FY 2018 Annual Compliance Report, 826-828 [2019-00396]
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826
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 21 / Thursday, January 31, 2019 / Notices
By the Commission.
Stacy L. Ruble,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019–00395 Filed 1–30–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710–FW–P
POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. T2019–1; Order No. 4986]
Income Tax Review
Postal Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The Commission is noticing a
recent Postal Service filing concerning
the calculation of the assumed Federal
income tax on competitive products
income for Fiscal Year 2018. This notice
informs the public of the filing, invites
public comment, and takes other
administrative steps.
DATES: Comments are due: March 1,
2019.
SUMMARY:
Submit comments
electronically via the Commission’s
Filing Online system at https://
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.
ADDRESSES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
David A. Trissell, General Counsel, at
202–789–6820.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
The Commission invites comments on
whether the Postal Service’s filing in
this docket is consistent with the
policies of 39 U.S.C. 3634 and 39 CFR
3060.40 et seq. Comments are due no
later than March 1, 2019. The Postal
Service’s filing can be accessed via the
Commission’s website (https://
www.prc.gov).
The Commission appoints Jennaca D.
Upperman to serve as Public
Representative in this docket.
III. Ordering Paragraphs
It is ordered:
1. The Commission establishes Docket
No. T2019–1 to consider the calculation
of the assumed Federal income tax on
competitive products for FY 2018.
2. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, Jennaca
D. Upperman is appointed to serve as an
officer of the Commission to represent
the interests of the general public in this
proceeding (Public Representative).
3. Comments are due no later than
March 1, 2019.
4. The Secretary shall arrange for
publication of this order in the Federal
Register. Due to its funding lapse, the
Federal Register is not being supported
and this order’s publication will be
delayed. The delay in publication in the
Federal Register will not affect
comment deadlines.
By the Commission.
Stacy L. Ruble,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019–00397 Filed 1–30–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710–FW–P
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Notice of Commission Action
III. Ordering Paragraphs
POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION
I. Introduction
FY 2018 Annual Compliance Report
In accordance with 39 U.S.C. 3634
and 39 CFR 3060.40 et seq., the Postal
Service filed its calculation of the
assumed Federal income tax on
competitive products income for fiscal
year (FY) 2018.1 The calculation details
the FY 2018 competitive product
revenue and expenses, the competitive
products net income before tax, and the
assumed Federal income tax on that net
income.
AGENCY:
[Docket No. ACR2018; Order No. 4960]
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1
II. Notice of Commission Action
In accordance with 39 CFR 3060.42,
the Commission establishes Docket No.
T2019–1 to review the calculation of the
assumed Federal income tax and
supporting documentation.
1 See
Notice of the United States Postal Service
of Submission of the Calculation of the FY 2018
Assumed Federal Income Tax on Competitive
Products, January 10, 2019.
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ACTION:
Postal Regulatory Commission.
Notice.
The Postal Service has filed
an Annual Compliance Report on the
costs, revenues, rates, and quality of
service associated with its products in
fiscal year 2018. Within 90 days, the
Commission must evaluate that
information and issue its determination
as to whether rates were in compliance
with title 39, chapter 36, and whether
service standards in effect were met. To
assist in this, the Commission seeks
public comments on the Postal Service’s
Annual Compliance Report.
DATES: Comments are due: January 31,
2019. Reply Comments are due:
February 11, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments
electronically via the Commission’s
Filing Online system at https://
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
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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 FY 2018
ACR
III. Procedural Steps
IV. Ordering Paragraphs
I. Introduction
On December 28, 2018, the United
States Postal Service (Postal Service)
filed with the Commission its Annual
Compliance Report (ACR) for fiscal year
(FY) 2018, pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 3652.1
Section 3652 requires submission of
data and information on the costs,
revenues, rates, and quality of service
associated with postal products within
90 days of the closing of each fiscal
year. In conformance with other
statutory provisions and Commission
rules, the ACR includes the Postal
Service’s FY 2018 Comprehensive
Statement, its FY 2018 annual report to
the Secretary of the Treasury on the
Competitive Products Fund, and certain
related Competitive Products Fund
material. See respectively, 39 U.S.C.
