§ 3030.512 - Contents of notice of rate adjustment.

§ 3030.512 Contents of notice of rate adjustment.

(a) A Type 1-A, Type 1-B, or Type 1-C notice of rate adjustment must include the following information:

(1) A schedule of the planned rates;

(2) The planned effective date(s) of the planned rates;

(3) A representation or evidence that public notice of the planned changes has been issued or will be issued at least 45 days before the effective date(s) for the planned rates; and

(4) The identity of a responsible Postal Service official who will be available to provide prompt responses to requests for clarification from the Commission.

(b) The notice of rate adjustment shall be accompanied by the following information:

(1) The annual limitation calculated as required by § 3030.521 or § 3030.522, as appropriate. This information must be supported by workpapers in which all calculations are shown and all input values, including all relevant CPI-U values, are listed with citations to the original sources.

(2) A schedule showing unused rate adjustment authority available for each class of mail displayed by class and available amount for each of the preceding 5 years. This information must be supported by workpapers in which all calculations are shown.

(3) The percentage change in rates for each class of mail calculated as required by § 3030.523. This information must be supported by workpapers in which all calculations are shown and all input values, including current rates, new rates, and billing determinants, are listed with citations to the original sources.

(4) The amount of new unused rate adjustment authority, if any, that will be generated by the rate adjustment calculated as required by § 3030.526 or § 3030.527, as applicable. All calculations are to be shown with citations to the original sources. If new unused rate adjustment authority will be generated for a class of mail that is not expected to cover its attributable costs, the Postal Service must provide the rationale underlying this rate adjustment.

(5) A schedule of the workshare discounts included in the planned rates, and a companion schedule listing the avoided costs that underlie each such discount. This information must be supported by workpapers in which all calculations are shown and all input values are listed with citations to the original sources.

(6) Separate justification for all proposed workshare discounts that exceed avoided costs. Each such justification shall reference applicable reasons identified in 39 U.S.C. 3622(e)(2) or (3). The Postal Service shall also identify and explain discounts that are set substantially below avoided costs and explain any relationship between discounts that are above and those that are below avoided costs.

(7) A discussion that demonstrates how the planned rate adjustments are designed to help achieve the objectives listed in 39 U.S.C. 3622(b) and properly take into account the factors listed in 39 U.S.C. 3622(c).

(8) A discussion that demonstrates the planned rate adjustments are consistent with 39 U.S.C. 3626, 3627, and 3629.

(9) For a notice that includes a rate incentive:

(i) Whether the rate incentive is being treated under § 3030.523(e)(2) or under §§ 3030.523(e)(1) and 3030.524.

(ii) If the Postal Service seeks to include the rate incentive in the calculation of the percentage change in rates under § 3030.523(e)(2), whether the rate incentive is available to all mailers equally on the same terms and conditions.

(iii) If the Postal Service seeks to include the rate incentive in the calculation of the percentage change in rates under § 3030.523(e)(2), sufficient information to demonstrate that the rate incentive is a rate of general applicability, which at a minimum includes: The terms and conditions of the rate incentive; the factors that determine eligibility for the rate incentive; a statement that affirms that the rate incentive will not benefit a single mailer; and a statement that affirms that the rate incentive is not only available upon the written agreement of both the Postal Service and a mailer, or group of mailers, or a foreign postal operator.

(10) For a Type 1-C rate adjustment, whether the Postal Service elects to generate unused rate adjustment authority.

(11) A schedule identifying every change to the Mail Classification Schedule that will be necessary to implement the planned rate adjustments.

(12) Such other information as the Postal Service believes will assist the Commission to issue a timely determination of whether the planned rate adjustments are consistent with applicable statutory policies.

(c) Whenever the Postal Service establishes a new workshare discount rate, it must include with its filing:

(1) A statement explaining its reasons for establishing the discount;

(2) All data, economic analyses, and other information relied on to justify the discount; and

(3) A certification based on comprehensive, competent analyses that the discount will not adversely affect either the rates or the service levels of users of postal services who do not take advantage of the discount.

(d) Whenever the Postal Service establishes a new discount or surcharge it does not believe is a workshare discount, it must include with its filing:

(1) An explanation of the basis for its belief that the discount or surcharge is not a workshare discount; and

(2) A certification that the Postal Service applied approved analytical principles to the discount or surcharge.

(e) The notice of rate adjustment shall identify for each affected class how much existing unused rate adjustment authority is used in the planned rates calculated as required by § 3030.528. All calculations are to be shown, including citations to the original sources.

(f) All cost, avoided cost, volume, and revenue figures submitted with the notice of rate adjustment shall be developed from the most recent applicable Commission approved analytical principles.

[78 FR 52704, Aug. 26, 2013, as amended at 79 FR 33832, June 12, 2014. Redesignated and amended at 85 FR 9615, 9657, Feb. 19, 2020; 85 FR 35809, June 12, 2020]