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.
Charge First-Class Mail rates for Ballot Mail because service is comparable to or exceeds First-Class Mail service.
$15,400,055
Open
Disagree
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
Open
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
Open
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
Open
Agree
9
Set specific exclusion thresholds for Ballot Mail.
Repair the improperly sealed drill holes and missing weather stripping and coordinate with the contractor to validate the National Electrical Manufacturer Association 3R rating is not compromised at the Terre Haute Sorting and Delivery Center.
$0
Closed
Disagree
2
Develop data-driven mechanisms, such as tripwires, to help notify management of charger performance issues in a more automated, timely, and consistent manner.
$0
Open
Agree
3
Reiterate policy to ensure local management adheres to security protocols for asset protection, including locking the delivery gates nightly and the electrical panels.
$0
Closed
Agree
4
Require local management to replace missing exterior signage throughout the facility.
Assess the practicality and value of establishing service standards for Postal Automated Redirection System forwarded intercept mail under Service Performance Measurement.
$0
Closed
Agree
2
Based on the results of the assessment completed in recommendation 1, if appropriate, establish service standards for Postal Automated Redirection System forwarded intercept mail.
$0
Closed
Disagree
3
Identify, address, and monitor delivery unit supervisors and carriers not following Undeliverable Marketing Mail policy.
$34,151,536
Open
Agree
4
Determine the frequency in which supervisors perform and document reviews of carrier handling and disposal of Undeliverable Marketing Mail, and implement accordingly.
$0
Open
Agree
5
Require all new carriers to receive formal training on the proper identification and disposal of Undeliverable Marketing Mail, and track compliance.
$0
Closed
Agree
6
Identify, address, and monitor delivery units with elevated rates of No Record Mail to achieve the nationwide target.
$203,003,554
Open
Agree
7
Determine the frequency in which supervisors perform and document reviews on proper handling of Carrier Identified Forward mail and verification of Change of Address forms, and implement accordingly.
$0
Open
Agree
8
Perform a root cause analysis on the inaccuracy of the PostalPro Undeliverable-as-Addressed data.
$0
Open
Agree
9
Revise Undeliverable-as-Addressed data shared to PostalPro in fiscal years 2023 and 2024 to ensure it is accurate and reliable.
$0
Open
Agree
10
At a minimum, conduct annual reviews of cost and volume inputs for the PostalPro Undeliverable-as-Addressed data model to verify they are accurate and up-to-date.
$0
Open
Agree
11
Collaborate with the National Customer Support Center to identify primary customers of PostalPro Undeliverable-as-Addressed data, evaluate the impact of inaccuracies on customers, and make necessary corrections.
Update the Highway Contract Route statement of work to include provisions for partial compensation to suppliers for trips canceled with at least four hours' notice.
$3,157,410
Open
Disagree
Agree
2
Implement controls to ensure payments are not made to suppliers with terminated contracts.
$603,308
Open
Agree
3
Recover inaccurate payments made to suppliers with terminated contracts.
$0
Open
Agree
4
Implement system enhancements to ensure proof of delivery for trips are reliable.
Update post office signage at all Wisconsin region optimized offices to reflect changes and impacts based on local transportation optimization.
$0
Closed
Agree
2
Develop a process to monitor the accuracy of depart post office scans within the Wisconsin region, and take action as needed.
$0
Open
Agree
3
Require annual transportation optimization training for all Wisconsin region supervisors at optimized offices and track and monitor compliance.
$0
Open
Disagree
4
Review and update transportation contracts within the Wisconsin region to remove unnecessary collection box pickup for Highway Contract Routes.
$0
Open
Agree
5
Review the need for Highway Contract Route drivers within the Wisconsin region to possess arrow keys, and obtain possession of keys no longer needed.
$0
Open
Disagree
6
Adjust or reinforce scheduled collection box times within the Wisconsin region, to allow for collection boxes to be accessed timely and communicate any schedule adjustments to the customers.
Clarify guidance for making insourcing decisions and develop more detailed cost comparison analysis and maintain records in support of insourcing decisions.
$0
Open
Disagree
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
Open
Disagree
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
Open
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
Open
Disagree
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
Open
Disagree
10
Develop controls that prohibit users from entering invalid dates into the Vehicle Information Transportation Analysis and Logistics system.
$0
Open
Disagree
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
Open
Disagree
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
Open
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
Open
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
Open
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
Open
Agree
7
Establish internal controls to validate that facilities are remediating arrow key deficiencies identified by the Postal Inspection Service.
$0
Open
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
Open
Agree
10
Address the box deficiencies identified at the Beechnut, Debora Sue Schatz, and T W House Stations.
$0
Open
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
Open
Agree
4
Improve communication of integrated operating plan deficiencies in the Richmond region to the frontline supervisors responsible for ensuring compliance.
$0
Open
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.
Reiterate policy to ensure local management adheres to security protocols for asset protection and lock the delivery gates nightly.
$0
Closed
Agree
2
Require local management to replace deteriorated exterior signage throughout the facility.
$0
Closed
Agree
3
Require the contractor to validate the National Electrical Manufacturer Association 3R rating is not compromised.
$0
Closed
Agree
4
Require the contractor to either stripe the space near the electrical panel or add an additional bollard to protect the panel from potentially being damaged.
$0
Open
Agree
5
Communicate to locations with electric vehicle infrastructure that policy regarding reporting safety hazards also includes electric vehicle infrastructure.
$0
Open
Disagree
6
Disseminate communication regarding the updated Next Generation Delivery Vehicles program website"which contains Electric Vehicle policies, procedures, and how-to videos, including parking instructions"to local management at the Topeka Sorting and Delivery Center and future facilities.
$0
Closed
Agree
7
Verify the contact labels are installed at the Topeka Sorting and Delivery Center and establish a plan to verify their installation at future facilities.
