Notice2025-16322
Public Inquiry on Classification of First-Class Package Service Product
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
August 26, 2025
Issuing agencies
Postal Regulatory Commission
Abstract
The Commission is issuing a Notice of Inquiry seeking comments and supporting analysis from interested parties regarding whether certain Postal Service products, or segments thereof, are properly classified as Competitive products. This notice informs the public of the inquiry, invites public comment, and takes other administrative steps.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 163 (Tuesday, August 26, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 163 (Tuesday, August 26, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Page 41602]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-16322]
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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. PI2023-3]
Public Inquiry on Classification of First-Class Package Service
Product
AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Commission is issuing a Notice of Inquiry seeking comments
and supporting analysis from interested parties regarding whether
certain Postal Service products, or segments thereof, are properly
classified as Competitive products. This notice informs the public of
the inquiry, invites public comment, and takes other administrative
steps.
DATES: Comments are due by October 27, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments electronically via the Commission's Filing
Online system at <a href="https://www.prc.gov">https://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: On April 7, 2023, the Commission established
Docket No. PI2023-3 to explore commenters' claims that the First-Class
Package Service (FCPS) product may not be correctly classified as a
Competitive product.\1\ Although the FCPS product has since been
subsumed into the USPS Ground Advantage product, the Commission
continues to receive comments in other dockets questioning whether
certain Competitive parcel-shaped products, or segments thereof, should
be classified as Market Dominant products.\2\ In this docket, the
Commission issues a Notice of Inquiry to afford all interested persons
an opportunity to provide additional material on relevant
classification issues.
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\1\ Notice and Order Initiating Public Inquiry on the
Classification of the First-Class Package Service Product, April 7,
2023, at 1 (Order No. 6479).
\2\ A product is Market Dominant if the Postal Service
``exercises sufficient market power that it can effectively set the
price of such product substantially above costs, raise prices
significantly, decrease quality, or decrease output, without risk of
losing a significant level of business to other firms offering
similar products.'' 39 U.S.C. 3642(b)(1). The Competitive category
of products consists of all other products. Id.
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The Commission concludes that commenters' claims regarding the
proper classification of certain parcel-shaped products, or segments
thereof, have not been fully developed in this docket or in other
pertinent dockets. Moreover, the Commission finds it appropriate to
expand this inquiry regarding the classification of the now-defunct
FCPS product to encompass other Competitive parcel-shaped products.
FCPS has been subsumed into the expanded USPS Ground Advantage product,
and commenters have also expressed concerns about the classification of
other products or product segments since this docket was opened.
Moreover, the comments received in response to Order No. 6479
identified originating and destinating addresses in which the former
FCPS product may not face effective competition,\3\ but those concerns
could extend to other Competitive parcel products sent between those
locations.
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\3\ See Comments of Package Shippers Association, August 9,
2023, at 1-2; Comments of Association for Postal Commerce, August 9,
2023, at 2-3.
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To ensure that the Commission has complete information to decide
whether the transfer of some or all of a parcel product from the
Competitive to the Market Dominant product list may be warranted,\4\
the Commission invites interested parties to provide comments and
supporting material on relevant issues, particularly addressing the
questions set forth in the Notice. The Notice also includes questions
directed only to the Postal Service. Respondents are urged to fully
support their respective positions with quantitative information.
Responses may be filed under seal as applicable.\5\
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\4\ See 39 U.S.C. 3642(a), (c).
\5\ Participants are reminded to file an accompanying
Application for Non-Public Treatment of Materials Filed Under Seal.
See 39 CFR 3011.200(a).
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Comments are due 60 days from publication of this Notice in the
Federal Register. Material filed in this docket will be available for
review on the Commission's website, <a href="https://www.prc.gov">https://www.prc.gov</a>. Pursuant to 39
U.S.C. 505, Kenneth R. Moeller will continue to serve as designated
officer of the Commission (Public Representative) to represent the
interests of the general public in this proceeding.
It is ordered:
1. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, Kenneth R. Moeller will continue to
serve as an officer of the Commission (Public Representative) to
represent the interests of the general public in this docket.
2. Comments on the topics set forth in this Notice are due 60 days
from the date of publication of this Notice in the Federal Register.
3. The Secretary shall arrange for publication of this Notice, or
abstract thereof, in the Federal Register.
By the Commission.
Erica A. Barker,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2025-16322 Filed 8-25-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on August 26, 2025.
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