3652(g), 39 U.S.C. 2011(i), and 39 CFR
3060.20–23. In line with past practice,
some of the material in the FY 2018
ACR appears in non-public annexes.
The filing begins a review process that
results in an Annual Compliance
Determination (ACD) issued by the
Commission to determine whether
Postal Service products offered during
FY 2018 were in compliance with
applicable title 39 requirements.
II. Overview of the Postal Service’s FY
2018 ACR
Contents of the filing. The Postal
Service’s FY 2018 ACR consists of a 77page narrative; extensive additional
material appended as separate folders
and identified in Attachment One; and
an application for non-public treatment
of certain materials, along with
supporting rationale, filed as
Attachment Two. The filing also
includes the Comprehensive
1 United States Postal Service FY 2018 Annual
Compliance Report, December 28, 2018 (FY 2018
ACR). Public portions of the Postal Service’s filing
are available on the Commission’s website at https://
www.prc.gov.
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 21 / Thursday, January 31, 2019 / Notices
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Statement,2 Report to the Secretary of
the Treasury, and information on the
Competitive Products Fund filed in
response to Commission rules. This
material has been filed electronically
with the Commission.
Scope of the filing. The material
appended to the narrative consists of:
(1) Domestic product costing material
filed on an annual basis summarized in
the Cost and Revenue Analysis (CRA);
(2) comparable international costing
material summarized in the
International Cost and Revenue
Analysis (ICRA); (3) worksharing-related
cost studies; and (4) billing determinant
information for both domestic and
international mail. FY 2018 ACR at 2–
3. Inclusion of these four data sets is
consistent with the Postal Service’s past
ACR practices. As with past ACRs, the
Postal Service has split certain materials
into public and non-public versions. Id.
at 3.
‘‘Roadmap’’ document. A roadmap to
the FY 2018 ACR can be found in
Library Reference USPS–FY18–9. This
document provides brief descriptions of
the materials submitted, as well as the
flow of inputs and outputs among them;
a discussion of differences in
methodology relative to Commission
methodologies in last year’s ACD; and a
list of special studies and a discussion
of obsolescence, as required by
Commission rule 3050.12. Id. at 3–4.
Methodology. The Postal Service
states that it has adhered to the
methodologies historically used by the
Commission subject to changes
identified and discussed in Library
Reference USPS–FY18–9 and in
prefaces accompanying the appended
folders. Id. at 4. The Postal Service
observes that one noteworthy
methodological change regarding
product costs was discussed in response
to Commission Order No. 3506 and
approach for reporting of group
incremental cost estimates used by the
Commission in the FY 2017 ACD.3 As
a result, the Postal Service’s FY 2018
CRA reports group incremental cost
estimates when available as the
attributable costs of combinations of
2 In years prior to 2013, the Commission reviewed
the Postal Service’s reports prepared pursuant to 39
U.S.C. 2803 and 39 U.S.C. 2804 (filed as the
Comprehensive Statement by the Postal Service) in
its ACD. However, as it has for the past several
years, the Commission intends to issue a separate
notice soliciting comments on the comprehensive
statement and provide its related analysis in a
separate report from the ACD.
3 Id.; see Docket No. RM2016–2, Order
Concerning United Parcel Service, Inc.’s Proposed
Changes to Postal Service Costing Methodologies
(UPS Proposals One, Two, and Three), September
9, 2016 (Order No. 3506). Docket No. ACR 2017,
Annual Compliance Determination, March 29,
2018, at 8–10 (FY 2017 ACD).
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products, including for the market
dominant classes. FY 2018 ACR at 5. As
a consequence, the costs labeled as
attributable costs in each row of the FY
2018 CRA are not directly comparable to
costs reported with the same label in the
CRAs filed prior to FY 2017. Id. at 6.
Market dominant product-by-product
costs, revenues, and volumes.
