Federal Reports

We have all read the negative headlines of U.S. Postal Service’s looming financial demise. However, in its new paper, U.S. Postal Service Revenue: Is the Glass Half Empty or Half Full?, the OIG finds that the Postal Service may be turning a corner. An increase in parcel volume, significant cost reductions, and the exigent price increase are collectively driving an improvement in the Postal Service’s financial health. Nevertheless, the Postal Service still faces numerous challenges, including the continued and persistent decline in First-Class Mail volume, an ever-increasing number of delivery points, and an increased need to make investments for its future. While significant, these challenges are not insurmountable. In order to further improve its financial position, the Postal Service will need to focus on increasing the revenue yield of its traditional products wherever market forces and conditions allow, including taking advantage of the growing parcel market.

At the request of Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) management, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) audited the TVA project to implement ComTrac for use in managing TVA's coal supply fuel chain. Our objectives were to evaluate whether (1) federal and TVA systems development processes were being followed and (2) server and application controls were considered during implementation of the project. In summary, we determined the TVA project team followed TVA systems development processes and included consideration of business processes during implementation. During the audit, items of potential risk and concern identified by the OIG were communicated to the project management team, project sponsors, and/or Executive Steering Committee. The project team addressed all of our findings by either implementing our recommendations or accepting the risk to the project prior to the time ComTrac went live. Summary Only