This summer has been a particularly busy time for the Postal Regulatory Commission.  During the month of August so far, the Commission has finalized decisions on the Postal Service’s request to establish a Negotiated Service Agreement (NSA) on certain types of advertising mail, a rulemaking retaining 5.5 percent as the required minimum level of institutional contribution from Competitive Products, and its Advisory Opinion on the Postal Service’s POStPlan to reduce the retail service hours of 13,000 post offices in rural areas.   My colleagues and I greatly appreciate Vice Chairman Nanci Langley’s excellent service as Presiding Officer of the N2012-2 Advisory Opinion case, and the hardworking staff who have been assisting us on these matters.

We have also issued decisions on over a dozen more routine cases, including approval of a temporary promotional discount on mail pieces containing a mobile barcode, and began the processing of a half dozen Postal Service requests for new NSA’s.  The Commission also responded to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (DC) remand requiring a fuller description of our ruling on a Postal Service rate-setting practice.

We are working hard to complete a number of other, complex dockets, including the Advisory Opinion on network rationalization, a Postal Service proposal to make permanent the Every Door Direct Mail product, a mail classification case regarding Post Office Box enhancements, two formal complaints and a variety of other matters.

The Postal Service is facing serious challenges as the digital age changes mail use and the financial impact of the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act’s requirement to prepay Health Care Retiree Benefits accumulates.  The Commission endeavors to provide thoughtful, useful decisions in a transparent and timely manner, in order to meet our mandate of helping to assure a vital, effective postal system that offers universal postal service to the Nation.

Ruth Y. Goldway

Chairman

via Postal Regulatory Commission: Home.