Below is a list of our open audit recommendations. When a report is issued, the Postal Service responds to each recommendation, and if there is agreement, it provides a corrective action plan with a date of planned implementation. We request written confirmation from the Postal Service when those corrective actions are completed and evaluate this information and provide concurrence when the recommendation can be closed.
If the Postal Service disagrees with a recommendation, we work towards agreement by elevating discussions between USPS and OIG management. Any recommendations that the Postal Service does not act on remain open and are reported to Congress until a resolution is achieved.
Develop an approach to estimate and track Commercial Mail Receiving Agency program-related costs.
$0
Open
Disagree
2
Develop and implement an approach to generate revenue to offset all Commercial Mail Receiving Agency-related costs.
$5,183,144
Open
Disagree
3
Update Commercial Mail Receiving Agency application, mail sample, and data quality review policies to include additional detail regarding the timing, scope, and documentation.
$0
Closed
Agree
4
Develop strategies to better communicate policies and related updates to Postal Service field staff and Commercial Mail Receiving Agencies, including those for reviewing, vetting, and documenting applications and conducting mail samples and data quality reviews.
$0
Open
Disagree
5
Develop and implement internal controls for ensuring effective local staff compliance and oversight with key program responsibilities, including reviewing, vetting, and documenting applications (using the current PS Form 1583-A version) and conducting mail samples and data quality reviews.
Review the planned savings projections for the Boise Regional Processing and Distribution Center, determine where efficiencies were not achieved, and adjust savings projections of future initiatives, as needed.
$0
Open
Agree
2
Review mail processing operations to determine the cause of decreased efficiency and make adjustments as necessary.
$0
Closed
Agree
3
Review the facility's authorized complement to determine staffing needs and adjust the complement, as needed.
Charge First-Class Mail rates for Ballot Mail because service is comparable to or exceeds First-Class Mail service.
$15,400,055
Closed
Disagree
Agree
2
Assess options to charge for the premium service provided for late arriving Political Mail or clarify policy around delivery expectations for this mail.
$0
Closed
Agree
3
Finalize electronic Election and Political Mail reporting tools, written expectations for their use, and user guides in advance of the next federal election season.
$0
Open
Agree
4
Use carrier data to prohibit managers from completing the delivery all clear certification before carriers leave and arrive back from their delivery duties.
$0
Open
Agree
5
Work with District Managers to develop a plan to identify hub and spoke locations, including Regional Transportation Optimization sites, and communicate operational expectations in advance of the extraordinary measures period.
$0
Open
Agree
6
Consider additional incentives for using serialized Intelligent Mail barcodes and service type identifiers for mail service providers that mail ballots.
$0
Closed
Agree
7
Create a method for scanning local turnaround ballots at delivery units.
$0
Open
Disagree
8
Implement specific training for Ballot Mail service providers tailored to reducing common service performance exclusions.
$0
Closed
Agree
9
Set specific exclusion thresholds for Ballot Mail.
Clarify guidance for making insourcing decisions and develop more detailed cost comparison analysis and maintain records in support of insourcing decisions.
$0
Closed
Disagree
Agree
2
Insource highway contract routes when economically advantageous to the Postal Service and implement a waiver process when cost is not a main factor to insource.
$0
Open
Disagree
3
Develop a process to monitor and evaluate the operational efficiencies received from insourcing highway contract route contracts to determine if the expected benefits are being realized.
$3,226,098
Closed
Disagree
Agree
4
Require employees to complete the Postal Service Supervisor Program within one year of their initial appointment to a supervisory position, and refresher training at least every three years, and maintain appropriate records of completion.
$0
Closed
Agree
5
Develop and share documentation to communicate lessons learned from the challenges faced during the Postal Vehicle Operator Pilot Program to site management at future pilot sites.
$0
Closed
Disagree
Agree
6
Include specific requirements in the job announcements for Postal Vehicle Service operator positions (i.e. starting as part-time flexible or working outside of normal business hours).
$65,328,390
Open
Disagree
7
Develop and make available the training to obtain a commercial driver's license to interested postal vehicle operators.
$0
Open
Disagree
8
Determine complement and work toward hiring the number of schedule examiners vehicle runs and dispatch coordinators needed at nationwide Postal Vehicle Service sites.
$10,936,174
Open
Disagree
9
Develop a process to ensure site management monitors the accuracy of drivers' license expirations and Department of Transportation physical due dates in the Vehicle Information Transportation Analysis and Logistics system.
$0
Closed
Disagree
Agree
10
Develop controls that prohibit users from entering invalid dates into the Vehicle Information Transportation Analysis and Logistics system.