Comprehensive cost, revenue, and
volume data for all market dominant
products of general applicability are
shown directly in the FY 2018 CRA or
ICRA. Id. at 8.
The FY 2018 ACR includes a
discussion by class of each market
dominant product, including costs,
revenues, and volumes, workshare
discounts, and passthroughs responsive
to 39 U.S.C. 3652(b), and FY 2018
promotions. Id. at 8–45.
In response to the Commission’s FY
2010 ACD directives,4 the Postal Service
states that it is providing information
regarding: (1) All operational changes
designed to reduce flats costs and the
estimated financial effects of such
changes (FY 2018 ACR at 24–32); (2) all
costing methodology improvements
made in FY 2018 and the estimated
financial effects of such changes (id. at
32–36); and (3) a statement summarizing
the current year subsidy of the flats
product (id. at 35). In addition, the
Postal Service presented its schedule of
above-average price increases for Flats
which provides planned price increases
for Flats by the consumer price index
times 1.05. Id. at 25.
Market dominant negotiated service
agreements. The FY 2018 ACR presents
information on the PHI Acquisitions,
Inc. negotiated service agreement (NSA),
the only market dominant NSA in effect
in FY 2018. Id. at 43–44. The agreement
was terminated effective June 30, 2018.
Id. at 43.
Service performance. The Postal
Service notes that the Commission
issued rules on periodic reporting of
service performance measurement and
customer satisfaction in FY 2010.
Responsive information appears in
Library Reference USPS–FY18–29. Id. at
46.
Customer satisfaction. The FY 2018
ACR discusses the Postal Service’s
approach for measuring customer
experience and satisfaction; discusses
survey modifications; describes the
methodology; presents a table with
survey results; compares the results
from FY 2017 to FY 2018; and provides
information regarding customer access
to postal services. Id. at 48–65.
4 Docket No. ACR2010, Annual Compliance
Determination, March 29, 2011, at 106–107 (FY
2010 ACD).
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827
Competitive products. The FY 2018
ACR provides costs, revenues, and
volumes for competitive products of
general applicability in the FY 2018
CRA or ICRA. For competitive products
not of general applicability, data are
provided in non-public Library
References USPS–FY18–NP2 and
USPS–FY18–NP27. Id. at 66. The FY
2018 ACR also addresses the
competitive product pricing standards
of 39 U.S.C. 3633. Id. at 66–74. The
Postal Service also provides a response
to the Commission’s Directive in Order
No. 4792 and reports separately the
revenue, pieces, and weight of
ECOMPRO pieces for each country in
USPS–FY18–NP9.5 Additionally, the
Postal Service responds to the
Commission’s Directive in the FY 2016
ACD requiring it to identify each NSA
product that had no mailpieces shipped
under its contract in future ACRs.6 This
information is provided in USPS–FY18–
NP27 (for domestic NSAs) and USPS–
FY18–NP2 (for international NSAs). FY
2018 ACR at 74.
Market tests; nonpostal services. The
Postal Service discusses the two
competitive market tests conducted
during FY 2018 and nonpostal services.
Id. at 75.
III. Procedural Steps
Statutory requirements. Section 3653
of title 39 requires the Commission to
provide interested persons with an
opportunity to comment on the ACR
and to appoint an officer of the
Commission (Public Representative) to
represent the interests of the general
public. The Commission hereby solicits
public comment on the Postal Service’s
FY 2018 ACR and on whether any rates
or fees in effect during FY 2018 (for
products individually or collectively)
were not in compliance with applicable
provisions of chapter 36 of title 39 or
Commission regulations promulgated
thereunder. Commenters addressing
market dominant products are referred
in particular to the applicable
requirements (39 U.S.C. 3622(d) and (e)
and 39 U.S.C. 3626); objectives (39
U.S.C. 3622(b)); and factors (39 U.S.C.
3622(c)). Commenters addressing
competitive products are referred to 39
U.S.C. 3633.
The Commission also invites public
comment on the cost coverage matters
the Postal Service addresses in its filing;
service performance results; levels of
5 Docket No. CP2018–286, Order Approving
Changes in Prices Not of General Applicability for
Certain Inbound Parcel Post (at UPU Rates), August
23, 2018, at 7 (Order No. 4792).
