Management Advisory Report - Solution for Enterprise Asset Management System – Vehicle Maintenance Facility Data
Background
The U.S. Postal Service operates one of the world’s largest transport and delivery fleets, which includes over 211,000 delivery, transport, and administrative vehicles. The Postal Service maintains the fleet using the Vehicle Maintenance Program at 316 Postal Service vehicle maintenance facilities and commercial garages throughout the country. Its Solution for Enterprise Asset Management (SEAM) system is a web-based application designed to improve fleet inventory tracking and visibility and standardize asset tracking and maintenance repair functions.
This management advisory discusses errors noted in vehicle maintenance data during an earlier audit of vehicle maintenance facility efficiency nationwide. Our objective was to assess the accuracy and timeliness of selected vehicle maintenance facility operational data in SEAM.
What the OIG Found
We found inaccurate and untimely vehicle maintenance data in SEAM from fiscal year (FY) 2012 through Quarter I, FY 2015. Specifically, our analysis showed work orders had inaccurate repair times and costs and incorrectly remained open in a “complete status” in SEAM. Work orders are changed to a “complete status” when all parts and labor have been entered into the database and the work order is ready for management’s review. Our analysis also showed that 325,520 work orders had been completed and were awaiting review, indicating that management did not perform a timely review of the work orders. Our analysis also showed that work orders were awaiting review for an average of 145 days. There is no established time for management to perform their review.
These conditions occurred because staff and management were unable to correct errors in the system on commercial work orders, there was inadequate management oversight and training for staff, and there were limited edit checks and exception reports for “complete status” work orders in the system. VMF personnel are now able to correct commercial work orders as necessary; therefore, we are not making recommendations on this issue.
Maintenance records and Business Intelligence reports showing maintenance costs and delinquent scheduled maintenance were not always accurate, resulting in data reliability errors totaling over $292 million. We also verified that incorrect dollar amounts were not paid in SEAM; however, the incorrect data remained in the Business Intelligence reports.
Without accurate and timely data, management has limited assurance that maintenance and cost data is sufficient and reliable for making operational decisions.
What the OIG Recommended
We recommended management update SEAM to generate exception reports to help monitor the accuracy and timely closure of work orders in “complete status.” We also recommended management provide SEAM training for vehicle maintenance staff and improve vehicle maintenance facility repair operations and policies to ensure work orders are reviewed and closed timely.