(d)(1) Postal Regions are composed of districts headed by District Managers whose organizational units are in turn composed of management sectional centers headed by Sectional Center Managers, large Independent Post Offices headed by Postmasters, and bulk mail centers headed by Bulk Mail Center Managers.

(2) Each District Manager reports to the Regional Postmaster General, and has line responsibility for postal operations (except those reserved to Headquarters and Regions) in the management sectional centers, Independent Post Offices and bulk mail centers within the District area.

(3) Each Sectional Center Manager reports to a District Manager, and has line responsibility for postal operations (except those reserved to Headquarters and Regions) within the Management Sectional Center area.

(4) Each Bulk Mail Center Manager reports to a District Manager, and has line responsibility for postal operations (except those reserved to Headquarters and Regions) within the Bulk Mail Center.

(5) The General Manager, New York International and Bulk Mail Center, reports to the Regional Postmaster General.

(6) The Air Mail Facility at JFK New York, and O'Hare Field, Chicago, are headed by Operations Managers who report to their District Managers. (e) For a detailed statement of the organization of the Postal Regions, see Part 225 of this subchapter.

[41 FR 16941, Apr. 23, 1976, as amended at 43 FR 29117, July 6, 1978; 46 FR 34329, July 1, 1981]

§ 221.7 Officers serve at pleasure of Postmaster General.

The following officers of the Postal Service are appointed by the Postmaster General and serve at his pleasure: Senior Assistant Postmasters General, Regional Postmasters General, the General Counsel, Assistant Postmasters General, the Consumer Advocate, the Chief Inspector, the Judicial Officer, the Executive Assistant to the Postmaster General, and the Executive Assistant to the Deputy Postmaster General, the Treasurer (who reports to the SAPMG, Finance Group).

222.1 Authority for delegation. 222.2 Media of delegation. 222.3 Contents of delegations. 222.4 Redelegation.

222.5 Authority to approve personnel actions and administer oaths of office for employment.

222.6 Authority to administer oaths other than for employment.

222.7 Authority to designate certifying officers-headquarters.

222.8 Authority to designate certifying officers-field.

222.9 Delegation of authority to the Senior Assistant Postmaster General, Finance. 222.10 Delegation of Authority to the Director, Office of International Postal Affairs.

AUTHORITY: 39 U.S.C. 203, 204, 401(2), 402, 403, 404, 409, as enacted by Pub. L. 91-375, 84 Stat. 719.

SOURCE: 38 FR 20404, July 31, 1973, unless otherwise noted.

§ 222.1 Authority for delegation.

(a) The Postmaster General is empowered to authorize any employee or agency of the Service to exercise any function vested in the Postal Service, in him, or in any other Postal Service employee.

(b) The Deputy Postmaster General is the full alternate to the Postmaster General.

(c) When, by reason of absence, disability, or vacancy in office, neither the Postmaster General nor the Deputy Postmaster General can act as Postmaster General, the first available official on the following list will do so as acting Postmaster General:

(1) Senior Assistant Postmaster General, Administration;

(2) Senior Assistant Postmaster General, Operations.

(d) The Postmaster General has been authorized by the Board of Governors to exercise the powers of the Postal Service to the full extent that such exercise is lawful. See §§ 3.5 and 4.3 of this chapter.

(e) The Executive Assistant to the PMG; and the SAPMGs; the General Counsel; the Chief Postal Inspector; the Judicial Officer; the APMG, Government Relations Department; the APMG, Public and Employee Communications Department; and the APMG, Planning Department, act for the Postmaster General on assigned matters. These officers are authorized to exercise the powers and functions of the Postal Service under the Postal Reorganization Act, in respect to matters within their area of responsibility, except as limited by law or by the specific terms of their assignment.

(f) Heads of departments or offices who report to a Senior Assistant Postmaster General are authorized to exercise the powers and functions of that SAPMG within the area of responsibility of their department or office, except as such authority may be reserved or rescinded by the SAPMG or is limited by law or the terms of their specific assignment.

[38 FR 20404, July 31, 1973, as amended at 46 FR 34330, July 1, 1981; 48 FR 1965, Dec. 17, 1983; 48 FR 30111, June 30, 1983]

§ 222.2 Media of delegation.

(a) All delegations of authority shall be issued through official directives.

(b) Headquarters or regional officials shall not orally authorize postmasters to deviate from published instructions, except in emergencies. An oral authorization shall be confirmed by a memorandum or order dated subsequent to the issuance date of the most recently published instructions on the subject. Postal inspectors shall charge as irregularities any improperly authorized deviations observed in the course of office inspections.

§ 222.3 Contents of delegations.

(a) Delegations of authority shall ordinarily be made by position title rather than by name of the individual involved. An officer or executive acting in the absence of a principal has his principal's full authority.

(b) When authority is delegated to an officer, the officers above him shall have the same authority. Delegated authority shall not extend to aides except when an aide serves on an acting basis (see paragraph (a) of this section) or unless the aide is specifically authorized by his superior to exercise such authority.

