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.
The Vice President of Engineering Systems, in coordination with the Vice President of Retail and Post Office Operations, the Vice President of Technology Applications and the Executive Director of Product Solutions should program Destination Delivery Unit scanners to automatically identify mis-shipped packages dropped at the facility in error.
$0
Open
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
The Vice President of Technology Applications, in coordination with the Vice President, Chief Data and Analytics Officer, should develop a reliable software-based indicator that identifies where and when the Postal Service first took custody of a package.
$0
Open
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.
Reiterate policy requiring project managers to transfer expense purchase card supporting documents to credit card approving officials, and for credit card approving officials to maintain the supporting documents for the duration of the retention period.
$756,799
Open
Agree
2
Create a centralized, electronic repository for storing facility repair supporting documentation.
$0
Open
Agree
3
Establish guidelines and best practices to require project managers to identify and combine related service ticket requests and solicit contracts for projects that exceed expense purchase card authority threshold.
$0
Open
Disagree
4
Establish guidelines and controls to monitor the use of batch payments.
Develop and distribute nationwide policy that addresses personal belongings on the workroom floor.
$0
Open
Agree
2
develop periodic internal mail theft awareness training for all employees assigned to mail processing facilities, including new acting or permanent supervisors.
$0
Closed
Agree
3
identify all cameras not functioning and develop a plan to restore them to operational status.
$0
Open
Agree
4
develop and implement a strategic, nationwide plan that includes continuous monitoring of the operational status of cameras and diagnosing and addressing camera failures timely.
Develop an approach for including pertinent financial (i.e., costs and savings) and sustainability impact data in its Vehicle Acquisition Strategy and related contingencies.
Develop a process to monitor sorting and delivery center management's consistent use of the Mail Arrival Quality/Plant Arrival Quality system to report issues with the mail arrival profile.
$0
Closed
Agree
2
Develop a training for all sorting and delivery center supervisors specific to the network changes/impacts, including techniques to properly supervise route performance, and require all sorting and delivery center supervisors to complete.
$1,420,862
Open
Disagree
Agree
3
Clearly define the parameters for appropriate staffing levels at sorting and delivery centers to meet the Small Delivery Unit Sorter operational throughput goal.
$0
Closed
Disagree
Agree
4
Develop a plan for sorting and delivery centers to maintain the correct number of staff, aligned properly across the various processing tasks, for the Small Delivery Unit Sorter.
$0
Closed
Disagree
Agree
5
Develop an automated process within the Rural Route Evaluation Compensation System to make necessary adjustments to reduce the number of overburdened rural routes.
$0
Open
Disagree
6
Finalize the ongoing review of sorting and delivery center routes and make necessary adjustments to reduce the number of overburdened rural routes.
Communicate freight auction driver screening requirements to facility personnel and develop a process to ensure compliance.
$0
Closed
Agree
2
Communicate the security, trailer loading, and team driver requirements to facility management and suppliers, and develop a process to monitor dock personnel and freight auction drivers to verify they are following the requirements.
$0
Closed
Agree
3
Develop a plan of action and milestones for revising the trailer utilization-calculated percentages in Surface Visibility to account for stacked containers and cubic feet.
$0
Open
Agree
4
Develop a plan to detect atypical bids before award to achieve competitive rates and reduce transportation costs.
$0
Closed
Agree
5
Review prior freight auction payments made during fiscal years 2022 and 2023 to identify loads without reliable proof of delivery information and recover inaccurate payments and implement a periodic review process going forward.
$198,850,166
Closed
Agree
6
Initiate recovery of U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General-identified overpayments.
$249,169
Closed
Agree
7
Conduct a comprehensive review to identify requirements for streamlining proof of delivery validation, minimize manual payments, improve accuracy, and make system enhancements as necessary.
$0
Closed
Disagree
Agree
8
Monitor, communicate, and take necessary corrective action for suppliers with poor performance.
$0
Closed
Agree
9
Re-evaluate and adjust supplier performance requirements and enforce supplier compliance.
$0
Closed
Agree
10
Follow up with Department of Labor on the wage determination requirement and bring all active freight auction contracts into compliance with both the Service Contract Act and wage determination requirements.
Provide oversight and implement additional monitoring controls that verify Election and Political Mail policy and procedures are being followed at all facilities. controls that verify Election and Political Mail policy and procedures are being followed at all facilities.
$0
Closed
Agree
2
Update the Operational Clean Sweep Search Checklist to include the Low-Cost Reject Encoding Machine and manual operation areas.
$0
Closed
Agree
3
Work with Divisional Directors and District Managers at all the facilities to provide stand-up talks and training to all employees and maintain evidence the training was conducted as well as post the stand-up talks and relevant procedures around the workroom floor.
$0
Closed
Agree
4
Clarify the pitch-catch-clear process to include timeframes and the elections for which this process is required.
$0
Closed
Agree
5
Develop and implement a process for delivery units to segregate Election Mail identified as Postal Automated Redirection System Mail prior to sending it back to a mail processing facility.
$0
Closed
Disagree
Agree
6
Evaluate the postmarking policy and adjust as necessary to ensure that all mail-in ballots receive a postmark.
$0
Open
Disagree
Agree
7
Clearly communicate the postmarking policy to all operations.
$0
Closed
Agree
8
Develop and implement a plan to communicate Election and Political Mail processing, transportation, and delivery processes to any facilities impacted by the Local Transportation Optimization initiative, including those with mail that crosses state lines.
$0
Closed
Agree
9
Create a plan so that the Regional Processing and Distribution Centers have appropriate procedures and resources in place to prioritize election and political mail processing.
$0
Closed
Agree
10
Pause implementation of Delivering for America initiatives during September through November 8, 2024.
Establish informed baselines for future sites that align with schedule management best practices.
$0
Open
Disagree
2
Improve schedule management for charging station construction by using a project management system and related analytics to record dynamic updates, centralize information, and analyze performance to inform future construction baselines.
$0
Open
Agree
3
Evaluate whether contractual assistance is needed for its deployment effort, including aligning the Postal Service's schedule management with best practices.
Prioritize and evaluate the incentive programs identified during our audit into existing planning processes.
$8,718,000
Closed
Agree
2
Evaluate the feasibility of continuously monitoring incentive program participation at facilities with future electric vehicle and charging infrastructure deployments, to include conducting cost-benefit analysis and enlisting the possible use of contractors to support this action.
Develop a system to track carrier scanning remarks, such as "passed address" or "partially completed," identify what percent is carrier non-compliance, and take necessary action to increase carrier compliance.
$0
Closed
Agree
2
Develop a program that limits scanning devices to allow only the requested number of pieces to be scanned.
$0
Closed
Agree
3
Include performance metrics representative of the end-to-end process, which does not include same day delivery package services, when reporting service performance scores for packages.
$0
Closed
Disagree
Disagree
4
Publicize only Postal Service tracked and validated metrics.
$0
Open
Disagree
5
Evaluate the feasibility of updating the Service Performance Dashboard to report service performance scores at the 3-digit ZIP Code level.
$0
Closed
Disagree
Agree
6
Take immediate measures to remove mention of Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards compliance from prior third-party audit reports on the performance measurement system filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission.
$0
Closed
Disagree
Agree
7
Update the contract with the external auditor to require adherence to Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards.
