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Audit Reports

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May
13
2019
Report Number:
DRT-AR-19-001
Report Type:
Audit Reports
Category: Service Performance, Delivery / Mail Processing

Mail Delivery Issues - Graceland Annex, Chicago District

Background

We conducted this audit to provide Postal Service management with timely information on potential operational risks at the Graceland Annex in the Chicago District of the Great Lakes Area.

The Graceland Annex has 65 city routes and two parcel delivery routes staffed with 79 regular carriers and 17 City Carrier Associates (CCA). We selected the Graceland Annex to review because of concerns raised by U.S. Representative Mike Quigley of Chicago, IL, related to misdelivery of mail, damaged mail, and inconsistent mail delivery. In a letter to the Postmaster General in October 2018, Congressman Quigley outlined persistent mail delivery service issues throughout his district.

The OIG obtained and analyzed operational indicators for the workload and workforce for Graceland Annex for fiscal years (FY) 2017 and 2018. The data revealed:

  • Increases in delivery points;
  • Decreases in mail volume arriving in delivery point sequence (DPS volume and Flats Sequencing System (FSS) volume);
  • An increase in mail volumes requiring manual sortation by clerks and carriers (cased volume and manual volume) by over 81 percent;
  • An increase in packages; and
  • An increase of almost 27 percent in overtime. 

Report Recommendations

# Recommendation Status Value Initial Management Response USPS Proposed Resolution OIG Response Final Resolution
1

R - 1 -- Review and assign the correct number of clerks and carriers to Graceland Annex based on the Chicago District staffing plan.

Closed $0 Agree
2

R - 2 -- Instruct the Postmaster, Chicago and Graceland Annex management, to follow city delivery standard operating procedures for reporting delayed mail.

Closed $0 Agree
3

R - 3 -- Update Mail Arrival Profile and the Integrated Operating Plan for Graceland Annex and the Chicago Processing and Distribution Center to reflect accurate mail arrival times and mail mix.

Closed $0 Agree
4

R - 4 -- Follow city delivery standard operating procedures for reporting and managing workhours.

Closed $0 Agree
5

R - 5 -- Instruct the Postmaster, Chicago and Graceland Annex management, to follow city delivery standard operating procedures for scanning mailpieces.

Closed $0 Agree