Postal Rate Commission 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Parcel Return Service (PRS), which the Postal Service currently offers on an experimental basis for two parcel post rate categories, was scheduled to expire October 19, 2003. Shortly before the expiration date, the Service filed a request to establish one of these categories (Parcel Select) as a permanent offering and to allow users to purchase an optional ancillary service (Certificate of Mailing). Participants in the experiment were not eligible for this ancillary service during the experimental stage. The Service's request triggered an automatic extension of the October 19, 2005 expiration date for Parcel Select. Given no participation in the other experimental category (Bound Printed Matter), the Service does not seek to make it permanent, and it expired as scheduled. This document establishes a formal docket to address the requested change in status for the PRS Parcel Select category and identifies several initial steps, including authorization of settlement negotiations.

The Commission will serve as a general host for a visiting delegation from PostEurop on October 11 through 14, 2005. The agenda includes briefings on Commission operations, functions and activities, as well as related issues, such as postal reform, efficient component pricing, negotiated service agreements, worksharing, and distinctions between domestic and European postal models. It also includes Postal Service briefings, a postal facility tour, meetings with members of Congress and their staff, and discussions with mailers.

The Commission is adopting minor nomenclature changes in provisions appearing in the Code of Federal Regulations, including the rules of practice. The changes reflect the agency's relocation of its physical offices. Adoption of these changes will provide the public with accurate information about the Commission's new address.

This document establishes a docket for consideration of the Postal Service's request for approval of a baseline negotiated service agreement with Bookspan. It identifies key elements of the proposed agreement, which involves Standard Mail letter rates; its relationship to the Capital One Services, Inc. negotiated service agreement; and addresses preliminary procedural matters.

Postal Rate Commission personnel will observe operations at the United States Postal Service facility in Merrifield, Virginia on Thursday, May 19, 2005, between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m.; and on Wednesday, May 25, 2005, between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m.

On April 5, 2005, briefings on the Commission's role in rate setting and on greeting card industry issues will take place in the Commission's conference room. Participants will include Commissioners, greeting card industry executives, and staff.

This document establishes a docket for consideration of the Postal Service's request for approval of a negotiated service agreement with HSBC North America Holdings Inc. It identifies key elements of the proposed agreement, its relationship to the Capital One Services, Inc. negotiated service agreement, and addresses preliminary procedural matters.

On February 15, 2005, senior staff will describe the current functions and procedures of the Postal Rate Commission to executives of business mail users that utilize all classes of mail. Members of the Commission will attend and participate in discussion following the presentation.

This document addresses the solicitation of comments in a proceeding to consider potential changes to the Commission rules for considering functionally equivalent Negotiated Service Agreements. These comments will be used to evaluate whether improvements should be made to the rules to facilitate the Commission's review of future requests predicated on functionally equivalent Negotiated Service Agreements.