reference pertains to First-Class Mail and Marketing Mail
Growth Incentive projections. Notice of Non-Public Library References
at 3.
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\3\ USPS Notice of Filing Public Library References, April 9,
2025, at 1.
\4\ Notice of United States Postal Service of Filing of Library
References and Application for Non-Public Treatment, April 9, 2025,
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........................................ 7.385
USPS Marketing Mail..................................... 7.385
Periodicals............................................. 9.385
Package Services........................................ 7.385
Special Services........................................ 7.835
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Notice at 9. Price adjustments for products within classes vary
from the average. See, e.g., id. at 11, 16 (Table 4 showing range for
First-Class Mail products and Table 10 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 61; 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, 2026);
Sustainability Add-On/Upgrade Promotion (January 1-
December 31, 2026);
Tactile, Sensory, and Interactive Mailpiece Engagement
Base/Primary Promotion (January 1-June 30, 2026);
Integrated Technology Base/Primary Promotion (mailers will
select a start date for a six-month promotion period within calendar
year 2026);
First-Class Mail Advertising Base/Primary Promotion
(September 1-December 31, 2026);
Continuous Contact Base/Primary Promotion (April 1-
December 31, 2026); and
Catalog Insights and Continuous Contact Base/Primary
Promotion (October 1, 2025-June 30, 2026).
Notice at 48-51. Additionally, the Postal Service proposes to
continue other previously approved incentives within First-Class Mail
and USPS Marketing Mail with certain changes. Id. at 35. Specifically,
for the First-Class Mail and Marketing Mail Growth Incentives, the
Postal Service proposes revising the base period for measuring growth
from the previous fiscal year to the previous calendar year. Id.
Additionally, the Postal Service proposes making the First-Class Mail
and Marketing Mail Growth Incentives a permanent part of First-Class
Mail and USPS Marketing Mail price structures, which it states will
eliminate the need for the Commission to reapprove them each year. Id.
III. Initial Administraive Actions
Pursuant to 39 CFR 3030.124(a), the Commission establishes Docket
No. R2025-1 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 9, 2025. 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 opened a separate
proceeding that requests comments on the broader aspects of the Market
Dominant ratemaking system.\5\
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\5\ Docket No. 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, at
23-24 (Order No. 7032).
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The public portions of the Postal Service's filing are available
for review on the Commission's website (https://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. R2025-1 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, 2025 Notice.
2. Comments on the planned price adjustments and related
classification changes are due no later than May 9, 2025.
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 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. 2025-06423 Filed 4-15-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P