6 Docket No. ACR 2016, Annual Compliance
Determination, March 28, 2017, at 83 (FY 2016
ACD).
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 21 / Thursday, January 31, 2019 / Notices
customer satisfaction achieved; and
such other matters that may be relevant
to the Commission’s review.
Access to filing. The Commission has
posted the publicly available portions of
the FY 2018 ACR on its website at
https://www.prc.gov.
Comment deadlines. Comments by
interested persons are due on or before
January 31, 2019. Reply comments are
due on or before February 11, 2019. The
Commission, upon completion of its
review of the FY 2018 ACR, comments,
and other data and information
submitted in this proceeding, will issue
its ACD.
Public Representative. Mallory L.
Smith is designated to serve as the
Public Representative to represent the
interests of the general public in this
proceeding. Neither the Public
Representative nor any additional
persons assigned to assist her shall
participate in or advise as to any
Commission decision in this proceeding
other than in his or her designated
capacity.
IV. Ordering Paragraphs
It is ordered:
1. The Commission establishes Docket
No. ACR2018 to consider matters raised
by the United States Postal Service’s FY
2018 Annual Compliance Report.
2. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, the
Commission appoints Mallory L. Smith
as an officer of the Commission (Public
Representative) in this proceeding to
represent the interests of the general
public.
3. Comments on the United States
Postal Service’s FY 2018 Annual
Compliance Report to the Commission
are due on or before January 31, 2019.
4. Reply comments are due on or
before February 11, 2019.
5. The Secretary shall arrange for
publication of this Order in the Federal
Register. Due to its funding lapse, the
Federal Register is not being supported
and this Order’s publication will be
delayed. The delay in publication in the
Federal Register will not affect
comment deadlines.
By the Commission.
Stacy L. Ruble,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019–00396 Filed 1–30–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710–FW–P
RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD
Agency Forms Submitted for OMB
Review, Request for Comments
Summary: In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Railroad
Retirement Board (RRB) is forwarding
an Information Collection Request (ICR)
to the Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), Office of
Management and Budget (OMB). Our
ICR describes the information we seek
to collect from the public. Review and
approval by OIRA ensures that we
impose appropriate paperwork burdens.
The RRB invites comments on the
proposed collections of information to
determine (1) the practical utility of the
collections; (2) the accuracy of the
estimated burden of the collections; (3)
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information that is the
subject of collection; and (4) ways to
minimize the burden of collections on
respondents, including the use of
automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Comments to the RRB or OIRA must
contain the OMB control number of the
ICR. For proper consideration of your
comments, it is best if the RRB and
OIRA receive them within 30 days of
the publication date.
1. Title and purpose of information
collection: Employer’s Quarterly Report
of Contributions under the Railroad
Unemployment Insurance Act; OMB
3220–0012.
Under Section 8 of the Railroad
Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA),
as amended by the Railroad
Unemployment Improvement Act of
1988 (Pub. L. 100–647), the RRB
determines the amount of an employer’s
contribution, primarily on the basis of
the RUIA benefits paid, both
unemployment and sickness, to the
employees of the railroad employer.
These experienced-based contributions
take into account the frequency,
volume, and duration of the employees’
unemployment and sickness benefits.
Each employer’s contribution rate
includes a component for administrative
expenses as well as a component to
cover costs shared by all employers. The
regulations prescribing the manner and
Information Collection Request (ICR)
Title: Employer’s Quarterly Report of
Contributions under the RUIA.
OMB Control Number: 3220–0012.
Form(s) submitted: DC–1.
Type of request: Revision of a
currently approved collection.
Affected public: Private Sector:
Businesses or other for-profits.
Abstract: Railroad employers are
required to make contributions to the
Railroad Unemployment Insurance fund
quarterly or annually equal to a
percentage of the creditable
compensation paid to each employee.
The information furnished on the report
accompanying the remittance is used to
determine correctness of the amount
paid.