$0
Open
Disagree
Agree
11
Verify drivers received required safe driver training; and enforce policies that require managers and supervisors to maintain training records in the Learning Management System.
Develop a verification process to ensure all electronic arrow lock and high security collection box shipments, deliveries, and installations are accurately recorded.
$0
Open
Agree
2
Develop a standard operating procedure outlining steps for station management on how to generate maintenance requests for electronic arrow lock and high security collection box installations.
$0
Closed
Disagree
Agree
3
Confirm all arrow keys are accurately recorded in the Retail and Delivery Analytics and Reports system and, when necessary, returned to the National Materials Customer Service, and/or reported to the Postal Inspection Service for the Beechnut, Debora Sue Schatz, and T W House Stations.
$0
Closed
Agree
4
Establish internal controls to verify facilities are following the 24-hour arrow key accountability process, including the establishment of barcodes for every key assigned to city routes at Tier 1 facilities, or using the PS Form 1106, as required.
$0
Closed
Agree
5
Provide regularly recurring training on arrow key accountability processes, security policies, and responsibilities to managers and supervisors in the Houston, TX, area, and track training compliance.
$0
Closed
Agree
6
Provide training on registry cage security policies and responsibilities to managers and supervisors in the Houston, TX, area, and track training compliance.
$0
Closed
Agree
7
Establish internal controls to validate that facilities are remediating arrow key deficiencies identified by the Postal Inspection Service.
$0
Closed
Agree
8
Revise Postal Operation-631 Growth and Delivery Point Management Program policy to update current roles and responsibilities.
$0
Open
Agree
9
Some or all of the recommendation is not publicly available due to concerns with information protected under the Freedom of Information Act.
$0
Closed
Agree
10
Address the box deficiencies identified at the Beechnut, Debora Sue Schatz, and T W House Stations.
$0
Closed
Agree
11
Require the Texas 2 District Manager to establish and provide regularly recurring training to station management on the requirement to complete annual safety inspections, remediate deficiencies, and document the results for the blue collection boxes and cluster box units, and track training compliance.
Execute the plan to permanently staff senior leadership positions.
$0
Closed
Agree
2
Develop and execute a comprehensive plan to improve the transportation performance at the Richmond Regional Processing and Distribution Center and monitor progress.
$2,358,151
Open
Disagree
3
Work directly with Richmond Regional Processing and Distribution Center processing and logistics managers to develop and execute a plan to improve scanning compliance and monitor progress.
$0
Closed
Agree
4
Improve communication of integrated operating plan deficiencies in the Richmond region to the frontline supervisors responsible for ensuring compliance.
$0
Closed
Agree
5
Direct the Virginia District Integrated Operation Plan Coordinator to monitor and act on issues not addressed in the Mail Arrival Quality/Plant Arrival Quality application.
$0
Closed
Agree
6
Direct the Richmond Regional Processing and Distribution Center plant manager to enforce Postal Service attendance policy. In addition, monitor the progress and actions taken to address attendance.
Should program Destination Delivery Unit scanners to automatically identify mis-shipped packages dropped at the facility in error.
$0
Closed
Agree
2
Should program the package tracking software to automatically apply mis-shipped scans to packages dropshipped at plants but manifested at a rate associated with a different type of facility.
$0
Open
Disagree
Agree
3
The Vice President of Processing Operations should communicate procedures to identify containers of mis-shipped packages at plants until equipment or systems can identify these packages.
$0
Closed
Agree
4
Should develop a reliable software-based indicator that identifies where and when the Postal Service first took custody of a package.
$0
Closed
Agree
5
The Vice President of Technology Applications should design and implement the USPS SHIP system to analyze package data that identifies Parcel Select packages dropped at the wrong location and flags them for additional postage due.
$ -
Open
Agree
6
The Vice President of Delivery Operations, in coordination with the Vice President of Retail and Post Office Operations, the Vice President of Engineering Systems, the Vice President of Technology Applications, and the Executive Director of Product Solutions should enforce the nonmailable package fee collection policy by implementing an automated fee collection system for nonmailable packages dropped at Destination Delivery Units, or implementing an alternative solution.
$9,523,371
Open
Agree
7
The Vice President of Delivery Operations, in coordination with the Vice President of Retail and Post Office Operations, should issue clear instructions to delivery units regarding how to identify and handle packages over mailable limits.
$0
Closed
Agree
8
The Vice President of Pricing and Costing in coordination with the Executive Director of Product Solutions should evaluate whether the $100 overweight/oversized fee policy is sufficient to deter shippers from dropping nonmailable packages.
