§ 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, Human Resources, 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 issuance and reviewed and disseminated by the APMG Information Resource Management Department, and, if within the authority of the issuer, shall have the same effect as though sent by the Postmaster General or the Deputy Postmaster General.

(3) Guidelines and program implementation instructions and procedures not involving policy shall ordinarily be issued over the signature of the group, department, or office head having jurisdiction.

(4) Regional staff officials may communicate directly with the corresponding functional group, department, or office in Headquarters on matters within their area of jurisdiction. In addition, where authorized, they may also directly contact supporting Headquarters departments such as Law Department and Inspection Service Department on technical matters not requiring administrative judgment of the Regional Postmaster General.

(b) Regional Offices and Field Installations. The regular channels of communication are:

(1) Associate office postmasters, to and from their MSC Manager/Postmaster.

(2) MSC Managers/Postmasters, to and from their Field Division General Manager/Postmaster.

(3) BMC managers, to and from field division general managers/postmasters.

(4) Field division general managers/ postmasters, to and from their Regional Postmasters General.

(5) Heads of other postal installations, to and from their designated superiors as appropriate.

(c) Headquarters, Postal Region Offices, and other Postal Installations with Postal Data Centers. (1) The Information Resource Management Department provides the necessary directives to the PDCs. The Law Department shall maintain direct contact on matters relating to professional and policy guidance on claims.

(2) Postal Region Offices and Postal Data Centers may communicate directly with each other.

(3) Other postal installations and PDCs may communicate directly on routine accounting matters.

[38 FR 20406, July 31, 1973, as amended at 43 FR 29117, July 6, 1978; 48 FR 1966, Jan. 17, 1983; 48 FR 30111, June 30, 1983; 51 FR 40798, Nov. 10, 1986; 54 FR 29708, July 14, 1989]

§224.1 Finance Group.

(a) General. The Finance Group is headed by a Senior Assistant Postmaster General (SAPMG). The group consists of three departments, each headed by an Assistant Postmaster General, and the Office of the Treasurer and the USPS Records Office. The SAPMG, Finance, participates in the planning and budget process, and reviews and evaluates the budget requests of each region for the areas under control of the Finance Group.

(b) Rates and Classification Department. The Rates and Classification Department is responsible for:

(1) Designing and maintaining the rate and mail classification structure.

(2) Developing and administering standards and procedures related to cost analysis and attribution.

(3) Forecasting mail volume.

(4) Developing and supporting rate recommendations to the Postal Rate Commission.

(5) Developing policies, regulations, systems, and procedures for the management and control of the admissibility, classification, and application of rates and fees for domestic or international mail of all classes and the collection of revenue from bulk mailers and special service users.

(c) Controller Department. The Controller Department is responsible for:

(1) Developing financing policy and forecasting long-term financing, capital requirements, and borrowing needs.

(2) Establishing a comprehensive controllership program for financial management.

(3) Maintaining control of the financial activities.

(4) Developing accounting policy and procedures and operating the financial reporting programs and controls.

(5) Establishing budgeting, economic and cost benefit functions, payroll systems, policies, and procedures.

(6) Directing the formulation and presentation of a national budget to the Senior Management Committee, Board of Governors, Office of Management and Budget, and Congress.

(d) Special Projects Department. The Special Projects Department is responsible for:

(1) Assisting senior management in formulating policy and direction on complex issues.

(2) Directing special studies identified by senior management for use in senior management deliberations.

(3) Monitoring specifically designed issues on behalf of senior management and providing staff analysis of these issues as they change over time.

(4) Providing leadership responsibility on behalf of senior management for special projects and organizational initiatives.

(5) Participating in senior management meetings as appropriate.

(e) Office of the Treasurer. The Treasurer is responsible for:

(1) Operating a nationwide network of primary and concentration banks to gather revenue.

(2) Developing cash management initiatives to speed cash flow.

(3) Implementing debt management strategies to meet long-term capital and short-term borrowing needs.

(4) Planning investment strategies to ensure liquidity and to earn a competitive rate of return.

(5) Managing the investment of excess cash.

(f) Records Office. The Records Office has responsibility for the retention, security, and privacy of Postal Service records; authorizes their preservation and disclosure; and orders their disposal by destruction or transfer.

[52 FR 46998, Dec. 11, 1987; 52 FR 49015, Dec. 29, 1987. Redesignated and amended at 54 FR 29708, July 14, 1989; 60 FR 57344, Nov. 15, 1995] §224.2 [Reserved]

§ 224.3 Postal Inspection Service.

