(a) Act means title 39 of the United States Code, as amended.

(b) Commission or Commissioner means, respectively, the Postal Regulatory Commission established by the Act or a member thereof. The Commission is located at 901 New York Avenue NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20268-0001. The Commission's regular business hours are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time, except for Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays.

(c) Complainant means a person who files a complaint with the Commission pursuant to section 3662 of the Act in the form and manner hereinafter prescribed.

(d) Effective date, when used with respect to a notice, order, ruling, or other document issued by the Commission or an officer thereof (excluding documents issued for publication in the Federal Register), means the date the filing is posted on the Daily Listing page of the Commission's website unless otherwise specifically provided.

(e) Hearing on the record means a hearing conducted under sections 556 and 557 of title 5, U.S.C. (80 Stat. 386), as provided by section 3661 of the Act or in any other proceeding noticed by the Commission for a hearing on the record.

(f) Negotiated service agreement means a written contract, to be in effect for a defined period of time, between the Postal Service and a mailer, which provides for customer-specific rates or fees and/or terms of service in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract. A rate associated with a negotiated service agreement is not a rate of general applicability.

(g) Participant means any person who participates, or seeks to participate, in a proceeding before the Commission.

(h) Party means the Postal Service, the Public Representative, a complainant, or a person who has intervened in a proceeding docketed for a hearing on the record before the Commission.

(i) Person means an individual, a partnership, corporation, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated association, public or private organization, or governmental entity.

(j) Petitioner means a person who is permitted by section 404(d)(5) of the Act to appeal to the Commission a determination of the Postal Service to close or consolidate a post office.

(k) Postal Service means the United States Postal Service established by the Act.

(l) Postal service refers to the delivery of letters, printed matter, or mailable packages, including acceptance, collection, sorting, transportation, or other functions ancillary thereto.

(m) Presiding officer means a person designated by the Chairman of the Commission or the Commission to preside over a Commission proceeding or over a hearing held on the record before the Commission.

(n) Proceeding means a Commission process initiated by the issuance of a notice or order that establishes a docket for the consideration of a matter before the Commission.

(o) Product means a postal service with a distinct cost or market characteristic for which a rate or rates are, or may reasonably be, applied.

(p) Public proceeding means a proceeding developing rules, regulations, and procedures or a proceeding materially affecting the interests of the general public. A proceeding considering a request for summary approval of a negotiated service agreement or of an amendment to a negotiated service agreement is not a public proceeding. A proceeding considering a request to amend a negotiated service agreement for the sole purpose of extending the expiration date of the negotiated service agreement is not a public proceeding.

(q) Public Representative or PR means an officer of the Commission designated to represent the interests of the general public:

(1) In a public proceeding;

(2) With respect to any one of the following:

(i) The Commission's annual determination of compliance;

(ii) A request for an advisory opinion on a change in the nature of postal services which will generally affect service on a nationwide or substantially nationwide basis,

(iii) A rate or service complaint; or

(iv) Appeal of a Postal Service determination to close or consolidate a post office; or

(3) As appointed by the Chairman.

(r) Rate or class of general applicability means a rate or class that is available to all mailers equally on the same terms and conditions.

(s) Record means all documents and other material in a docket, including pleadings, testimony, exhibits, library references, transcripts of oral testimony or statements given or made during a hearing, comments, briefs, and in camera material, whether or not relied upon by the Commission or presiding officer in reaching a decision.

(t) Secretary means the Secretary of the Commission, the Acting Secretary, or the Secretary's designee.

(u) Small business concern means a for-profit business entity that:

(1) Is independently owned and operated;

(2) Is not dominant in its field of operation;

(3) Has a place of business located in the United States;

(4) Operates primarily within the United States or makes a significant contribution to the United States economy by paying taxes or using American products, materials, or labor; and

(5) Together with its affiliates, qualifies as small in its primary industry under the criteria and size standards established by the Small Business Administration in 13 CFR 121.201 based on annual receipts or number of employees.

(v) Website means the Commission's website located at https://www.prc.gov.