Notice2023-25988
Competitive Price Changes
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
November 24, 2023
Issuing agencies
Postal Regulatory Commission
Abstract
The Commission is recognizing a recently filed Postal Service document with the Commission concerning changes in rates and classifications of general applicability for competitive products. This notice informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, and takes other administrative steps.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 225 (Friday, November 24, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 225 (Friday, November 24, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 82434-82436]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-25988]
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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. CP2024-52; Order No. 6806]
Competitive Price Changes
AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Commission is recognizing a recently filed Postal Service
document with the Commission concerning changes in rates and
classifications of general applicability for competitive products. This
notice informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, and
takes other administrative steps.
DATES: Comments are due: December 1, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments electronically via the Commission's Filing
Online system at <a href="http://www.prc.gov">http://www.prc.gov</a>. 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 and Overview
II. Summary of Changes
III. Initial Administrative Actions
IV. Ordering Paragraphs
I. Introduction and Overview
On November 15, 2023, the Postal Service filed notice with the
Commission concerning changes in rates and classifications of general
applicability for Competitive products.\1\ The Postal Service
represents that, as required by 39 CFR 3035.102(b) and 39 CFR
3035.104(b), the Notice includes an explanation and justification for
the changes, the effective date, and a schedule of the changed rates.
Notice at 1. The changes are scheduled to take effect on January 21,
2024. Id.
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\1\ USPS Notice of Changes in Rates and Classifications of
General Applicability for Competitive Products, November 15, 2023
(Notice). Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 3632(b)(2), the Postal Service is
obligated to publish the Governors' Decision and record of
proceedings in the Federal Register at least 30 days before the
effective date of the new rates.
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Attached to the Notice is Governors' Decision No. 23-5, which
states the new prices are in accordance with 39 U.S.C. 3632 and 3633
and 39 CFR 3035.102-.104.\2\ The Governors' Decision provides an
analysis of the Competitive products' price and classification changes
intended to demonstrate that the changes comply with 39 U.S.C. 3633 and
39 CFR part 3035. Governors' Decision No. 23-5 at 1. The Attachment to
the Governors' Decision No. 23-5 sets forth the classification and
price changes and includes draft Mail Classification Schedule (MCS)
language for Competitive products of general applicability.
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\2\ Notice, Decision of the Governors of the United States
Postal Service on Changes in Rates and Classifications of General
Applicability for Competitive Products (Governors' Decision No. 23-
5), at 1 (Governors' Decision No. 23-5).
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In addition, the Notice includes a non-public annex showing FY 2024
projected volumes, revenues, attributable costs, contribution, and cost
coverage for each product. See Notice at 1. The Postal Service also
filed supporting forecast data and price adjustment calculations for
each affected product as required by Order No. 1062. Id.
The Notice also includes an application for non-public treatment of
the unredacted version of the annex to the Governors' Decision, as well
as the supporting materials for the data.\3\ Id. at 1-2.
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\3\ See United States Postal Service Notice of Errata to
Application for Nonpublic Treatment Accompanying USPS Notice of
Changes in Rates and Classifications of General Applicability for
Competitive Products, November 17, 2023.
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[[Page 82435]]
II. Summary of Changes
The Notice proposes price changes to Priority Mail Express,
Priority Mail, Parcel Select, and USPS Ground Advantage, and most
International Products. Id. at 2. Additionally, the proposed changes
include price adjustments to Domestic Extra Services, including Premium
Forwarding Service, Competitive Post Office Boxes, and Adult Signature
Service among others, and a 20 percent price increase in certain
Nonstandard Fees (NSFs). Id. There are two classification changes
proposed, renaming the Electronic Verification System (eVS)
Unmanifested Fee to simply ``Unmanifested Fee'' and the elimination of
Parcel Select Lightweight Price Category. Id. at 2-5. No other price or
classification changes are proposed in this docket. See Governors'
Decision No. 23-5 at 2-3. The changes are summarized below and
condensed to Table I-1.
