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.
Evaluate efficiency at the 10 facilities to identify inefficiencies in the mail flow (e.g., facility layout/location, space constraints, customer and service impacts, and equipment relocation costs) and, based on the results, consider properly aligning the impacted facilities to efficiently meet the challenges they face based on changes in market demand.
$82,429,376
Open
Agree
2
Develop and implement an action plan, with milestones and measurable goals, to address all safety and health issues identified during our audit of the 10 facilities.
$0
Closed
Agree
3
In accordance with policies and procedures, remove excess mail transport equipment from the 10 facilities.
$0
Closed
Agree
4
Continue to evaluate and implement management staffing and retention strategies and reduce the percentage of acting supervisors/managers at the 10 facilities.
$0
Closed
Agree
5
Create a formalized program to track and provide standardized training for any employee at the 10 facilities who assumes a role as an acting manager or supervisor and consider implementing the program nationwide.
$0
Closed
Agree
6
Ensure that all non-career employees receive orientation training at the 10 facilities and explore ways to standardize on-the-job training nationwide to reduce the learning gap that may impact employee training, skills, and knowledge.
$0
Closed
Agree
7
Reinforce procedures to verify that required training for newly promoted supervisors and managers at the 10 facilities is completed in the period required to gain the needed knowledge, skills, and abilities to optimally perform their role; and consider implementing the procedures nationwide.
$0
Closed
Agree
8
Evaluate all employee exit/stay survey responses quarterly and communicate the results directly with management at the 10 facilities to ensure transparency and accountability and consider implementing the evaluations and communications of employee surveys nationwide.
$0
Closed
Agree
9
Provide refresher training to employees and supervisors at the 10 facilities on proper procedures for preparing, feeding, jogging, and culling mail prior to processing mail to prevent or reduce machine jams.
$0
Closed
Agree
10
Issue supplemental guidance on management oversight to remind supervisors to check mail inventories and daily projections to ensure each machine is adequately staffed.
Reiterate the requirement for contracting officers to ensure that suppliers obtain approval prior to substituting key personnel.
$12,291,114
Closed
Agree
2
Update Supplying Principles & Practices to require contracting officers to identify key personnel by name and labor category and document qualification approval in the contract file at contract award and when issuing modifications of key personnel substitutions.
Identify, monitor, and follow up with Postal Service facilities and mailers that are not following the established requirements for proper handling, use, and return of excess of Mail Transport Equipment to the Mail Transport Equipment Service Centers.
$12,487,996
Closed
Agree
2
Provide refresher training related to Mail Transport Equipment return handling procedures and misuse to employees at non-compliant Postal Service facilities and mailers.
$0
Closed
Agree
3
Monitor the weekly inventory reporting to ensure Postal Service facilities and large mailers are compliant with the Mail Transport Equipment reporting requirements.
$199,063,148
Closed
Agree
4
Establish a threshold for those local mailers subject to inventory reporting and finalize and implement requirements to account for Mail Transport Equipment inventory.
$0
Closed
Agree
5
Update Handbook PO-502, Mail Transport Equipment, to establish a comprehensive audit policy addressing the audit frequency and threshold for Postal Service facilities and mailers subject to audits and documenting audit results.
$0
Open
Agree
6
Coordinate with the Vice President, Logistics, to review, monitor, validate, and update information in the Facility Database, Mail Transport Equipment Ordering System, and Mail Transport Equipment Support System to ensure mailer information is accurate and current.
$0
Closed
Agree
7
Correct security, and access control deficiencies at the 10 Postal Service facilities and two Mail Transport Equipment Service Centers.
Implement a plan to train employees and enforce truck load scan compliance at the Margaret L. Sellers, San Diego, CA
Processing and Distribution Center to meet or surpass the scanning goal.
$0
Closed
Agree
2
Implement a plan to process the First-Class Small Parcels and Rolls to meet clearance times and eliminate delayed mail at the Margaret L. Sellers, San Diego, CA Processing and Distribution Center.
Properly address all remaining security deficiencies identified by the Postal Inspection Service within 30 working days of identification, as required by Postal Service policy.
$0
Open
Agree
2
Some or all of the recommendation is not publicly available due to concerns with information protected under the Freedom of Information Act.
Include self-reporting of fraud protection in the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle contract through a mutual agreement contract modification.
$0
Closed
Agree
2
Provide and validate that posters advertising the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General Hotline are displayed at the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle supplier facilities through a mutual agreement contract modification.
$0
Closed
Agree
3
Develop a contract clause to include in applicable future contracts that requires suppliers self-reporting of fraud and advertising of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General Hotline on suppliers premises.
R1 – Enhance current Interactive Voice Response system performance metrics by including metrics for the rate of complete, contained calls and the rate of incomplete, abandoned calls.
R1 - Develop a formal avenue to periodically solicit feedback from Informed Visibility users to ascertain system functionality and gauge opportunities for enhancements.
Reiterate to managers and supervisors at all levels, the importance of policy requirements to manage and document leave, including pandemic-related leave.
$12,381,178
Closed
Agree
2
Modify the system to allow for all employees to digitally complete Postal Service Form 3971, Request for Notification of Absence.
$0
Open
Agree
3
Modify the payroll systems or develop another methodology for accurate recording of administrative leave for rural carriers.
$0
Open
Agree
4
Reiterate Postal Service policy to all employees for consistent, nationwide
application for monitoring leave to not exceed allowable leave limits.
Reiterate to field supervisors the requirement to input continuation of pay hours into the Employee Resource Management System.
$0
Closed
Agree
2
Enhance the Enterprise Management Resource System and the Time and Attendance Collection System, respectively, to automatically calculate days of continuation of pay per employee and limit supervisor's ability to enter continuation of pay hours when the 45-day limit is reached.
$37,213
Open
Agree
3
Reiterate to supervisors the requirement to timely communicate to Injury Compensation Specialists when injured employees return to work or experience a change in Loss Wage Earning Capacity status; and record workers' compensation leave without pay hours.
$15,696,140
Closed
Agree
4
Enhance relevant systems to provide automated tools and edit checks to reduce reliance on manual procedures during the payroll and claims approval process.