[Federal Register: April 5, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 66)]
[Notices]
[Page 17930-17932]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05ap00-106]

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POSTAL SERVICE


Request for Comments on Revising and Updating Five-Year Strategic
Plan, Pursuant to the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993

AGENCY: Postal Service.

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA)
mandated, in 1997, that the Postal Service publish a five-year plan
outlining its goals, targets, and strategies, and that the Postal
Service update and revise its five-year plan at intervals of no less
than three years. In so doing, GPRA states that the Postal Service
must, as an aspect of its strategic planning process, solicit and
consider the ideas, knowledge, and opinions of those potentially
affected by or interested in its Five-Year Strategic Plan. This notice,
therefore, asks for public comment concerning the development and
drafting of the Postal Service's Five-Year Strategic Plan for fiscal
years 2001-2005.

DATES: Comments must be received by May 15, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be directed to Robert A.F. Reisner,
Vice President, Strategic Planning, United States Postal Service, 475
L'Enfant Plaza SW, Washington, DC 20260-1520. Comments may also be sent
to: stratpln@email.usps.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Van Coverden, (202) 268-8130.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Statutory Background

    The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993, Pub. L. 103-62
(GPRA), was enacted to make federal programs more effective and
publicly accountable by requiring agencies to institute results-driven
improvement efforts, service-quality metrics, and customer satisfaction
programs. Other statutory goals were to improve Congressional decision
making and the internal management of the United States Government, as
cited in Pub. L. 103-62, sec. 2(b), 107 Stat. 285. Because of the
Postal Service's role as an independent establishment of the Executive
Branch of the Government of the United States, section 7 of the law
establishes separate provisions which apply to the Postal Service
(sections 2801-2805 of title 39, United States Code).
    Section 2802 of title 39, United States Code, required that the
Postal Service submit to the President and the Congress a strategic
plan for its program

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activities, no later than September 30, 1997. Additionally, Section
2802 requires the Postal Service to update and revise its strategic
plan at least every three years. The plan is to contain:
    (1) A comprehensive mission statement covering the major functions
and operations of the Postal Service.
    (2) General goals and objectives, including outcome-related goals
and objectives, for the major functions and operations of the Postal
Service.
    (3) A description of how the goals and objectives are to be
achieved, including a description of the operational processes, skills,
and technology, and the human, capital, information, and other
resources required to meet the goals and objectives.
    (4) A description of how the performance goals included in the
annual performance plan required under section 2803 shall be related to
the general goals and objectives in the strategic plan.
    (5) An identification of the key factors that are external to the
Postal Service and beyond its control which could significantly affect
the achievement of the general goals and objectives.
    (6) A description of the program evaluations used in establishing
or revising general goals and objectives, with a schedule for future
program evaluations. 39 U.S.C. 2802(a).
    GPRA also requires the preparation of annual performance plans
covering each program activity set forth in the Postal Service budget.
39 U.S.C. 2803. These plans link the organizational goals in the
Strategic Plan with ongoing operations. Finally, the law requires the
preparation of annual performance reports, which review and compare
actual performance with the performance targets stated in the annual
plans. 39 U.S.C. 2804.
    In order to continue to involve the public in this planning
process, GPRA also requires the Postal Service, as it develops each new
iteration of the strategic plan, to ``solicit and consider the views
and suggestions of those entities potentially affected by or interested
in such a plan, and shall advise the Congress of the contents of the
plan.'' 39 U.S.C. 2802(d).