(a) The Postal Inspection Service is headed by the Chief Postal Inspector who also acts as:

(1) The Inspector General for the Postal Service,

(2) The investigating official under the Program Fraud and Civil Remedies Act, and

(3) The Security Officer and Defense Coordinator for the Postal Service.

(b) The Postal Inspection Service is responsible for:

(1) Protecting mail matter, postal facilities and other postal assets, employees, and people on postal premises.

(2) Enforcing laws related to the Postal Service, the mails, other postal offenses and other laws of the United States.

(3) Conducting investigations into violations of federal laws that the Attorney General determines have a detrimental effect upon the operations of the Postal Service.

(4) Carrying out investigations and presenting evidence to the Department of Justice, U.S. Attorneys, and state and local authorities, in investigations of a criminal or civil nature.

(5) Carrying out administrative and civil investigations and presenting

findings and evidence to postal management and attorneys in connection with administrative and civil actions.

(6) Performing internal audits of postal financial and nonfinancial operations.

(7) Providing security and defense coordination for the Postal Service.

(8) Maintaining liaison with investigative and law enforcement agencies, and all levels of government on matters of mutual interest.

(c) The Postal Inspection Service is responsible for exercising the authority, and carrying out the duties, functions, and responsibilities assigned to the Office of the Inspector General by the Inspector General Act.

(d) When the Chief Inspector determines it is necessary for carrying out the duties of Inspector General of the Postal Service, the Chief Inspector my employ independent legal counsel.

[56 FR 55823, Oct. 30, 1991]

$224.4 General Counsel.

(a) General. The General Counsel heads the Law Department; the Government Relations Department reports to the General Counsel.

(b) Law Department. The Law Department is responsible for:

(1) Serving as legal advisor to the entire Postal Service and interpreting laws as they relate to the Postal Service, except as provided in §224.3(d).

(2) Making rulings, giving advisory opinions, drafting or approving legal instruments, instituting and maintaining administrative proceedings, representing the Postal Service in administrative proceedings, and in judicial proceedings, as authorized, except as provided in § 224.3(d).

(3) Preparing the legislative program of the Postal Service and publishing regulations in the FEDERAL REGISTER.

(4) Administering activities under the Tort Claims Act, and other personal injury and physical loss claims.

(5)(i) Receiving service of petitions for review of a final agency order in an appropriate Federal circuit court of appeals. Any aggrieved person filing a petition for review of a decision of the Governors within 10 days of issuance of the Governors' decision must ensure that a court-stamped copy of the petition for review is received by the Gen

eral Counsel within that 10-day period in order to qualify for participation in the random selection process established in 28 U.S.C. 2112(a) for determining the appropriate court of appeals to review an agency final order when petitions for review of that order are filed in more than one court of appeals.

(ii) If the General Counsel receives two or more petitions filed in two or more United States Courts of Appeals for review of a decision by the Governors within ten days of the effective date of that action for the purpose of judicial review, the General Counsel will notify the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation of any petitions that were received within the 10day period, in accordance with the applicable rule of the panel.

(iii) For the purpose of determining whether a petition for review has been received within the 10-day period under paragraph (b)(5)(ii) of this section, the petition shall be considered to be received on the date of delivery, if personally delivered. If the delivery is accomplished by mail, the date of receipt shall be the date noted on the return receipt card.

(6) Acting as agent for the receipt of legal process on behalf of the Postal Service and the Postmaster General and other officials resulting from the performance of their official functions.

(7) Administering the Ethical Conduct Program.

(c) Government Relations Department. The Government Relations Department is responsible for:

(1) Maintaining cooperative relationships among Congress, Federal agencies within the Executive Branch, the White House, and state and local government officials.

(2) Advising postal officials on legislative or other policy matters in public areas involving congressional committees or individual members of Congress.

(3) Maintaining liaison with members of Congress and their staffs to exchange information on specific legislation and Postal Service policies and operations.

[52 FR 46998, Dec. 11, 1987, as amended at 56 FR 785, Jan. 9, 1991; 56 FR 55823, Oct. 30, 1991]

§224.5 Planning Department.

The Planning Department is responsible for:

(a) Forecasting trends and developments, both external and internal, which may have an impact on the Postal Service environment.

