New Postal Product, 26812 [2010-11246]

Agencies

• POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 91 (Wednesday, May 12, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 26812]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-11246]


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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. CP2010-47; Order No. 454]


New Postal Product

AGENCY:  Postal Regulatory Commission.

ACTION:  Notice.

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SUMMARY:  The Commission is noticing a recently-filed Postal Service 
request to add a Global Direct Contracts 1 (MC2010-17) negotiated 
service agreement to the Competitive Product List. This notice 
addresses procedural steps associated with the filing.

DATES:  Comments are due: May 14, 2010.

ADDRESSES:  Submit comments electronically via the Commission's Filing 
Online system at https://www.prc.gov. Commenters who cannot submit their 
views electronically should contact the person identified in the FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section by telephone for advice on 
alternatives to electronic filing.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Stephen L. Sharfman, General Counsel, 
202-789-6820 or stephen.sharfman@prc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Contents

I. Introduction
II. Notice of Filing
III. Ordering Paragraphs

I. Introduction

    On May 4, 2010, the Postal Service filed a notice announcing that 
it has entered into an additional Global Direct Contracts 1 
agreement.\1\ Global Direct Contracts provide a rate for mail 
acceptance within the United States, transportation to a receiving 
country of mail that bears the destination country's indicia, and 
payment by the Postal Service of the appropriate settlement charges to 
the receiving country. The Postal Service believes the instant 
agreement is functionally equivalent to the Global Direct Contracts 1 
agreements in Docket Nos. MC2010-17, CP2010-18 and CP2010-19 and 
supported by the Governors' Decision filed in Docket No. MC2008-7.\2\
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    \1\ Notice of United States Postal Service Filing of 
Functionally Equivalent Global Direct Contracts 1 Negotiated Service 
Agreement, May 4, 2010 (Notice).
    \2\ Notice at 1-2. See Docket No. MC2008-7, Request of the 
United States Postal Service to Add Global Plus 2 Negotiated Service 
Agreements to the Competitive Product List, and Notice of Filing 
(Under Seal) the Enabling Governors' Decision and Two Functionally 
Equivalent Agreements, August 8, 2008; Attachment 1 is a redacted 
version of Decision of the Governors of the United States Postal 
Service on the Establishment of Prices and Classifications for 
Global Direct, Global Bulk Economy, and Global Plus Contracts, July 
16, 2008 (Governors' Decision No. 08-10). The Postal Service also 
filed under seal an unredacted version of the Governors' Decision in 
that docket.
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    The instant agreement. The Postal Service filed the instant 
agreement pursuant to 39 CFR 3015.5. In addition, the Postal Service 
contends that the agreement is in accordance with Order No. 153.\3\ The 
term of the instant agreement is 1 year from the date the Postal 
Service notifies the customer that all necessary regulatory approvals 
have been received and it may be automatically renewed unless 
terminated by the parties. Notice at 3. The Postal Service states that 
the instant agreement replaces the agreement for the customer in Docket 
No. CP2009-29 which will expire soon. Id. at 2-3.
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    \3\ See Docket Nos. MC2009-9, CP2009-10 and CP2009-11, Order 
Concerning Global Direct Contracts Negotiated Service Agreements, 
December 19, 2008 (Order No. 153).
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    In support of its Notice, the Postal Service filed four attachments 
as follows:
     Attachment 1--a redacted copy of the contract;
     Attachment 2--a certified statement required by 39 CFR 
3015.5(c)(2);
     Attachment 3--a redacted copy of Governors' Decision No. 
08-10, which establishes prices and classifications for Global Direct, 
Global Bulk Economy, and Global Plus Contracts; and
     Attachment 4--an application for non-public treatment of 
materials to maintain redacted portions of the contract and supporting 
documents under seal.\4\
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    \4\ The Postal Service states in its Notice that Attachment 3 is 
the application for non-public treatment of the redacted materials 
and that Attachment 4 is the redacted version of the Governors' 
Decision No. 08-10. However, the attachments filed in this docket 
are as noted above.
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    The Postal Service states that the instant agreement fits within 
the Mail Classification Schedule language for Global Direct Contracts 
in Governors' Decision No. 08-10, with the modification noted in Order 
No. 153.\5\
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    \5\ See Order No. 153 at 9. See also Docket No. MC2009-23, Order 
of Classification Changes, May 11, 2009, that accepts a Postal 
Service proposal to modify the Mail Classification Schedule so that 
for Global Direct service the mailer is notified whether such mail 
is (or is not) sealed against inspection.
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    The Notice advances reasons why the instant agreement fits within 
the Mail Classification Schedule language for Global Direct Contracts 
and is functionally equivalent to the previous Global Direct Contracts 
1 in Docket Nos. MC2010-17 and CP2010-18. The Postal Service 
characterizes certain differences from previous Global Direct 
agreements as cosmetic or customer-specific updates. It identifies 
changes in specific provisions that contain the essential differences 
from the previous Global Direct Contracts 1 agreement as revisions in 
mailer notification requirements, mailer minimum commitment, and 
clarifying country-specific notification requirements all of which are 
highlighted in the Notice. Id. at 3. It contends that the instant 
contract is functionally equivalent to the Global Direct Contracts 1 
agreement filed previously notwithstanding these differences. Id. at 4.
    The Postal Service contends that its filing demonstrates that the 
``cost and market characteristics of this agreement are substantially 
similar to those of prior Global Direct contracts'' and is in 
conformity with the requirements of 39 U.S.C. 3633. Id. It requests 
that the agreement be included within the Global Direct Contracts 1 
product.

II. Notice of Filing

    The Commission establishes Docket No. CP2010-47 for consideration 
of matters related to the contract identified in the Postal Service's 
Notice.
    Interested persons may submit comments on whether the Postal 
Service's contract is consistent with the policies of 39 U.S.C. 3632, 
3633 or 3642. Comments are due no later than May 14, 2010. The public 
portions of this filing can be accessed via the Commission's Web site 
(https://www.prc.gov).
    The Commission appoints Paul L. Harrington to serve as Public 
Representative in the captioned filing.

III. Ordering Paragraphs

    It is ordered:
    1. The Commission establishes Docket No. CP2010-47 for 
consideration of matters raised by the Postal Service's Notice.
    2. Comments by interested persons in these proceedings are due no 
later than May 14, 2010.
    3. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, Paul L. Harrington is appointed to 
serve as the officer of the Commission (Public Representative) to 
represent the interests of the general public in these proceedings.
    4. The Secretary shall arrange for publication of this order in the 
Federal Register.

    By the Commission.
Shoshana M. Grove,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2010-11246 Filed 5-11-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-FW-S