Upcoming Audit Work

The U.S. Postal Service delivers over 110 billion mail pieces each year, and these mailings should include Postal Service authorized stamps (or other postage) to verify payment. However, counterfeit stamps—enabled by advanced printing technologies and proliferating online marketplaces—pose a growing threat to Postal Service revenues, operations, and customers. The Postal Service and U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) engage in prevention, education, and enforcement efforts to mitigate this growing threat, and they reported seizing counterfeit stamps worth $16 million in fiscal year 2025. This audit will evaluate the Postal Service and USPIS’s efforts to address counterfeit stamps. 

The mission of the Postal Service is to provide the nation with trusted, safe, and secure communications and mail services. Recently, news media have often reported concerns about mail theft. Congress has focused on mail theft during congressional hearings and as a result, sent inquiries to the OIG. In a previous OIG report, U.S. Postal Service’s Response to Mail Theft, dated September 28, 2023, we identified several mail theft concerns including management not having actionable milestones, lack of arrow key accountability, and challenges with employee staffing and postal inspector mail theft training. Our objective is to follow up on U.S. Postal Service and Postal Inspection Service’s response to mail theft, and the scope of our audit will be from October 2023 through September 2025.

Postal Service management established new relief supervisor positions in customer service, mail processing, maintenance, and logistics in June 2023. The intent of these newly created positions was to provide coverage for regular supervisors during their leave and scheduled days off and to reduce the Postal Service’s reliance on acting supervisors (commonly referred to as 204Bs). Relief supervisors have the same supervisory responsibilities and pay scale as regular supervisors. Our objective is to evaluate the establishment of the relief supervisor position and its impact on the workforce.

The mission of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is to support and protect the U.S. Postal Service and its employees, infrastructure, and customers. To help accomplish this mission, the Postal Inspection Service conducts risk assessments to ensure security controls are upheld and in place at postal facilities. 
Our objective is to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the Postal Service and Inspection Service's oversight of the Vulnerability Risk Assessment Tool process and resolution of identified deficiencies.

Contract Delivery Services (CDS) are a contractual agreement between the Postal Service and an individual or company for the delivery and collection of mail to and from homes and businesses. CDS offers a cost-effective way for the Postal Service to extend its reach while maintaining control over business expenses. In many cases, CDS routes provide an efficient method for delivering mail to communities, especially in rural or underserved areas.

Our audit will evaluate the management, efficiency and safety of CDS operations. Specifically, we will evaluate supplier costs, vehicle requirements, driver safety, and security measures for CDS routes.