Changes proposed: The RRB proposes
minor non-burdening changes to the
manual and electronic versions of the
forms in the collection and combined
Paperwork Reduction Act link and form
instructions link in the Pay.gov form
version and renamed the link to read
‘‘Click for Instructions and Paperwork
Reduction Act Notice.’’
The burden estimate for the ICR is as
follows:
Annual
responses
Form No.
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conditions for remitting the
contributions and for adjusting
overpayments or underpayments of
contributions are contained in 20 CFR
345.
RRB Form DC–1, Employer’s
Quarterly Report of Contributions under
the Railroad Unemployment Insurance
Act, is used by railroad employers to
report and remit their quarterly
contributions to the RRB. Employers can
use either the manual version of the
form or its internet equivalent. One
response is requested of each
respondent. Completion is mandatory.
Previous Requests for Comments: The
RRB has already published the initial
60-day notice (83 FR 55580 on
November 6, 2018) required by 44
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited
no comments.
Time
(minutes)
Burden
(hours)
DC–1 (RRB.Gov) .........................................................................................................................
DC–1 (Pay.Gov) ..........................................................................................................................
720
1,680
25
25
300
700
Total ......................................................................................................................................
2,400
........................
1,000
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 21 (Thursday, January 31, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 826-828]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-00396]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. ACR2018; Order No. 4960]
FY 2018 Annual Compliance Report
AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Postal Service has filed an Annual Compliance Report on
the costs, revenues, rates, and quality of service associated with its
products in fiscal year 2018. Within 90 days, the Commission must
evaluate that information and issue its determination as to whether
rates were in compliance with title 39, chapter 36, and whether service
standards in effect were met. To assist in this, the Commission seeks
public comments on the Postal Service's Annual Compliance Report.
DATES: Comments are due: January 31, 2019. Reply Comments are due:
February 11, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments electronically via the Commission's Filing
Online system at https://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 FY 2018 ACR
III. Procedural Steps
IV. Ordering Paragraphs
I. Introduction
On December 28, 2018, the United States Postal Service (Postal
Service) filed with the Commission its Annual Compliance Report (ACR)
for fiscal year (FY) 2018, pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 3652.\1\ Section 3652
requires submission of data and information on the costs, revenues,
rates, and quality of service associated with postal products within 90
days of the closing of each fiscal year. In conformance with other
statutory provisions and Commission rules, the ACR includes the Postal
Service's FY 2018 Comprehensive Statement, its FY 2018 annual report to
the Secretary of the Treasury on the Competitive Products Fund, and
certain related Competitive Products Fund material. See respectively,
39 U.S.C. 3652(g), 39 U.S.C. 2011(i), and 39 CFR 3060.20-23. In line
with past practice, some of the material in the FY 2018 ACR appears in
non-public annexes.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ United States Postal Service FY 2018 Annual Compliance
Report, December 28, 2018 (FY 2018 ACR). Public portions of the
Postal Service's filing are available on the Commission's website at
https://www.prc.gov.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The filing begins a review process that results in an Annual
Compliance Determination (ACD) issued by the Commission to determine
whether Postal Service products offered during FY 2018 were in
compliance with applicable title 39 requirements.
II. Overview of the Postal Service's FY 2018 ACR
Contents of the filing. The Postal Service's FY 2018 ACR consists
of a 77-page narrative; extensive additional material appended as
separate folders and identified in Attachment One; and an application
for non-public treatment of certain materials, along with supporting
rationale, filed as Attachment Two. The filing also includes the
Comprehensive
[[Page 827]]
Statement,\2\ Report to the Secretary of the Treasury, and information
on the Competitive Products Fund filed in response to Commission rules.
This material has been filed electronically with the Commission.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ In years prior to 2013, the Commission reviewed the Postal
Service's reports prepared pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 2803 and 39 U.S.C.
