BEFORE THE
POSTAL RATE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20268-0001
POSTAL RATE AND FEE CHANGES, 1997
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NASHUA PHOTO INC.. DISTRICT PHOTO INC.. CFFICE Oi THE SEck~,n~y
MYSTIC COLOR LAB, AND SEATTLE FILMWORKS’, :INC.
FIRST INTERROGATORIES AND REQUESTS FOR PRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS
TO POSTAL SERVICE WITNESS RALPH J. MODEN (NDMSKJSPS-T4-1-15)
(August 22, 1997)
Pursuant to sections25 and 26 of the Postal Rate Commission rules of practice, Nashua
Photo Inc. (hereinafter “Nashua”), District Photo Inc. (“District”), Mystic Color Lab
(“Mystic”), and Seattle FilmWorks, Inc. (“Seattle”) (hereinafter collectively referred to as
“NDMS”), proceeding jointly herein, hereby submit the following interrogatories and
document production requests. If necessary,pleaseredirect any interrogato1.yand/or request
to a more appropriate Postal Service witness.
John S. Miles
Alan Woll
William J. Olson, P.C.
8180 GreensboroDrive, Suite 1070
McLean, Virginia 22102-3823
(703) 356-5070
Counsel for NashuaPhoto Inc. :, District Photo Inc.,
Mystic Color Lab, and SeattleFilmWorks, Inc.
I hereby certify that I have this day servedby hand delivery or mail the foregoing
document upon all participants of record in thisproceeding in accordancewith Section 12 of the
Rules of Practice.
August 22, 1997
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2
NDMSAJSPS-TC1.
a.
What is the total number of SmallParcel and Bundle Sorter (SPBS) machines
(i) currently deployed,and (ii) on order?
b.
At the present time, is the Postal Servicecontemplatingordering more SPBS
machines?
C.
If deploymentof SPBSmachinesis not yet complete,when will all machines
currently on order be deployed?
NDMSAJSPS-T4-2.
In Docket No. MC96-1, the Postal Serviceindicatedthat it had retrofitted a small
number of SPBSmachineswith barcode readers,and that such readersenabled
the Postal Serviceto processbarcodedparcelsmore efficiently and at lower unit cost.
Does the Postal Service currently have any plans to retrofit more SPBSmachineswith
barcode readers?
a.
If so, pleaseindicate the number of retrofit kits that the Postal Serviceexpectsto
(i) order and (ii) deploy by the end of Test Year.
b.
If not, pleaseexplain why the Postal Serviceis not expanding
barcoding/automatiodmechanization,with the greater efficiencywhich that entails,
to small parcelsprocessedon SPBSmachines.
NDMSAJSPS-TC3.
a.
When
all SPBSmachinescurrently on order are fully deployed,how many
Postal Servicefacilities then will have an SPBSbut not
have an
FSM 10007
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b.
When all FSM 1000scurrently on order are fully deployed,how many Postal
Servicefacilities then will have an FSM 1000 but not have an SPBS?
NDMUUSPS-TC4.
For purposesof respondingto this interrogatory, assumethat somemailersof
Standard,A parcelsprefer to bypassthe BMC and, in consequencethereof, dropship
their parcelsand enter them at DSCFs. Assumefurther that (i) the size and sbapeof the
parcels comport with all requirementsfor the FSM 1000 describedin your responseto
TW/USPS-T4-5(f) (i.e., they are capableofbeing processedon the FSM IOOO),and (ii) the
SCF has availablecapacityon both its FSM 1000(s)and its SPBS(s).
a.
On which machinewould the StandardA parcelsmost likely be processed?
b.
Under what circumstancesor conditions would the parcelshkely be processedon
the FSM 1OOO?
NDMSAJSPS-T4-5.
Does the StandardA mailstreamcontain any types of parcelsthat cannot be
processedon an SPBS? If your answeris affirmative, pleaserefer to the attachmentto
RIAA/UUSPS-T7-4 in Docket No. MC97-2, and explainfully the types of p:arcelsnot
amenableto processingon a SPBS,using the categoriesshown there (i.e., (i) CD Box,
(ii) video box, (iii) check box, (iv) other box, (v) other, (vi) film envelope,(vii) roll tube. (viii)
clothing bag, (ix) prescription drug, and (x) sample).
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NDMSNSPS-TC6.
When all FSM 1000scurrently on order are fully deployed,will the StandardA
mailstreamcontain any flats that cannot be processedon either an FSM 881 or an FSM
IOOO?Pleaseexplain Crlly any affirmative answer.
