(a) The Consumer Price Index used for calculations under this part is the CPI-U index, as specified in §§3030.521(a) and 3030.522(a) of this chapter.

(b) An experimental product may only be tested if total revenues that are anticipated or received by the Postal Service do not exceed $10 Million in any fiscal year, as adjusted for the change in the CPI-U index, as specified in paragraph (d) of this section ($10 Million Adjusted Limitation). Total revenues anticipated or received may exceed the $10 Million Adjusted Limitation in any fiscal year if an exemption is granted pursuant to §3045.16.

(c) For each fiscal year, the $10 Million Adjusted Limitation shall reflect the average CPI result during the previous fiscal year calculated as described in paragraph (d) of this section. The Commission shall publish this figure annually, after the close of the fiscal year, on its website at http://www.prc.gov.

(d) The calculation of the $10 Million Adjusted Limitation involves the following steps. First, a simple average CPI-U index was calculated for fiscal year 2008 by summing the monthly CPI-U values from October 2007 through September 2008 and dividing the sum by 12 (Base Average). The resulting Base Average is 214.463. Then, a second simple average CPI-U index is similarly calculated for each subsequent fiscal year by summing the 12 monthly CPI-U values for the previous fiscal year and dividing the sum by 12 (Recent Average). Finally, the annual limitation for the current fiscal year is calculated by multiplying $10,000,000 by the Recent Average divided by 214.463. The result is expressed as a number, rounded to the nearest dollar.

(e) The formula for calculating the $10 Million Adjusted Limitation is as follows: $10 Million Adjusted Limitation = $10,000,000 * (Recent Average/214.463).

[79 FR 54563, Sept. 11, 2014, as amended at 84 FR 975, Feb. 1, 2019; 85 FR 9659, 9660, Feb. 19, 2020]