Announced Actions for March 13, 1998

Petitions to reopen and modify or set aside orders: The FTC has received a petition from the following entity seeking termination of an FTC order. The FTC is seeking public comments on the newly-received petition for 30 days, until April 14, 1998.

• Rite Aid Corporation has asked the Federal Trade Commission to reopen and modify a 1994 consent order. Specifically, the company is requesting that the FTC delete a requirement that Rite Aid divest a pharmacy in Bucksport, Maine, that the company acquired when it bought the LaVerdiere's chain of drug stores. In February 1998, Rite Aid agreed to pay a $900,000 civil penalty for failure to comply with the terms of the 1994 consent order which required the company to divest the Bucksport asset and two other stores. A trustee appointed by the FTC divested two properties in January 1997 but according to the company's petition neither the company nor the trustee has been able to divest the Bucksport store. (See news release dated February 25, 1998; Docket No. C3546. Staff contact is Daniel Ducore, 202-326-2526.)

Applications for approval of transactions: The FTC has received an application for approval of a transaction from TRW, Inc. The FTC is seeking public comments on the application for 30 days, until April 14, 1998. However, if the Commission grants TRW's request to shorten the public comment period, the Commission will seek comments until March 25, 1998.

• TRW Inc. has petitioned the Federal Trade Commission for approval to divest TRW's Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) program Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance (SETA) services operations to Computer Sciences Corporation. In its request, TRW also asks the Commission to approve the transaction on an expedited basis by shortening the public comment period to 10 days from the usual 30 days. The divestiture of the SETA assets is required as part of a consent order TRW signed with the Commission on December 24, 1997. Under the terms of this order, TRW must divest assets it acquired when it purchased BDM International. (See news release dated December 24, 1997; File No.981-0081. Staff contact is Daniel P. Ducore (202) 326-2526)

Comments on the petition should be addressed to the FTC, Office of the Secretary, 6th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580. Copies of the documents referenced above are available from the FTC's web site at: http://www.ftc.gov and from the FTC's Consumer Response Center, Room 130, at the same address; 202-FTC-HELP (202-382-4357); TDD for the hearing impaired 1-866-653-4261. To find out the latest news as it is announced, call the FTC NewsPhone recording at 202-326-2710.