NDMWUSPS-TC7.
Does the Postal Servicehaveunder developmenta high speedflat feeder
(HSFF) for the FSM lOOO?PleaseexplainPostal Serviceplans and timetables,for this feeder.
NDMSAJSPS-T4-8.
a.
What is (i) the average,and (ii) the maximumthroughput of an SPBSwithout a
barcode reader?
b.
What is (i) the averageand (ii) the maximumthroughput of an SPBSwith a
barcode reader?
c:.
What size crew is required to obtain the maximumthroughput on an SPBS?
NDMSIUSPS-T4-9.
How doesthe unit cost of processingparcelson an SPBS(when operatedin a
keying mode) comparewith the unit cost of processingmachinablepieces(flats or
parcels) on an FSM 1000 (when operatedin a keying mode)?
NDMWUSPS-T4-10.
What is the cost of retrofitting an SPBSwith a barcodereader?
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NDMSILTSPS-TC11.
Pleaserefer to your responseto DMXLJSPS-T4-13, in which you point out that
the Postal Servicehas also proposed a parcel barcoding discount in Standard13to
incent [sic] even more precededparcelsfrom mailers.” Why has the Postal Service
not proposed a similar discount for parcelsin StandardA?
NDMSIIJSPS-T4-12.
Your responseto NDMSRJSPS-T32-IS (redirectedfrom WitnessFrank) states
that First-Classflats which weigh lessthainone ounce can be processedon FSM 881s
and FSM 1000sprovided they meet all other machinabilityrequirements.
a.
Prior to processing,doesthe Postal Serviceroutinely and systematicallyattempt to
cull out from the First-Classmailstream(i) flats that weigh lessthan one ounce or
(ii) “flimsies” (and other nonmachinabies)regardlessof weighi. or doesthe Postal
Serviceput all flats on the machineand let the machinedivert the nonmachinable
piecesto the reject stacker?
b.
Of the First-Classflat mail piecesthat weigh lessthan one ounce, what
percentagewould generallybe nonmachinable?
NDMSNSPS-T4-13.
Pleaserefer to (i) your responseto TWAJSPS-T4-S(f)in this docket and (ii) your Docket
No. MC97-2, responseto NDMSAJSPS-T13-1, and:
a.
Confirm that the FSM is capableof sorting piecesdefined by the DMM as
“nonletters” and “nonflats.”
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b.
Confnm that the minimumlength for a letter is 5 inchesand the minimum length
for a flat is 6 inches,while the minimumlength for a piece sorted on the FSM
1000 is 3.94 inches.
c.
Confnm that the maximumlength for a flat is 15 inches,while .themaximum
length for the a piece sorted on the FSM 1000s 15.75 inches.
d.
Confirm that the maximumthicknessfor a flat is 0.75 inches,while the maximum
thicknessfor a piece sorted on the FSM 1000 is 1.25 inches.
e.
Has the Postal Serviceadopted any policy, guideline or standardoperating
procedure that precludesthe processingof StandardA parcelson the FSM 1000
if such parcels conform to (i) the minimum and maximumsize dimensionsprovided
in your responseto TWKJSPS-T4-S(f)and (ii) any other pack,agingrequirements
that may be necessaryfor machinability? If so, please(i) statewhen such policy,
guideline or standardoperating procedurewas issued,(ii) provide a copy. and
(iii) explain all reasonswhy StandardA parcelsthat are capableof being
processedon the FSM 1000are precludedfrom such application.
NDMSNSPS-T4-14.
Your responseto hDMS/LJSPS-,T32-I8 (redirectedfrom WitnessFronk) says
that “flat sorters by definition are consideredmechanizedequipmentand are generally
not referred to as automatedequipment.”
a.
When an FSM 88 1 is equippedwith an HSFF and an OCR/barcodereader,will it
still be consideredmechanizedequipmentand generallynot referred to as
automatedequipment7 Pleaseexplain what distinguishesmechanized
7
equipmentfrom automatedequipment.
b.
Does the Postal Servicehaveunder developmenta flat sorter that could be
consideredautomatedequipment? Pleaseexplain any answerthat is not an
unqualified negative.
NDMSRJSPS-T4-15.
What is the productivity (in terms of either piecesper hour or piecesper hour per operator)
for an FSM 881 when operated (i) manuallyand (ii) with a barcodereader?