2804 (filed as the Comprehensive Statement by the Postal Service) in
its ACD. However, as it has for the past several years, the
Commission intends to issue a separate notice soliciting comments on
the comprehensive statement and provide its related analysis in a
separate report from the ACD.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scope of the filing. The material appended to the narrative
consists of: (1) Domestic product costing material filed on an annual
basis summarized in the Cost and Revenue Analysis (CRA); (2) comparable
international costing material summarized in the International Cost and
Revenue Analysis (ICRA); (3) worksharing-related cost studies; and (4)
billing determinant information for both domestic and international
mail. FY 2018 ACR at 2-3. Inclusion of these four data sets is
consistent with the Postal Service's past ACR practices. As with past
ACRs, the Postal Service has split certain materials into public and
non-public versions. Id. at 3.
``Roadmap'' document. A roadmap to the FY 2018 ACR can be found in
Library Reference USPS-FY18-9. This document provides brief
descriptions of the materials submitted, as well as the flow of inputs
and outputs among them; a discussion of differences in methodology
relative to Commission methodologies in last year's ACD; and a list of
special studies and a discussion of obsolescence, as required by
Commission rule 3050.12. Id. at 3-4.
Methodology. The Postal Service states that it has adhered to the
methodologies historically used by the Commission subject to changes
identified and discussed in Library Reference USPS-FY18-9 and in
prefaces accompanying the appended folders. Id. at 4. The Postal
Service observes that one noteworthy methodological change regarding
product costs was discussed in response to Commission Order No. 3506
and approach for reporting of group incremental cost estimates used by
the Commission in the FY 2017 ACD.\3\ As a result, the Postal Service's
FY 2018 CRA reports group incremental cost estimates when available as
the attributable costs of combinations of products, including for the
market dominant classes. FY 2018 ACR at 5. As a consequence, the costs
labeled as attributable costs in each row of the FY 2018 CRA are not
directly comparable to costs reported with the same label in the CRAs
filed prior to FY 2017. Id. at 6.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ Id.; see Docket No. RM2016-2, Order Concerning United Parcel
Service, Inc.'s Proposed Changes to Postal Service Costing
Methodologies (UPS Proposals One, Two, and Three), September 9, 2016
(Order No. 3506). Docket No. ACR 2017, Annual Compliance
Determination, March 29, 2018, at 8-10 (FY 2017 ACD).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Market dominant product-by-product costs, revenues, and volumes.
Comprehensive cost, revenue, and volume data for all market dominant
products of general applicability are shown directly in the FY 2018 CRA
or ICRA. Id. at 8.
The FY 2018 ACR includes a discussion by class of each market
dominant product, including costs, revenues, and volumes, workshare
discounts, and passthroughs responsive to 39 U.S.C. 3652(b), and FY
2018 promotions. Id. at 8-45.
In response to the Commission's FY 2010 ACD directives,\4\ the
Postal Service states that it is providing information regarding: (1)
All operational changes designed to reduce flats costs and the
estimated financial effects of such changes (FY 2018 ACR at 24-32); (2)
all costing methodology improvements made in FY 2018 and the estimated
financial effects of such changes (id. at 32-36); and (3) a statement
summarizing the current year subsidy of the flats product (id. at 35).
In addition, the Postal Service presented its schedule of above-average
price increases for Flats which provides planned price increases for
Flats by the consumer price index times 1.05. Id. at 25.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ Docket No. ACR2010, Annual Compliance Determination, March
29, 2011, at 106-107 (FY 2010 ACD).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Market dominant negotiated service agreements. The FY 2018 ACR
presents information on the PHI Acquisitions, Inc. negotiated service
agreement (NSA), the only market dominant NSA in effect in FY 2018. Id.
at 43-44. The agreement was terminated effective June 30, 2018. Id. at
43.
Service performance. The Postal Service notes that the Commission
issued rules on periodic reporting of service performance measurement
and customer satisfaction in FY 2010. Responsive information appears in
Library Reference USPS-FY18-29. Id. at 46.
Customer satisfaction. The FY 2018 ACR discusses the Postal
Service's approach for measuring customer experience and satisfaction;
discusses survey modifications; describes the methodology; presents a
table with survey results; compares the results from FY 2017 to FY
2018; and provides information regarding customer access to postal
services. Id. at 48-65.
