Previous Best Practices Award Winners

The past winners of the Federal Mail Best Practice Awards have demonstrated adoptive methods in the following: implementing effective performance measures and tools, instituting better business practices through information technology, promoting efficiencies in mail processes, providing exceptional customer services and reducing overall mail costs.

2002 Federal Mail Best Practice Awards Winners

2002 Federal Mail Center Excellence Award

2001 Federal Mail Center Excellence Award Winners - FBI

2001 Federal Mail Center Excellence Award - USDA

2001 Mail Manager of the Year

2000 Mail Manager of the Year

2000 Mail Team Excellence Award Winners

2002 Federal Mail Best Practice Awards Winners

GSA is proud to announce the winners of the 2002 Federal Mail Best Practice Awards.

The 2002 Federal Mail Best Practice Awards Ceremony was held on June 26, 2002, in Washington, DC. The winners received monetary awards and a plaque as a token of their outstanding achievements.

Please read on to learn about the agency's best practices and how they saved money and reduced postage costs using innovative ideas.

2002 Federal Mail Manager of the Year

Mr. John Hunt
Department of Health & Human Services
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Bethesda, MD

Mr. Hunt has won the 2002 Mail Manager of the Year Award for developing strategies to enhance overall mail delivery services while reducing postal and shipping costs, accurately tracking NIH postal expenditures, accountable mail and delivery times, and providing sound technical advice on all phases of mail services and costs.

His accomplishments are especially valuable because the GSA's Office of Governmentwide Policy is searching for best practices for federal agencies to track and account for mail costs. NIH's state-of-the-art automated Mail Management Postal Accounting System tracks the number of pieces, mail class types, cost per piece and provides feedback to the center.

This new modernized system replaced four existing systems and now provides efficient, simplified data much sooner than the old systems. The new system also reduces the chance for overcharging or double billing by the mail service provider. Mr. Hunt used the new system to evaluate USPS billings for mail charges in Fiscal Year 1999 that appeared erroneous. The investigation concluded that the charges of approximately $8.5M had been previously paid. The total savings for NIH over the past two years totaled $9,230,000.

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2002 Federal Mail Center Excellence Award

Department of Navy
Postal Operations Division
Anacostia Annex
Washington, DC

This impressive team of approximately 20 people has reduced cost and doubled the amount of reimbursable mail volume that they process by providing consolidated postal support services to other Department of Defense (DoD) agencies.

Using Franklin Covey's "7 Habits of Effective Management," the Postal Operations Division conducted a detailed organizational systems design program. They reengineered and improved business process to reduce inefficiencies and improve mail handling procedures. The changes focused on providing better customer service, sharing best practices, and offering services to the Department of Defense and other federal agencies at lower cost through increased mail volume through one central mail processing facility. The division changed the entire organizational reporting structure to give more responsibility to front line supervisors and workers, and this enabled the workforce to become owners of the processes.

The division has been able to share their best practices with other federal agencies. They provided marketing services by performing a business based cost analysis that show how the customers will benefit from their service. The result has increasingly brought in new customers that are able to benefit from mail cost reductions in postage and equipment revenue, resulting in a total cost reduction of $649,962.

Other useful innovations included the assistance to DoD's Military Postal Service Agency to assist with the establishment of EFT payments to the United States Postal Service Centralized Automated Payment System (CAPS) and Postage-by-Phone Service, saving man-hours and check processing costs for all DoD mail processing facilities.

The "Spirit of Service" Award goes to the Department of Defense, Defense Post Office-Pentagon for their extraordinary efforts and teamwork during the tragic events of September 11^th and during the anthrax attacks just a month later.

On September 11th, two managers in the chain of command for the Defense Post Office were killed, along with some of their support staff. In addition, the mail center was flooded. This team continued to work efficiently together to ensure that the 26,000 employees of the Pentagon received their mail in a timely fashion. Less than a month later, there was news of the Anthrax crisis potentially affecting federal mail centers including the Pentagon.

The mail center took action and started implementing security plans to purchase an air monitoring system and downdraft table to detect anthrax. The mail center also wrote a Department of the Army pamphlet on the managing anthrax threats. The mail center has also provided training to the mail center employees, Department of the Defense employees, and other federal agencies concerning opening mail, the detection of anthrax and steps to prevent the spread of it.

The Department Post Office personnel should be proud of their accomplishments and for passing on their new best practices.

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2001 Federal Mail Center Excellence Award Winners - FBI

The Mail Center Excellence Award is given for the Mail Center team that has demonstrated they have successfully implemented mail-related innovations that have improved customer service or reduced costs for the agency. This year, the judges had a tie. Awards were presented to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"Mail is not just about money, processes, or equipment, it is also about the people who do the job".

William Welby, Assistant Director, Administrative Services Division,
U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

Federal Mail Center Excellence Award winners:

Alice H. Roberson, Mail Supervisor and Dolores A. Gibbs, Mail Supervisor
U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation
Mail Services Unit/Facilities Management and Security Section
Administrative Services Division

Bringing a wealth of information to the FBI's mail operation, Mrs. Roberson and Ms. Gibbs serve as an important factor in the FBI's overall success to communicate effectively throughout the world. Mail plays a critical part in the Bureau's overall success and these ladies have managed the mail with excellent service. Mrs. Roberson and Ms. Gibbs insightful approach of hiring people with disabilities eliminated the problem of hiring and retaining employees, it also improved mail service and the morale for both customers and employee. They have implemented effective Performance Measurement tools and instituted better business practices; they have promoted efficiencies in mail processes; provided and improved excellent customer service; reduced overall mail cost, while ensuring that their employees are properly trained, recognized for their efforts, all the while being sensitive to the special needs of their employees. Details about their leading practice:

Problem: High Turnover Rate of Personnel In Mail Operations

History: The FBI relied on entry-level employees to carry out mail duties and responsibilities; due to budget constraints it was not longer possible to replace vacated positions. Realizing the seriousness of the problem in keeping adequate staff and reducing the high turnover rate.