A. Price Changes
1. Domestic
Priority Mail Express changes. The proposed changes to the MCS in
the Governors' Decision No. 23-5 show the Postal Service's planned
price changes for Priority Mail Express. On average, Priority Mail
Express prices are proposed to increase 5.9 percent. See id. at 2. For
January 2024, the Postal Service will maintain the consolidation of
Commercial Base and Commercial Plus price categories into one
Commercial price category and the differentiated ``Local, 1, 2'' Zone
prices and dimensional weighting for all zones. Id. The retail prices
for Priority Mail Express will increase an average of 5.9 percent. Id.
On average, commercial prices will increase by 5.9 percent and reflect
an average of 13.7 percent discount off of retail prices. Id.
Priority Mail changes. The proposed changes to the MCS in the
Governors' Decision No. 23-5 show the Postal Service's planned price
changes for Priority Mail. On average, Priority Mail prices are
proposed to increase 5.7 percent. See id. at 2. For January 2024, the
Postal Service will maintain the consolidation of Commercial Base and
Commercial Plus price categories into one Commercial price category and
the differentiated ``Local, 1, 2'' Zone prices and dimensional
weighting for all zones. Id. On average, the retail prices will
increase by 5.6 percent. The commercial prices will increase by an
average of 5.8 percent and reflect an average of 20.5 percent discount
off retail prices. Id. at 3.
Parcel Select. The proposed changes to the MCS in the Governors'
Decision No. 23-5 show the Postal Service's planned price changes for
Parcel Select. On average, Parcel Select prices are proposed to
increase 5.9 percent. See id. at 3. Proposed for January 2024, Parcel
Select Lightweight will be eliminated as a separate price category and
instead ounce-based prices will be added under the destination
categories at 4-, 8- and 12-ounce increments. Id. Parcel Select will be
expressed in a single price table to reflect the elimination of Parcel
Select Lightweight along with previous structural changes in 2023. Id.
The average price increase for parcels entered in destination
delivery units, destination hubs, destination network distribution
centers, and destination sectional center facilities is 5.9 percent.
Id. The prices for USPS Connect, introduced in 2022, will remain
unchanged. Id. The Postal Service proposes to maintain dimensional
weighting which was introduced for all zones in 2019.
USPS Ground Advantage. The proposed changes to the MCS in the
Governors' Decision No. 23-5 show the Postal Service's planned price
changes for USPS Ground Advantage overall will increase an average of
5.4 percent. Id. The retail prices will increase an average of 5.2
percent and commercial will increase an average of 5.4 percent. Id. The
Alaska Limited Overland Routes price category will increase an average
of 9.2 percent. Id. at 3-4.
Domestic Extra Services. The proposed changes to the MCS in the
Governors' Decision No. 23-5 show the Postal Service's planned price
changes for Premium Forwarding Service will increase an average of 3.0
percent. Id. at 4. On average, prices for Address Enhancement Service
are proposed to increase 3.0 percent. Id. The Competitive Post Office
Box prices will increase an average of 6.5 percent. Id.
2. International
Expedited Services. The proposed changes to the MCS in the
Governors' Decision No. 23-5 show the Postal Service's planned price
changes for Global Express Guaranteed and Priority Mail Express
International will increase an average of 5.4 percent with Commercial
Plus equivalent to Commercial Base. Id.
Priority Mail International. The proposed changes to the MCS in the
Governors' Decision No. 23-5 show the Postal Service's planned price
changes for Priority Mail International will increase an average of 5.4
percent with Commercial Plus prices equivalent to Commercial Base. Id.
International Priority Airmail and International Surface Air Lift.
The proposed changes to the MCS in the Governors' Decision No. 23-5
show the Postal Service's planned published price changes for
International Priority Airmail and International Surface Air Lift will
have an average increase of 5.5 percent and 3.5 percent, respectively.
Id. at 5.
Airmail M-Bags. The published price changes for Airmail M-Bags will
increase by 5.4 percent. Id.
First-Class Package International Service. The proposed changes to
the MCS in the Governors' Decision No. 23-5 show the Postal Service's
planned price changes for First-Class Package International Service
will increase an average of 6.4 percent with Commercial Plus prices
equivalent to Commercial Base. Id.