Competitive products. The FY 2018 ACR provides costs, revenues, and
volumes for competitive products of general applicability in the FY
2018 CRA or ICRA. For competitive products not of general
applicability, data are provided in non-public Library References USPS-
FY18-NP2 and USPS-FY18-NP27. Id. at 66. The FY 2018 ACR also addresses
the competitive product pricing standards of 39 U.S.C. 3633. Id. at 66-
74. The Postal Service also provides a response to the Commission's
Directive in Order No. 4792 and reports separately the revenue, pieces,
and weight of ECOMPRO pieces for each country in USPS-FY18-NP9.\5\
Additionally, the Postal Service responds to the Commission's Directive
in the FY 2016 ACD requiring it to identify each NSA product that had
no mailpieces shipped under its contract in future ACRs.\6\ This
information is provided in USPS-FY18-NP27 (for domestic NSAs) and USPS-
FY18-NP2 (for international NSAs). FY 2018 ACR at 74.
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\5\ Docket No. CP2018-286, Order Approving Changes in Prices Not
of General Applicability for Certain Inbound Parcel Post (at UPU
Rates), August 23, 2018, at 7 (Order No. 4792).
\6\ Docket No. ACR 2016, Annual Compliance Determination, March
28, 2017, at 83 (FY 2016 ACD).
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Market tests; nonpostal services. The Postal Service discusses the
two competitive market tests conducted during FY 2018 and nonpostal
services. Id. at 75.
III. Procedural Steps
Statutory requirements. Section 3653 of title 39 requires the
Commission to provide interested persons with an opportunity to comment
on the ACR and to appoint an officer of the Commission (Public
Representative) to represent the interests of the general public. The
Commission hereby solicits public comment on the Postal Service's FY
2018 ACR and on whether any rates or fees in effect during FY 2018 (for
products individually or collectively) were not in compliance with
applicable provisions of chapter 36 of title 39 or Commission
regulations promulgated thereunder. Commenters addressing market
dominant products are referred in particular to the applicable
requirements (39 U.S.C. 3622(d) and (e) and 39 U.S.C. 3626); objectives
(39 U.S.C. 3622(b)); and factors (39 U.S.C. 3622(c)). Commenters
addressing competitive products are referred to 39 U.S.C. 3633.
The Commission also invites public comment on the cost coverage
matters the Postal Service addresses in its filing; service performance
results; levels of
[[Page 828]]
customer satisfaction achieved; and such other matters that may be
relevant to the Commission's review.
Access to filing. The Commission has posted the publicly available
portions of the FY 2018 ACR on its website at https://www.prc.gov.
Comment deadlines. Comments by interested persons are due on or
before January 31, 2019. Reply comments are due on or before February
11, 2019. The Commission, upon completion of its review of the FY 2018
ACR, comments, and other data and information submitted in this
proceeding, will issue its ACD.
Public Representative. Mallory L. Smith is designated to serve as
the Public Representative to represent the interests of the general
public in this proceeding. Neither the Public Representative nor any
additional persons assigned to assist her shall participate in or
advise as to any Commission decision in this proceeding other than in
his or her designated capacity.
IV. Ordering Paragraphs
It is ordered:
1. The Commission establishes Docket No. ACR2018 to consider
matters raised by the United States Postal Service's FY 2018 Annual
Compliance Report.
2. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, the Commission appoints Mallory L.
Smith as an officer of the Commission (Public Representative) in this
proceeding to represent the interests of the general public.
3. Comments on the United States Postal Service's FY 2018 Annual
Compliance Report to the Commission are due on or before January 31,
2019.
4. Reply comments are due on or before February 11, 2019.
5. The Secretary shall arrange for publication of this Order in the
Federal Register. Due to its funding lapse, the Federal Register is not
being supported and this Order's publication will be delayed. The delay
in publication in the Federal Register will not affect comment
deadlines.
By the Commission.
Stacy L. Ruble,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-00396 Filed 1-30-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P
