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 and implement a plan to hire and retain enough employees to consistently reach and maintain authorized complement at the St. Louis Processing and Distribution Center.
$0
Closed
Agree
2
Implement a plan to hold managers and supervisors accountable for addressing employees who do not follow workplace rules at the St. Louis Processing and Distribution Center.
$0
Closed
Agree
3
Analyze and realign processing operations at all four St. Louis processing facilities to improve efficiency.
$0
Closed
Agree
4
Verify mail condition issues are communicated through the Mail Arrival Quality/Plant Arrival Quality tool at the St. Louis Processing and Distribution Center.
$0
Closed
Agree
5
Develop a plan to verify employees attach accurate placards on mail transportation equipment and follow first in, first out order at the St. Louis Processing and Distribution Center.
$0
Closed
Agree
6
Develop a strategy to consistently conduct proper preventative maintenance on machines at the St. Louis Processing and Distribution Center.
$0
Closed
Agree
7
Develop a process to verify all delayed mail is reported in the Mail Condition Visualization system daily at the St. Louis Processing and Distribution Center.
$0
Closed
Agree
8
Fill Postal Service driver vacancies at the St. Louis Processing and Distribution Center.
$0
Closed
Agree
9
Develop and implement a plan to utilize dock space efficiently at the St. Louis Processing and Distribution Center.
$0
Closed
Agree
10
Develop a plan to verify supervisors are monitoring scanning to improve compliance with load and unload scan goals at the St. Louis Processing and Distribution Center.
$0
Open
Agree
11
Develop and implement a plan to verify extra trips are properly recorded in the Surface Visibility Web system at the St. Louis Processing and Distribution Center.
$0
Closed
Agree
12
Verify correct chain of custody procedures are followed for registry items at the St. Louis Processing and Distribution Center.
Direct the Atlanta Regional Processing and Distribution Center Plant Manager to develop and execute a plan to ensure the timely processing of nonmachinable packages and maintain a first in, first out processing order.
$0
Open
Disagree
Agree
2
Assess mail volume and reevaluate operations in the Atlanta region to identify opportunities for more effective use of space, efficient processing and logistics operations, and cost optimization.
$0
Open
Disagree
Agree
3
Direct the Atlanta Regional Processing and Distribution Center Plant Manager to establish a method to identify, document, and address issues daily and hold managers accountable for recurring issues.
$0
Closed
Agree
4
Direct the Atlanta Regional Processing and Distribution Center Plant Manager to manage unauthorized overtime and penalty overtime and monitor for compliance.
$8,225,268
Closed
Agree
5
Revise projected savings as staffing is balanced with additional facilities and operational needs in the region.
$0
Open
Disagree
Agree
6
Direct the Atlanta Regional Processing and Distribution Center Processing and Logistics managers to review daily scan data to identify problem areas and correct issues to achieve current scanning goals.
$0
Closed
Agree
7
Develop a plan to immediately improve performance against transportation key performance indicators at the Atlanta Regional Processing and Distribution Center.
$0
Closed
Agree
8
Ensure that transportation schedules are reviewed and adjusted to capture potential cost savings for unnecessary trips.
Update their methodology to evaluate merchant data compliance to include analyzing the volume of packages without unique data for each platform.
$0
Open
Agree
2
Reiterate existing compliance policies to supervisors to drive consistent and effective implementation by staff.
$0
Closed
Agree
3
Some or all of the recommendation is not publicly available due to concerns with information protected under the Freedom of Information Act.
$0
Open
Agree
4
Identify and address Merchant Rate Card platforms' technical compliance issues to improve rate accuracy.
$0
Open
Agree
5
Require quarterly business reviews to include data analytics to validate the platforms charge accurate postage and fees and resolve platform issues.
$0
Open
Disagree
6
Coordinate with platforms to collect previously undetected short-payments resulting from postage discrepancies identifiable based on package information transmitted to the Postal Service.
$958,697
Open
Disagree
7
Coordinate with platforms to refund previously undetected over-payments resulting from postage discrepancies identifiable based on package information transmitted to the Postal Service.
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.