International Ancillary Service and Special Services. The proposed
changes to the MCS in the Governors' Decision No. 23-5 show the Postal
Service's planned price changes for several international ancillary
services. Id. The prices for International Certificate of Mailing and
International Registered Mail will increase by an average of 2.5
percent. Id. The prices for International Return Receipt will increase
by an average of 2.7 percent. Id. Lastly, the prices for International
Insurance and Customs and Clearance Delivery Fee will increase by an
average of 3.0 percent. Id.
B. Classification Changes
Renaming eVS Unmanifested Fee. The ``eVS Unmanifested Fee'' will be
renamed as ``Unmanifested Fee'' to accommodate the ongoing migration of
customers from eVS to the USPS Ship platform. Notice at 2. The Postal
Service plans to retire the eVS platform and therefore plans to rename
the ``eVS Unmanifested Fee'' to simply ``Unmanifested Fee.'' Id.
Elimination of Parcel Select Lightweight. As discussed above,
Parcel Select Lightweight will be eliminated as a separate price
category and ounce-based prices will be added under the destination
entered categories at 4-, 8-, and 12-ounce increments. Id. at 4.
NSFs. The Nonstandard Fees applicable to Priority Mail Express,
Priority Mail, Parcel Select, and USPS Ground Advantage will see a 20
percent increase in 2024. Id. at 2-4.
[[Page 82436]]
Table I-1--Proposed Price Changes
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Average price
Product name increase
(percent)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Domestic Competitive Products
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Priority Mail Express................................... 5.9
Retail.............................................. 5.9
Commercial.......................................... 5.9
Priority Mail........................................... 5.7
Retail.............................................. 5.6
Commercial.......................................... 5.8
Parcel Select........................................... 5.9
Destination Delivery Unit........................... 5.9
Destination hub..................................... 5.9
Destination Sectional Center Facility............... 5.9
Destination Network Distribution Center............. 5.9
USPS Ground Advantage................................... 5.4
Retail.............................................. 5.2
Commercial.......................................... 5.4
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Domestic Extra Services
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Premium Forwarding Service.............................. 3.0
Adult Signature Service:
Basic............................................... 3.3
Person-Specific..................................... 3.2
Competitive Post Office Box............................. 6.5
Package Intercept Service............................... 3.0
Address Enhancement Service............................. 3.0
------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Competitive Products
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Global Express Guaranteed............................... 5.4
Priority Mail Express International..................... 5.4
Priority Mail International............................. 5.4
International Priority Airmail.......................... 5.5
International Surface Air Lift.......................... 3.5
Airmail M-Bags.......................................... 5.4
First-Class Package International Service............... 6.4
------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Ancillary Services and Special Services
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International Ancillary Services........................ 2.7
International Certificate of Mailing.................... 2.5
International Insurance................................. 3.0
International Registered Mail........................... 2.5
International Return Receipt............................ 2.7
Customs and Clearance Delivery Fee...................... 3.0
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Source: See Governors' Decision No. 23-5 at 2-5.
III. Initial Administrative Actions
The Commission establishes Docket No. CP2024-52 to consider the
Postal Service's Notice. Interested persons may express views and offer
comments on whether the planned changes are consistent with 39 U.S.C.
3632, 3633, and 3642, 39 CFR part 3035, and 39 CFR 3040 subparts B and
E. Comments are due no later than December 1, 2023. For specific
details of the planned price changes, interested persons are encouraged
to review the Notice, which is available on the Commission's website at
<a href="http://www.prc.gov">www.prc.gov</a>.
Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, Christopher C. Mohr is appointed to
serve as Public Representative to represent the interests of the
general public in this docket.
IV. Ordering Paragraphs
It is ordered:
1. The Commission establishes Docket No. CP2024-52 to provide
interested persons an opportunity to express views and offer comments
on whether the planned changes are consistent with 39 U.S.C. 3632,
3633, and 3642, 39 CFR part 3035, and 39 CFR 3040 subparts B and E.
2. Comments are due no later than December 1, 2023.
3. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, the Commission appoints Christopher
C. Mohr to serve as an officer of the Commission (Public
Representative) to represent the interests of the general public in
this docket.
4. The Secretary shall arrange for publication of this order in the
Federal Register.
By the Commission.
Erica A. Barker,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-25988 Filed 11-22-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on November 24, 2023.
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