(c) A delegation must accord with the law and regulations under which it is made and contain such specific limiting conditions as may be appropriate. § 222.4 Redelegation.

(a) Except as otherwise prohibited by law, or by a regulation that expressly prohibits redelegation, or by the terms of the delegation:

(1) The head of a group, department, or office at Headquarters is authorized to redelegate any authority vested in him.

(2) A Regional Postmaster General or head of a regional department, division, or branch is authorized to redelegate any authority vested in him subject to the condition that redelegation to members of a regional staff must be consistent with the then current regional organizational structure.

(3) A District Manager, is authorized to redelegate, subject to or within guidelines issued by the Regional Postmaster General, any authority vested in him provided that the redelegation is consistent with the current organizational structure.

(4) A Director, Postal Data Center, is authorized to redelegate any authority vested in him.

(5) Heads of management sectional centers and other field installations are authorized to redelegate to members of their respective staffs any authority vested in them.

[38 FR 20404, July 31, 1973, as amended at 41 FR 16941, Apr. 23, 1976)

§ 222.5 Authority to approve personnel actions and administer oaths of office for employment.

(a) Delegation. The following are authorized to effect appointments, administer oaths, and take other personnel actions:

(1) Senior Assistant Postmaster General, Employee and Labor Relations,

33-123 0-84-4

(5) Regional Postmasters General; (6) Heads of postal field installations including those reporting directly to specified departments in Headquarters or to Regional Postmasters General;

(7) Officials occupying personnel services positions PMS-16 and above and PES positions when their positions include responsibility for functions such as recruitment, appointments, placement, position changes and separations, and related personnel processing.

(b) Personnel actions for employees of "other installations." As specifically authorized by either the Senior Assistant Postmaster General, Employee and Labor Relations or a Regional Postmaster General, officers and employees listed in paragraph (a) of this section may approve personnel actions for employees in offices or installations other than their own as a crossservice, as a central personnel office, or on a special need basis.

(c) Transfers of accountability. In addition to other personnel authorized under this section, Postal System Examiners may administer oaths of office for employment at any post office in conjunction with transfers of accountability.

[38 FR 20404, July 31, 1973, as amended at 40 FR 13498, Mar. 27, 1975; 43 FR 29117, July 6, 1978]

§ 222.6 Authority to administer oaths other than for employment.

The following are authorized to administer oaths concerning matters other than employment:

(a) Postal inspectors with regard to any matter coming before them in the performance of their official duties;

(b) Any member of a board who is assigned to conduct hearings or investigations in which sworn testimony, affidavits, or depositions are required and each officer or employee assigned to conduct such hearings or investigations;

(c) Postmasters. See § 244.1 of this chapter.

[38 FR 20404, July 31, 1973, as amended at 40 FR 26511, June 24, 1975]

§ 222.7 Authority to designate certifying officers-headquarters.

(a) Delegation. The following are authorized to designate certifying officers at Headquarters for the items specified:

(1) The Chief Inspector, for: (i) Payment from his special deposit account; (ii) disbursements for rewards based on Postmaster General Notices of Reward; (iii) payments from confidential funds; (iv) salary payments for Special Investigations Division; (v) advances of funds for confidential purposes; (vi) inspection service, travel advances, transportation of things; and (vii) payments for special analyses and services.

(2) The General Counsel certifies payments relating to tort claims and claims under 39 U.S.C. 2603.

(3) The Senior Assistant Postmaster General, Finance, certifies all payments not covered by paragraphs (a) (1) and (2) of this section.

(b) Redelegation. The officials named in paragraph (a) of this section are authorized to redelegate their authority to designate certifying officers. The redelegation shall be made by letter to the appropriate Postal Data Center disbursing officer and must bear the specimen signature of the person to whom the authority is redelegated.

(c) Designating certifying officers(1) Inspection Service and Law Department. Officials authorized to designate certifying officers (see paragraph (a) of this section) will complete SF 210, Signature Card for Certifying Officer, in duplicate for each Postal Data Center disbursing officer affected to show:

(i) Name of department for which vouchers will be certified.

(ii) Signature of certifying officer written exactly as he will sign vouch

ers.

(iii) Class of vouchers to be certified. (iv) The official's signature and effective date.

(2) Other departments and offices. Other departments and offices requiring certifying officers will complete SF 210 in duplicate as prescribed in para

graph (c)(1) of this section, except for signature and date. Both copies will be sent to the Senior Assistant Postmaster General, Finance.

(3) Submitting SF 210 to Postal Data Center disbursing officers. The Chief Inspector, the General Counsel, and the Senior Assistant Postmaster General, Finance, or their designees shall send signed originals of SF 210 to each of the disbursing officers affected and retain duplicates. These documents will be the official designations of the employees named on the SF 210 as certifying officers.

