Section 3012.4 - Definitions of persons subject to ex parte communication rules(a) Commission decision-making personnel include:(1) The Commissioners and their staffs;(2) The General Counsel and staff;(3) The Director of the Office of Accountability and Compliance and staff;(4) Contractors, consultants, and others hired by the Commission to assist with the Commission's analysis and decision; and(5) Any other employee who may reasonably be expected to be involved in the decisional process.(b) The Postal Service includes all Postal Service employees, contractors, consultants, and others with an interest in a matter before the Commission. Any interaction between the Postal Service and Commission decision-making personnel concerning a matter before the Commission expresses an interest in the matter before the Commission.(c) Public stakeholders include all other persons not previously described, with an interest in a matter before the Commission. This includes the Commission non-decision-making personnel identified in paragraph (d) of this section. Any interaction between a public stakeholder and Commission decision-making personnel concerning a matter before the Commission expresses an interest in the matter before the Commission.(d) Commission non-decision-making personnel include:(1) All Commission personnel other than decision-making personnel;(2) Commission personnel not participating in the decisional process owing to the prohibitions of § 3010.144 of this chapter regarding no participation by investigative or prosecuting officers;(3) The Public Representative and other Commission personnel assigned to represent the interests of the general public pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505 in the specific case or controversy at issue (regardless of normally assigned duties); and(4) Contractors, consultants, and others hired by the Commission to provide an independent analysis of issues before the Commission (and Commission employees assigned thereto). 81 FR 42541 , June 30, 2016, as amended at 85 FR 9645 , Feb. 19, 2020