New Postal Product

AGENCY:

Postal Regulatory Commission.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Commission is noticing a recently-filed Postal Service request to add a Global Expedited Package Services 2 contract to the Competitive Product List. This notice addresses procedural steps associated with this filing.

DATES:

Comments are due: February 19, 2010.

ADDRESSES:

Submit comments electronically via the Commission's Filing Online system at http://www.prc.gov. Commenters who cannot submit their views electronically should contact the person identified in “FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT” 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 February 9, 2010, the Postal Service filed a notice announcing that it has entered into an additional Global Expedited Package Services 2 (GEPS 2) contract.¹ The Postal Service believes the instant contract is functionally equivalent to previously submitted GEPS 2 contracts, and is supported by Governors' Decision No. 08-7, attached to the Notice and originally filed in Docket No. CP2008-4. Id. at 1, Attachment 2. The Notice also explains that Order No. 86, which established GEPS 1 as a product, also authorized functionally equivalent agreements to be included within the product, provided that they meet the requirements of 39 U.S.C. 3633. Id. at 1. In Order No. 290, the Commission approved the GEPS 2 product.²

The instant contract. The Postal Service filed the instant contract pursuant to 39 CFR 3015.5. In addition, the Postal Service contends that the contract is in accordance with Order No. 86. The Postal Service submitted the contract and supporting material under seal along with an application for non-public treatment as Attachment 1, and attached a certified statement required by 39 CFR 3015.5(c)(2) and a redacted copy of the contract to the Notice as Attachments 2 and 3, respectively. Id. at 1-2. The term of the contract is 1 year from the date the Postal Service notifies the customer that all necessary regulatory approvals have been received.

The Notice advances reasons why the instant GEPS 2 contract fits within the Mail Classification Schedule language for GEPS 2. The Postal Service contends that the instant contract is functionally equivalent to the GEPS 2 contracts filed previously, despite minor differences in both the general language and for customer-specific information, all of which are highlighted in the Notice. Id. at 3-8.

The Postal Service contends that several factors demonstrate the contract's functional equivalence with previous GEPS 2 contracts, including the general terms of the contract, the market to which it is being offered, and its cost characteristics. Id. at 3. The Postal Service concludes that because the “GEPS agreements incorporate the same cost attributes and methodology, the relevant cost and market characteristics are similar, if not the same...” despite any incidental differences. Id. at 8.

The Postal Service contends that its filings demonstrate that this new GEPS 2 contract is established in compliance with the requirements of 39 U.S.C. 3633, is functionally equivalent to previous GEPS 2 contracts, and requests that this contract be included within the GEPS 2 product. Id.

II. Notice of Filing

The Commission establishes Docket No. CP2010-23 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, 3622 or 3642. Comments are due no later than February 19, 2010. The public portions of these filings can be accessed via the Commission's Web site ( http://www.prc.gov ).

The Commission appoints Paul Harrington to serve as Public Representative in the captioned filings.

III. Ordering Paragraphs

It is ordered:

1. The Commission establishes Docket No. CP2010-23 for consideration of matters raised by the Postal Service's Notice.

2. Comments by interested persons in these proceedings are due no later than February 19, 2010.

3. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, Paul 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.