Discussion of the Postal Service Mission, Vision, and Objectives

    In 1970, the Congress enacted the Postal Reorganization Act,
transforming the former Post Office Department into the United States
Postal Service. Its intent was to ensure that the former department
became a self-sustaining federal entity that operates more like a
business. While fulfilling its basic mission of providing universal
service at an affordable price, the Postal Service as a unique
government enterprise would also focus more clearly on the needs of all
its customers than had its predecessor Executive Branch department.
    The Postal Reorganization Act states that the Postal Service shall
have the ``basic and fundamental'' responsibility to provide postal
services to bind the nation together through the personal, educational,
literary, and business correspondence of the people. Prompt, reliable,
and efficient postal services, the legislation mandates, shall be
extended to patrons in all areas and to all communities.
    In recent years, the historic mission of the Postal Service, as
described in section 101 of title 39, United States Code, has been
amplified by an organizational statement of purpose, published most
recently in the Preliminary Annual Performance Plan for 2001. That
statement describes the Postal Service's role as one ``to provide every
household and business across the United States with the ability to
communicate and conduct business with each other and the world through
prompt, reliable, secure and economic services'' for the collection,
transportation, and delivery of messages, merchandise, and money.
    A vision statement, published most recently in the Preliminary
Annual Performance Plan for 2001, describes the strategic direction the
Postal Service intends to take in order to continue to achieve its
mission and statement of purpose. The vision statement says, ``Within
the decade ahead, the Postal Service must be transformed into a high-
performing enterprise, able to compete with agile competitors, to be
responsive to more sophisticated customer demands, and to establish
goals aligned with the vision of becoming the service customers choose
to use, rather than have to use. All employees must have appropriate
incentives and tools, not only to service their customers, but to meet
or exceed competitors' offerings. We must, in short, develop an
operationally excellent, financially sound, performance-based culture
and mindset. Given our expectations and beliefs about the future
marketplace, it is imperative that the Postal Service achieve a state
of operational excellence and competitive performance so high that a
partial loss of the letter monopoly would not make a difference to our
ability to serve customers and to our success.''

Solicitation of Comments

    The United States Postal Service solicits comment on core
statements that seek to interpret the Postal Service's statutory
mission in a 21st century market context. Specifically, it asks for
stakeholder comment on:
    (1) The Postal Service role and responsibility to provide
``universal service'' and what that should entail.
    (2) The scope of postal services necessary and appropriate ``to
bind the nation together.''
    (3) The impact of the development of new technologies on the public
service objectives of universal service, and whether those objectives
might be achieved through alternative means.
    (4) The Postal Service vision of the necessity to transform itself
into a high-performing, agile, customer-responsive enterprise able to
compete in a re-regulated future business environment.
    (5) Steps for improving the businesslike operation of the Postal
Service.
    (6) Other topics relating to the competitive, customer, regulatory,
technology, and organizational dimensions of the postal business
environment as they may affect the Postal Service's mission, statement
of purpose, and vision.
    The Postal Service also invites comment on its long-range
organizational goals, or objectives, published most recently in the
Preliminary Annual Performance Plan for 2001. The Postal Service has
employed long-range goals, or objectives, as part of a strategic
planning process for nearly two decades, along with systematic
assessments of performance. Since 1994, when the Postal Service applied
the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award criteria to create its
CustomerPerfect! performance management system, the Postal Service has
used process management tools and an annual cycle of goal definition,
deployment, review, and assessment to improve organizational
performance by revising and updating goals and strategies. The input of
the public will support and enhance both the performance management
process and the new Five-Year Strategic Plan.
    Specifically, the Postal Service solicits stakeholder comment on
the following long-range organizational goals:
    (1) Voice of the Customer goal: To earn customers' business in a
marketplace where they have choices by providing them with world-class
quality at competitive prices.
    (2) Voice of the Employee goal: To foster an inclusive and
welcoming workplace consistent with Postal Service values of fairness,
opportunity, safety, and security; where everyone is

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given the knowledge, tools, training, and encouragement to be
successful; and where everyone is recognized for and takes pride in
their participation in customers' and the Postal Service's success.
    (3) Voice of the Business goal: To generate financial performance
that assures the commercial viability of the Postal Service as a
service provider in a changing, competitive marketplace, and generate
cash flow to finance high-yield investments for the future while
providing competitively priced products and services.
    Any comments pertaining to the means by which the Postal Service
can best achieve these goals are welcome. Comments on other aspects of
strategic planning, goal-definition, and performance measurement are
also welcome.
    This request for comments initiates a formal process for the
development of the 2001-2005 Five-Year Strategic Plan and offers an
opportunity for stakeholder comments to be given careful consideration
in the development of the plan's goals, targets, and strategies. While
its May 15 deadline corresponds with a need and requirement for
formality in the development of this plan, the strategic planning
process itself is continuous and welcomes ongoing input from all
stakeholders in the development of annual business environmental
assessments, annual performance plans, and annual performance reports.

Stanley F. Mires,
Chief Counsel, Legislative.
[FR Doc. 00-8281 Filed 4-4-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P