Proposed Rule2026-01637
Periodic Reporting
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
January 27, 2026
Issuing agencies
Postal Regulatory Commission
Abstract
The Commission is acknowledging a recent Postal Service filing requesting the Commission initiate a rulemaking proceeding to consider changes to analytical principles relating to periodic reports. This document informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, and takes other administrative steps.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 17 (Tuesday, January 27, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 17 (Tuesday, January 27, 2026)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 3406-3407]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-01637]
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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION
39 CFR part 3050
[Docket No. RM2026-2; Order No. 9433]
Periodic Reporting
AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.
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SUMMARY: The Commission is acknowledging a recent Postal Service filing
requesting the Commission initiate a rulemaking proceeding to consider
changes to analytical principles relating to periodic reports. This
document informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, and
takes other administrative steps.
DATES: Comments are due: February 23, 2026.
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:
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Proposal
III. Notice and Comment
IV. Ordering Paragraphs
I. Introduction
On January 21, 2026, the Postal Service filed a petition pursuant
to 39 CFR 3050.11 requesting that the Commission initiate a rulemaking
proceeding to consider a proposed change to analytical principles
relating to the Postal Service's periodic reports.\1\ The Petition
identifies the proposed analytical principles change filed in this
docket as modifications to the Revenue, Pieces, and Weight (RPW)
reporting methodology for using unadjusted Origin-Destination
Information System (ODIS)--RPW statistical sample estimates. Petition,
Proposal at 3. Specifically, the Postal Service seeks to change the RPW
reporting methodology for measuring the national totals of U.S. Postal
Service Mail, Free Mail, and Absentee Ballots.\2\ For these mail
categories, the ODIS-RPW sampling estimates would no longer be subject
to the Book Revenue Adjustment Factor (BRAF) adjustment. Id.
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\1\ Petition of the United States Postal Service to Initiate a
Proceeding to Change Analytical Principles, January 21, 2026
(Petition). The proposed change is attached to the Petition
(Proposal).
\2\ Id. Free Mail includes Free Matter for the Blind and/or
Other Physically Handicapped Persons and Free Government Mail. Id.
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II. Proposal
Background. The Postal Service proposes to exclude ODIS-RPW
sampling estimates for U.S. Postal Service Mail, Free Mail, and
Absentee Ballots from the BRAF adjustment no earlier than FY 2026,
Quarter 2. Id. at 3-4. If approved, in the FY 2026 Annual Compliance
Report (ACR), it would retrospectively revise RPW numbers for FY 2026,
Quarter 1 and FY 2025 same period last year (SPLY). Id. at 4.
Rationale. The proposed methodology change would stop applying the
BRAF adjustment to mail categories sampled through ODIS-RPW that have
no associated revenue. Id. The Postal Service explains that the purpose
of the BRAF is to adjust the ODIS-RPW sample estimates so that the
total revenue is equal to the Residual Trial Balance Revenue.\3\ It
states that U.S. Postal Service Mail, Free Mail, and Absentee Ballots
do not impact the BRAF because they have zero revenue, and their zero
revenues cannot be adjusted by the BRAF. Id. at 4. Thus, the BRAF
adjustment should not apply to the ODIS-RPW sampling estimates for
these mail categories. Id.
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\3\ Id. at 3. Specifically, the BRAF adjusts ODIS-RPW estimates
``by the ratio of the Residual Trial Balance divided by the total
ODIS-RPW Single-Piece Sampling Revenue (not including Forever Usage)
so that the total adjusted ODIS-RPW estimates revenue equals the
Residual Trial Balance.'' Id. at 4. The BRAF also adjusts volume and
weight estimates to maintain consistent revenue per piece and weight
per piece estimates. Id.
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Impact. To measure the impact of the proposed methodology change,
the Postal Service filed the FY 2025 ACR RPW (for the full fiscal year
and by quarter) without BRAF adjustments to U.S. Postal Service Mail,
Free Mail, and Absentee Ballots and compared them to
[[Page 3407]]
the original versions with the BRAF adjustments. Id. These filings show
the absolute and percentage change of the proposed methodology relative
to the current methodology. Id.
The Postal Service asserts that if the proposed methodology
replaced the current methodology in FY 2025, revenue for the following
categories would not have changed: U.S. Postal Service Mail, Free Mail,
Ancillary Service Transactions, Total Market Dominant Mail, Total Mail,
Total All Services, and Total All Mail and Services. Id. at 5. Also,
Total All Revenue and Total All Other Revenue would not have changed.
Id. For U.S. Postal Service Mail and Free Mail, volume would have
increased by 1.1 percent and 3.1 percent, respectively; and weight
would have increased by 1.6 percent and 2.3 percent, respectively. Id.
For Ancillary Service Transactions, volume would have increased by 0.3
percent, and weight would not have changed. Id. For Total Market
Dominant Mail and Total Mail, both volume and weight would have changed
by less than 0.1 percent. Id. The Postal Service concludes that the
proposed methodology change will improve the reporting of ODIS-RPW
estimates for U.S. Postal Service Mail, Free Mail, and Absentee
Ballots. Id.
III. Notice and Comment
Pursuant to 39 CFR 3050.11(d)(1), the Commission establishes Docket
No. RM2026-2 to consider the matters raised by the Petition. More
information on the Petition may be accessed via the Commission's
website at <a href="https://www.prc.gov">https://www.prc.gov</a>. Interested persons may submit comments
on the Petition and the Proposal no later than February 23, 2026.
Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, Katalin Clendenin is designated as an
officer of the Commission (Public Representative) to represent the
interests of the general public 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. RM2026-2 to consider the
matters raised by the Petition of the United States Postal Service to
Initiate a Proceeding to Change Analytical Principles, filed January
21, 2026.
2. Comments by interested persons in this proceeding are due no
later than February 23, 2026.
3. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, the Commission appoints Katalin
Clendenin to serve as an officer of the Commission (Public
Representative) to represent the interests of the general public in
this docket.
4. This Order, or abstract thereof, shall be published in the
Federal Register.
By the Commission.
Parvaneh Higareda
Alternate Federal Register Liaison.
[FR Doc. 2026-01637 Filed 1-26-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P
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