U.S. Postal Service Improvements Act of 2010

Bill: 111-s-4000
Sponsor: Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]
Introduced: 2010-12-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Executive agency funding and structure
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government trust funds
Postal service
Public contracts and procurement
Retail and wholesale trades
U.S. Postal Service
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2010-12-02
text: 
U.S. Postal Service Improvements Act of 2010 - Directs the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to make a determination or redetermination of postal surplus or supplemental liability consistent with the report submitted by the Postal Regulatory Commission to the United States Postal Service (USPS) and Congress on June 29, 2010. Requires OPM to redetermine the postal surplus or supplemental liability as of the close of FY2010 and for each year thereafter through FY2043. Provides that if the result for a fiscal year is a surplus, that amount shall remain in the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund until distribution is authorized as follows:(1) if there is a surplus as of the close of FY2010-FY2016, such amount or any part of it may be transferred to the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund; (2) if there is a surplus as of the close of FY2017 and each year thereafter, such amount or any part of it may be transferred to such Fund to pay any liability of such Fund; and (3) if all liability to such Fund is paid, amounts may be transferred to the Employees' Compensation Fund or to USPS for repayment of any obligation issued by it. Provides procedures for the transfer of such amounts.
 
Authorizes arbitration boards to consider the financial condition of USPS in rendering decisions.
 
 Directs: (1) USPS and the Commission to coordinate actions to identify ways to increase the use of negotiated service agreements for market dominant products by USPS; (2) the Postmaster General to submit a comprehensive strategic plan for guiding area and district field office structure decisions and a plan on the co-location of post offices at retail facilities; and (3) the Commission to submit annual reports on the fiscal stability of the U.S. mailing industry.
 
Establishes in USPS and the Commission an advocate for competition, who shall be responsible for promoting full and open competition, promoting the acquisition of commercial items, and challenging barriers to such acquisition. Directs USPS and the Commission: (1) to issue a policy on contracting officer delegations of authority; (2) to make any delegation of authority outside the functional contracting unit for the procurement of goods or services which exceeds the simplified acquisition threshold available on its website; and (3) within a specified after the award of any noncompetitive contract which exceeds such threshold, to make publicly available the documents containing its justification and approval. Sets forth provisions regarding the review of ethical issues, a ban on certain contracts, and contract voidance and recovery of funds in specified circumstances.
 
Provides for the conversion of retirement eligible postal and federal employees on workers compensation to retirement when they reach retirement age, subject to specified requirements.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-12-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2010-12-02
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8397-8399)
action_date: 2010-12-02
text: Introduced in Senate