BEFORE
THE
POSTAL RATE COMMlSSlON
WASHINGTON, D.C. 26268-06g1
POSTALRATEAND FEECHANGES,
2000
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Docket No. R26rXI-l
RESPONSE OF THE UNITED~STATESPOSTAL SERVICE
TOtNTERROGATORY OF
THE OFFICE OF THE CONSUMER ADVOCATE
:
(OCAIUSPS-52)
The United States.Postal Service hereby provides its response to the following
interrogatory of the Office of the Consumer Advocate: OCAIUSPS-52, filed on January
26,200O.
The interrogatory is stated verbatim and is followed by the response.
Respectfully submitted,
UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
By its attorneys:
Daniel J. Foucheaux, Jr.
‘Chief Counsel, Ratemaking
Michael T. Tidwell
,475L’Enfant Plaza West, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20260-l 137
” (202) 268L2996 Fax -6402
March 20.2000
RESPONSE OF T# UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
To ~NTERROOAT~RYOF THE OFFICE OF THE CONSUMER ADVOCATE
OCA4JSPS-52.
For the period 1996 to the present, plea$e identify any instance In which the
Postal Service provided stemps’to lhdivlduals wtthout charge (such as in
connection with completion of a questionnaire, a courtesy program, as a
promotiori;,etc.), Do not Includesequal value exchanges of stamps. For each
‘such ~tnstan’ce,
please expfatn the terms under which stamps were provided,
including the number.and value ofstamps provided, and the location or area
involved. Provide all related documents.
RESPONSE:
In 1999, the Postal Service contracted with National Analysts. Inc. to conduct a survey
of customers who had used an Automated Postal Center. The burden on each survey
respondent was expected to be significant, approximately 20 minutes. To provide an
incentive for respondents to participate in such lengthy interviews, National Analysts
purchased $9603.00 in postage stamps, so that each participating survey respondent
could be given $9.90 worth of postage stamps for their participation in the survey. A
copy of the stamp purchase invoice is attached.
Otherwise, local postal customer service managers have been known to initiate retail
service improvement programs, as a part of which they would distribute a basic FirstClass Mail rate postage stamp to a customer who waited in line for retail window
service more than five minutes. Stamps were purchased out of local budgets for such
purposes. There were occasional reports of such local initiatives in the late 1980’s and
early 1990’s. No records relating to them have been located. Nor have any records
been located which relate to any such activity since then.
UNITED STATES POSTAIa SEXVICE
STAMP mFZI&MENT
SERVICES
KANSAS CITYMq
JCTOBER %,I999
IHIP 10:
iQ(LECINGCR ASSOCIATES sOWI4
bwN: sTEvEcuRTls
I290 LUCIBN WAY STE I80
b¶AKLAND FL 3275 I
‘#ATlO?JAL ANALYST INC
I700 MAti
OT .n 17
‘HILADELPHIA PA 19103-3913
ORDER NUMBER: 14982265 -001 .
ITEM
554540
I54440
AFF
ITEM DESCIUFTlON
_ .y.95.C6LEBRATE
w;% CktihRATE
BCKORD
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lJis CCNTVRY 19% 970
THE CENTURY 1960 970
AMOUNT. COOL
swl.~
548001.50
ORDER AMOIJNR
~AGS&HANDMN~
POREEN HANOLING
SXPRSW MAIL FEE
EXPRESS MAIL PAUD~BY CumCORPACCOUNT
ToTALAMoulm
MOM!h! PROM ID
‘~ CBCDITCARDCHARGEli
T&WKYOUFORYOWRPHaATELICORDER
's9&33.09
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S
O.DO
s 9403.00
f.
S
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I hereby certify that I’have this day served the foregoing document upon all
paItiCip%dS
of record in this proceeding in &&dance with section 12 of the Rules of
Practice.
Michael T. Tidwell
,475 LEpfant Plaza West, S.W.
I~ Washingkin, D.C. 20260-l 137
(202) 268-2SS8 Fax -6402
March 20,200O