Postal Service:
Automation Is Taking Longer and Producing Less Than Expected
GGD-95-89BR: Published: Feb 22, 1995. Publicly Released: Feb 22, 1995.
Additional Materials:
- Full Report:
Contact:
GAO reviewed the status of the U.S. Postal Service's (USPS) mail automation efforts, focusing on USPS use of optical scanning technology to: (1) barcode all letter mail; (2) sort mail to individual addresses; and (3) adjust work methods to reduce the postal workforce.
GAO found that: (1) USPS faces difficult and maybe insurmountable obstacles to successfully completing its automation program by its 1998 target date; (2) USPS problems are compounded by opposition to the expanded zip code and the decentralization of the automation program; (3) barcoding and automatic sorting of letter mail to individual addresses is more difficult than expected and is behind schedule; (4) the shortfall in barcoding is due to optical scanners' difficulty in reading nonstandard envelopes and addresses and the delayed deployment of remote barcoding; (5) current postal incentives favor presorting of mail by mailers, which defeats delivery point sequencing because presorted mail must be merged before delivery; (6) most mailers have no incentive to use barcodes, since they are ineligible for barcode discounts or face cumbersome preparation requirements; (7) because of USPS failure to meet the barcoding target date and to include multiple occupant buildings in delivery point sequencing, carriers have not been able to reduce their in-office hours and adjust their delivery routes; (8) automation savings are small and difficult to achieve; (9) USPS has not reduced its workforce as expected and career employment is increasing rather than decreasing; and (10) more business mail is being diverted to electronic delivery methods, which will likely diminish the benefits of automation.
Mar 2, 2021
High-Risk Series:
Dedicated Leadership Needed to Address Limited Progress in Most High-Risk AreasGAO-21-119SP: Published: Mar 2, 2021. Publicly Released: Mar 2, 2021.-
High-Risk Series:
Dedicated Leadership Needed to Address Limited Progress in Most High-Risk AreasGAO-21-383T: Published: Mar 2, 2021. Publicly Released: Mar 2, 2021. -
High-Risk Series:
Dedicated Leadership Needed to Address Limited Progress in Most High-Risk AreasGAO-21-384T: Published: Mar 2, 2021. Publicly Released: Mar 2, 2021.
Feb 3, 2021
-
Fixed-Price-Incentive Contracts:
DOD Has Increased Their Use but Should Assess Contributions to OutcomesGAO-21-181: Published: Feb 3, 2021. Publicly Released: Feb 3, 2021.
Jan 29, 2021
-
Federal Real Property:
Additional Documentation of Decision Making Could Improve Transparency of New Disposal ProcessGAO-21-233: Published: Jan 29, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 29, 2021.
Jan 19, 2021
-
Federal Rulemaking:
Selected EPA and HHS Regulatory Analyses Met Several Best Practices, but CMS Should Take Steps to Strengthen Its AnalysesGAO-21-151: Published: Dec 17, 2020. Publicly Released: Jan 19, 2021.
Jan 13, 2021
-
Department of Energy Contracting:
Improvements Needed to Ensure DOE Assesses Its Full Range of Contracting Fraud RisksGAO-21-44: Published: Jan 13, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 13, 2021.
Dec 16, 2020
-
Data Governance:
Agencies Made Progress in Establishing Governance, but Need to Address Key MilestonesGAO-21-152: Published: Dec 16, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 16, 2020.
Dec 9, 2020
-
2020 Census:
The Bureau Concluded Field Work but Uncertainty about Data Quality, Accuracy, and Protection RemainsGAO-21-206R: Published: Dec 9, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 9, 2020.
Dec 3, 2020
-
2020 Census:
Census Bureau Needs to Assess Data Quality Concerns Stemming from Recent Design ChangesGAO-21-142: Published: Dec 3, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 3, 2020.
Looking for more? Browse all our products here
Explore our Key Issues on Government Operations
- 2020 Census - High Risk Issue
- Cybersecurity Challenges Facing the Nation – High Risk Issue
- Department of Energy's Contract Management for the National Nuclear Security Administration and Office of Environmental Management - High Risk Issue
- DHS Management - High Risk Issue
- Disaster Assistance
- DOD Weapon Systems Acquisition - High Risk Issue
- Elections and Campaign Finance
- Federal Data Transparency
- Federal Financial Accountability
- Federal Grants to State and Local Governments
- Federal Real Property - High Risk Issue
- Federal Rulemaking
- Federal Telework
- Federal Training Investments and Assessments
- Improper Payments
- Improving Government Services to Taxpayers
- Intelligence Community Management
- Leading Practices in Collaboration Across Governments, Nonprofits, and the Private Sector
- Leading Practices in Human Capital Management
- Leading Practices in Managing for Results in Government
- NASA Acquisitions - High Risk Issue
- Open Innovation
- Spectrum Management
- Strategic Management of Human Capital - High Risk Issue
- Tax Expenditures
- U.S. Arctic Interests
- Using Data and Evidence to Improve Federal Programs
- U.S. Postal Service's Financial Viability - High Risk Issue
- VA and DOD Health Care Management
- VA and DOD Patient Care
Explore our other Key Issues here
