Federal Reports

We found that since 2016 the company has made targeted improvements to the processes and data it uses to manage its state-of-good-repair (SOGR) work, and other improvement initiatives are underway. Despite these efforts, the company’s infrastructure asset management capabilities have not advanced significantly because it has not yet taken some foundational steps, including fully establishing a governance framework and strengthening its SOGR infrastructure asset data. Until it addresses these issues, it cannot reasonably demonstrate how the federal funds it receives will reduce its SOGR backlog or the timeline to eliminate it.

We recommended that the company fully establish a governance framework for infrastructure asset management that includes specific objectives and performance metrics, as well as defined activities and resources needed to achieve a state of good repair. Further, we recommended that the company better communicate roles and responsibilities of staff and departments involved in SOGR work. We also recommended advancing ongoing data improvement efforts and developing additional controls to help maintain a complete, accurate inventory.

We found that UCRC misclassified its agreements and did not verify whether subcontractors were on an exclusions list prior to awarding funds. 

We found that BOR complied with required laws and regulations when awarding drought mitigation funds but there are opportunities for improvement. 

Background

The U.S. Postal Service needs effective and productive operations to fulfill its mission of providing prompt, reliable, and affordable mail service to the American public. It has a vast transportation network that moves mail and equipment among approximately 308 processing facilities and 31,100 post offices, stations, and branches. The Postal Service is transforming its processing and logistics networks to become more scalable, reliable, visible, efficient, automated, and digitally integrated. This includes modernizing operating plans and aligning the workforce to meet marketplace needs; leveraging emerging technologies to provide world-class visibility and tracking of mail and packages in near real time; and optimizing the surface and air transportation network. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (OIG) reviews the efficiency of mail processing operations at facilities across the country and provides management with timely feedback to further the Postal Service’s mission.

Background 

The U.S. Postal Service’s mission is to provide timely, reliable, secure, and affordable mail and package delivery to more than 160 million residential and business addresses across the country. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (OIG) reviews delivery operations at facilities across the country and provides management with timely feedback in furtherance of this mission. 

This interim report presents the results of our self-initiated audit of delivery operations and property conditions at the Lynchburg Main Post Office (MPO) in Lynchburg, VA. The Lynchburg MPO is in the Virginia District of the Atlantic Area and serves about 104,574 people in ZIP Codes 24501, 24502, 24503, and 24504, which are considered a predominantly urban area. Specifically, 95,077 (91 percent) live in urban communities and 9,497 (9 percent) live in rural communities.1 The unit also services ZIP Codes 24506, 24513, 24514, and 24515 for PO Box routes and business customers.

Background

The U.S. Postal Service’s mission is to provide timely, reliable, secure, and affordable mail and package delivery to more than 160 million residential and business addresses across the country. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (OIG) reviews delivery operations at facilities across the country and provides management with timely feedback in furtherance of this mission.

This interim report presents the results of our self-initiated audit of delivery operations and property conditions at the Virginia Beach Main Post Office (MPO) in Virginia Beach, VA (Project Number 26-044-4). The Virginia Beach MPO is in the Virginia District of the Atlantic Area and serves about 58,954 people in ZIP Code 23452, which is considered an urban community. The unit also services ZIP Code 23450 for PO Boxes.

Background

The U.S. Postal Service’s mission is to provide timely, reliable, secure, and affordable mail and package delivery to more than 160 million residential and business addresses across the country. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (OIG) reviews delivery operations at facilities across the country and provides management with timely feedback in furtherance of this mission. 

This interim report presents the results of our self-initiated audit of delivery operations and property conditions at the Norfolk Sorting and Delivery Center (S&DC) in Norfolk, VA. The Norfolk S&DC is in the Virginia District of the Atlantic Area and serves about 170,203 people in ZIP Codes 23523, 23324, 23325, 23504, 23507, 23508, 23509, 23510, 23517, 23323 and 23551, which are considered a predominantly urban area. Specifically, 166,886 (98 percent) live in urban communities and 3,317 (2 percent) live in rural communities.

Background

The U.S. Postal Service’s mission is to provide timely, reliable, secure, and affordable mail and package delivery to more than 160 million residential and business addresses across the country. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (OIG) reviews delivery operations at facilities across the country and provides management with timely feedback in furtherance of this mission. This interim report presents the results of our self-initiated audit of delivery operations and property conditions at the Virginia Beach Main Post Office (MPO) in Virginia Beach, VA (Project Number 26-044-4). The Virginia Beach MPO is in the Virginia District of the Atlantic Area and serves about 58,954 people in ZIP Code 23452, which is considered an urban community. The unit also services ZIP Code 23450 for PO Boxes.

This delivery unit has 44 city routes. From December 13, 2025, through January 9, 2026, the delivery unit had 13 supervisors assigned. During our site visit, the management team working at the Virginia Beach MPO consisted of a postmaster, a station manager, two AM supervisors, a PM supervisor, and a customer service support supervisor. Another supervisor was detailed to a different unit, and one employee was acting in a higher-level supervisor detail at this unit. As of January 9, 2026, the year-to-date employee availability rate for the Virginia Beach MPO was 93.0 percent, which is less than the Postal Service’s retail and delivery operations employee availability goal of 93.95 percent for fiscal year 2026. The Virginia Beach MPO is one of three delivery units the OIG reviewed during the week of February 9, 2026, that are serviced by the Norfolk Local Processing Center (LPC). During the same week, the OIG also reviewed a fourth delivery unit within the Virginia District that is serviced by the Roanoke Processing and Distribution Center.

On July 4, 2025, flash flooding occurred in Kerr County in central Texas when water levels along the Guadalupe River rose rapidly, causing widespread and severe property damage, injury, and loss of life. Given the catastrophic nature of the flash flood event, plus ongoing concerns about staffing levels at the National Weather Service (NWS), members of Congress asked OIG to examine NWS’s response and resources.

We reviewed the actions taken by NWS prior to and during the catastrophic flash flood. Throughout the event, NWS was responsible for coordinating with its core partners and issuing timely weather and emergency alerts. The Austin/San Antonio Weather Forecast Office (WFO) coordinated and communicated with core partners and issued multiple flood alerts on July 3 and 4. Although staffing vacancies existed at the WFO, staff asserted that the vacancies did not affect their ability to forecast, issue flood alerts, and provide support to Kerr County officials and other core partners.

This review provides a snapshot of key NWS actions and responses prior to and during the flood. It focuses on NWS staffing, coordination, forecasting, and issuance of flood alerts, with an emphasis on NWS support provided to Kerr County, Texas.