(d) Maintaining designations. Each group, department and office must keep current its designation of authorized certifying officers. When new or additional designations are made, the procedures for designating certifying officers contained in this section shall be followed.

[38 FR 20404, July 31, 1973, as amended at 43 FR 29117, July 6, 1978]

§ 222.8 Authority to designate certifying officers-field.

(a) Delegation. The following are authorized to designate certifying officers in Postal Data Centers and Inspection Service regions and divisions:

(1) The Chief Inspector, for obligations of the Inspection Service.

(2) Postal Data Center Directors for obligations of all other regional functions.

(3) The New York Postal Data Center Director for obligations for Headquarters functions except those under § 222.7(a) (1) and (2) and those certified by the Senior Assistant Postmaster General, Finance, or his designee.

(b) Redelegation. The officials named in paragraph (a) of this section are authorized to redelegate their authority to designate certifying officers. Redelegations shall be by letter to each disbursing officer affected, with the specimen signature of the person to whom authority is redelegated.

(c) Designating certifying officers— (1) Regional Chief Inspectors and Inspectors-in-Charge. Regional Chief Inspectors and Inspectors-in-Charge are designated certifying officers, as limited by the Chief Inspector. They are authorized to designate certifying offi

cers for obligations incurred by the Inspection Service. They will complete SF 210, Signature Card for Certifying Officer, in duplicate to show:

(i) Inspection Service region or division for which vouchers will be certified.

(ii) Signature of certifying officer written in the same manner that he will sign vouchers.

(iii) Class of vouchers to be certified. (iv) Signature of the designating official and effective date. Regional Chief Inspectors and Inspectors-inCharge are not authorized to redelegate their authority to designate authorized certifying officers.

(2) Postal Data Center Directors. Officers under direction of Postal Data Center Directors will complete SF 210 in duplicate as in paragraph (c)(1) of this section except for signature and date. Both copies will be sent to the appropriate Postal Data Center Director for completion.

(3) Submitting SF 210 to disbursing officer. The Regional Chief Inspector, Inspector-in-Charge, and Postal Data Center Director (or his designees) will send the originals of SF 210 to each disbursing officer affected and keep the duplicates. These will be the official designations of the employees named on the SF 210 as certifying officers.

(d) Maintaining designations. Each office under jurisdiction of the officials named in § 222.8 must keep current its designation of authorized certifying officers. When new additional designations are made, this § 222.8 shall be followed.

§ 222.9 Delegation of authority to the Senior Assistant Postmaster General, Finance.

(a) Delegation. The Senior Assistant Postmaster General, Finance, may take final action in his own name on:

(1) Claims for overpayment of pay. (2) Relief of accountable officers of liability for loss.

(3) Relief of accountable officers of liability for illegal, improper, or incorrect payments.

(4) Certifying officers' accountability.

(5) Deposit to and withdrawal from Postal Service fund.

(6) Collection of debts due the Postal Service with the exception of those falling under the jurisdiction of the Chief Postal Inspector.

(7) Adjustment of claims of postmasters and Armed Forces postal clerks, including the loss of funds or valuable papers from their official custody resulting from burglary, fire, or unavoidable casualty, with concurrence by the General Counsel is cases involving doubtful questions of law or fact.

(b) Redelegation. The Senior Assistant Postmaster General, Finance, is authorized to redelegate all or part of the authority vested in him by paragraph (a) of this section to such other officers or executives as he may deem appropriate.

[38 FR 20404, July 31, 1973, as amended at 43 FR 29117, July 6, 1978]

§ 222.10 Delegation of Authority to the Director, Office of International Postal Affairs.

The Director, Office of International Postal Affairs, is authorized to sign Express Mail agreements with foreign postal administrations, and to sign technical agreements for the exchange of postal personnel and property with foreign postal administrations.

[41 FR 52299, Nov. 29, 1976]

PART 223-RELATIONSHIPS AND CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION

Sec.

223.1 Relationships.

223.2 Channels of communication.

§ 223.1 Relationships.

(a) Between Headquarters, Postal Regions, and Postal Data Centers. Each Headquarters group, department, and office shall provide guidance and policy interpretation to regional officials in its area of responsibility, except that the Employee and Labor Relations Group provides policy direction to the Regional Directors for Employee and Labor Relations. The Finance Group shall provide guidance and policy interpretation to Postal Data Centers.

§ 223.2 Channels of communication.

(a) Headquarters and Postal Region Offices. (1) The heads of groups, departments, and offices formulate the necessary directives to provide guidance to regional officials. Direction of regional officials is provided on employee and labor relations matters by the Senior Assistant Postmaster General, Employee and Labor Relations, and on other matters by the Deputy Postmaster General.

(2) Policy directives shall be issued over the signatures of the heads of the groups, departments, and offices covering matters within their responsibility, except when the Postmaster General or Deputy Postmaster General may wish to issue such directives personally. Policy directives shall be coordinated with other appropriate groups, departments and offices before