(b) Assisting departments in developing plans in accordance with goals and objectives set by the Postmaster General and the Board of Governors.

(c) Establishing and maintaining the planning calendar.

(d) Coordinating the strategic planning process.

(e) Assisting in the development of comprehensive and effective plans.

(f) Identifying and evaluating economic, political, social, technical, and market trends and events.

(g) Developing a projection of longrange business targets as a basis for setting goals and objectives.

(h) Formulating alternative business strategies.

(i) Conducting special economic studies.

[54 FR 29708, July 14, 1989]

PART 225-ORGANIZATIONS REPORTING DIRECTLY TO THE DEPUTY POSTMASTER GENERAL

AUTHORITY: 39 U.S.C. 203, 204, 401(2) 402, 403, 404, and 409.

$225.1 Operations Support Group.

The Operations Support Group is headed by an SAPMG. The group consists of three departments, each reporting to the SAPMG.

(a) Delivery, Distribution, and Transportation Department. The Delivery, Distribution, and Transportation Department is responsible for:

(1) Developing and implementing national policies, procedures, and shortand long-range operational plans for the collection, distribution, transportation, and delivery of all classes of domestic, international, and military mail.

(2) Developing and implementing national policies, procedures, and shortand long-range operational plans for field retail operations.

(3) Establishing and controlling national (inter-regional) distribution and transportation networks.

(4) Establishing requirements and managing the acquisition and deployment of mail transport equipment.

(5) Developing procurement policies for the transportation of mail.

(6) Managing the development of policies and procedures to ensure the optimum use and benefits of automated equipment.

(b) Operations Systems and Performance Department. The Operations Systems and Performance Department is responsible for:

(1) Defining, operating, and maintaining the major operating performance management systems.

(2) Setting goals, analyzing trends, and assessing performance in key operations areas.

(3) Identifying and resolving operating problems.

(4) Developing operating management systems, computer models, and new methods for distribution and delivery.

(5) Directing the acquisition, deployment, maintenance, and disposal of postal vehicles.

(6) Directing the maintenance and improvement of address information and related systems.

(c) Engineering and Technical Support Department. The Engineering and Technical Support Department is responsible for:

(1) Planning and approving all operating requirements and standards for mechanized and automated facilities.

(2) Establishing national policy and programs for the maintenance of facilities and mail processing, customer services, and delivery services related mechanization.

(3) Maintaining a technical and field support capacity for new and modified equipment and providing for the overhaul of major mail processing equipment.

(d) The Regional Postmasters General report to the Deputy Postmaster General.

[54 FR 29708, July 14, 1989]

§ 226.2 Facilities and Supply Group.

(a) General. The Administrative Services Group consists of three departments headed by an Assistant Postmaster General and one department headed by the Judicial Officer.

(b) Facilities Department. The Facilities Department is responsible for:

(1) Designing, constructing, modifying, and repairing facilities.

(2) Leasing, purchasing, managing, and disposing of real estate.

(3) Developing policies, procedures, and new technology in support of facilities programs.

(4) Maximizing the use of real estate assets.

(c) Procurement and Supply Department. The Procurement and Supply Department is responsible for:

(1) Developing, implementing, and reviewing procurement and contracting policies and procedures.

(2) Developing, implementing, and reviewing warehousing and inventory of equipment and supplies.

(3) Directing the day-to-day maintenance and repair of the headquarters building.

(d) Information Resource Management Department. The Information Resource

(1) The Judicial Officer is responsible for:

(i) The performance of quasi-judicial duties and the issuance of final decisions and orders.

(ii) Serving as the agency for the purposes of the requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act.

(iii) Presiding at the reception of evidence as provided in rules of practice.

(iv) Revising or amending the rules governing eligibility to practice before the Postal Service, revising or amending Postal Service rules of practice governing proceedings conducted under the Administrative Procedure Act, and issuing and revising rules of practice for other proceedings.

(v) Serving as Chairman of the Board of Contract Appeals and performing the functions of the agency head under the Contract Disputes Act of 1978, as amended.

(vi) Administratively supervising Administrative Law Judges and hearing appeals from their decisions.

(2) Board of Contract Appeals is responsible for processing, hearing and issuing final agency decisions in connection with contract disputes.

(3) Office of Administrative Law Judges. Administrative Law Judges are responsible for presiding at administrative hearings as delegated by the Judicial Officer.

[52 FR 46999, Dec. 11, 1987; 54 FR 29709, July 14, 1989]