Federal Reports

Established in February 1989, the Peace Corps Office of Inspector General (OIG) receives
its legal authority from the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended (IG Act). The IG Act
establishes OIG as an independent entity within the Peace Corps. The law requires that the 
Inspector General keep the Peace Corps Director and the Congress fully and currently 
informed about problems and deficiencies relating to the administration of agency programs
and operations. OIG is authorized by law to review all Peace Corps programs and
operations.
OIG’s role is to:
           • Promote integrity, efficiency, effectiveness, and economy.
           • Prevent and detect waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement; and
           • Identify risk and vulnerabilities and offer expert assistance to improve the Peace
Corps’ programs and operations.

OIG accomplishes its mission through audits, evaluations, investigations, and other reviews. 
OIG’s work typically examines the agency’s financial stewardship, and compliance with 
Federal law, regulations, and agency policy.

Background

The U.S. Postal Service manages over 31,000 facilities nationwide, both owned and leased. Regular maintenance is critical to keeping these spaces safe and operations efficient. The Postal Service spent about $5.5 billion on facility repairs between 2014 and 2024. However, in 2024, it reported a growing backlog of maintenance issues totaling approximately $20 billion.

What We Did

Our objective was to assess the effectiveness of the Postal Service’s process to identify, manage, and address its deferred maintenance. We analyzed maintenance calls and repair data and conducted site visits.

What We Found

The Postal Service did not consistently define and manage deferred maintenance and lacked accurate cost estimates to effectively prioritize resources. This occurred because it did not establish a common framework to track all deferred maintenance or ensure data integrity. As a result, the Postal Service projected $20 billion in deferred maintenance using limited definitions and data. Conversely, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (OIG) created a more granular estimate of $13 billion using available data consisting of reported issues and current cost approximations — a baseline example for the Postal Service as it improves its data. We also identified $1.1 million in paid invoices where work was not completed. 

We additionally identified unreported maintenance issues during site visits and from required assessments. This occurred because staff did not understand the importance of their role in reporting facility issues, and the Postal Service did not sufficiently oversee its assessment program. As a result, maintenance issues went undetected, limiting visibility into facility conditions. Without a comprehensive understanding of the total scope of deferred maintenance, the Postal Service cannot accurately estimate future maintenance funding needs. Promoting a culture of timely reporting and resolution of maintenance needs can help prevent minor problems from escalating.

This report details the Office of Inspector General's Fall 2025 - Semiannual Report to Congress. The following topics are included:

• Overview of the SBA and the OIG
• Summary of OIG Oversight Work
• Small Business Access to Capital
• Disaster Assistance Program
• Contracting and Counseling Programs
• Agency Management
• Other Significant OIG Activities
• OIG Hotline
• Organizational Overview
• Appendices

The U.S. Postal Service operates over 34,000 properties across the United States and its territories, ranging in size and functionality. Sometimes these properties experience operational changes or shifts in mail volume that may result in excess or underutilized space. Effectively managing these spaces could lead to more productive and cost-effective facility usage and operations.