Action: Having identified this problem, they decided on a different approach of hiring and keeping employees. On their own, they approached NISH (Formally known as the National Industries for the Severely Handicapped) and initiated the concept of outsourcing the FBI's Internal Messenger Service with people with disabilities. A one-year contract with four optional years was signed with Didlake, Incorporated. The FBI's overall success is the ability to effectively communicate throughout the world.

Communicating effectively, exchanging and disseminating information is part of the foundation of law enforcement. Mail plays a critical part in the Bureau's overall success. Every piece of mail supports the FBI in one form or another. Without excellent mail services, the FBI could not function properly. Ensuring the contract was implemented properly; Mrs. Roberson and Ms. Gibbs served as the Contracting Officer Technical Representatives (COTRs) for the $3.3 million dollar contract. Additionally they had to accommodate people with varying disabilities. A detailed procedure manual was developed, as well as a mail route plan for the entire J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building. Countless meetings were held with Didlake. In order to ensure all procedures were implemented correctly, they developed a detailed procedure manual. All these tasks were completed before a single contract employee stepped through the door. They provided in-depth classroom and one-on-one training.

Result: As a direct result of their efforts, they reduced the FBI's Postal Budget from almost seven million dollars in Fiscal Year 1994 to just over 3.7 million dollars in Fiscal Year 2000, equating to a 49 percent reduction in postage costs. Because of their extensive efforts, the FBI has much better mail service. A recent survey showed that 92 percent of employee's rate mail services as excellent or good. Additionally, hiring people with disabilities sends an important message to society as a whole and demonstrates the Government's commitment to the disabled. Customers now receive consistent and reliable mail service and disabled employees are productive citizens who are proud of their job. In addition Mrs. Roberson and Mrs. Gibbs have made significant strides in saving the government million of dollars by implement and managing several new mail procedures within the FBI to cut postage costs without adversely affecting program needs. They gained the support of FBI Program Managers to plan mailings in advance so the FBI is not forced to use expensive, expedited mail services at the last minute.

Managerial Comments: Alice H. Roberson and Dolores A. Gibbs have quietly worked behind the scenes not only to ensure an efficient and effective FBI mail operation, but also to make it a better place to work. The quality of their work is only surpassed by their positive attitude. The determination, enthusiasm, and professional skills they possess have gained the deepest respect of their co-workers. Their innovative pursuit of such a high degree of excellence on behalf of the Government is indeed worthy of recognition.

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2001 Federal Mail Center Excellence Award - USDA

Federal Mail Center Excellence Award is awarded to the Mail Center team that has demonstrated that they have successfully implemented mail related innovations that have improved customer service or reduced costs for the agency. This year the judges determined a tie between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Federal Mail Center Excellence Award

U.S. Department of Agriculture
Mail and Reproduction Management Division

Office of Operations
Automation Implementation Team

Robert P. Gililland
Chief, Mail and Reproduction Management

June Bryan
Chief, Mail and Reproduction Management

Howard Neverson
Assistant Chief, Mail Operations &
Manager for Automation & Re-locations

Darious Clinton
Supervisor, Delivery Unit & Training & Development
CAMMS Systems, Technical Engineer

Michele Lambert
Management Analyst Stop Code & Development Directory
Office of Operations

Barbara Pendergrast
Supervisor, Door-to-Door Delivery, Units and Quality Control

The USDA Story: Automating the Processing of Incoming and Internal Mail

Innovative efforts to automate the processing of incoming and internal mail at the U.S. Department of Agriculture have resulted in lower costs, greater efficiency, and more accurate mail delivery.

The USDA Mail Center annual distributes about 21 million pieces of mail to approximately 14,000 employees in 18 locations in the Metropolitan Washington DC area.

Implementation of automated techniques in the USDA Mail Center resulted from the following issues:

• Consistent low scores on Mail Customer Service Surveys, especially those questions about satisfaction with the accuracy of sorting and delivering mail
• Mail center staff absenteeism, which caused a backlog of sorting an
  increase in overtime costs.
• Reliance on either mails clerks' memory, or an obsolete employee directory, to locate clients.

USDA Departmental Administration staff sought a machine that would sort incoming mail. Several systems would have worked if all mail was properly addressed or computer generated. However, over 50 percent of our incoming mail is handwritten, and a majority contained incomplete or invented addresses.

Although the USDA Headquarters Complex is over 65 years old and has a unique ZIP code, it has never had an official street address. This became the necessary first step toward automation. USDA staff worked with a U.S. Postal Service automation specialist to change the Code assigned to all mail deliver locations. These Stop Codes were provided to the Postal Service and were entered into the National ZIP+4 database. Employees received a marketing flyer about how the new USDA address, and were instructed to use their stop code as a PLUS 4 to the ZIP Code. The use of the PLUS 4 on the return address of outbound mail serves several purposes:

• Charges back postage by agency
• Provides the recipient with the sender's complete address
• Eliminates confusion on returned mail by using the Stop Code to identify the sender without opening the mail.

The most difficult part of implementing the system was a customer acceptance of the change. USDA's automation plan began with a letter/flat sorting system, which was sorting about 14 percent of the incoming mail. The high rejection rate resulted from address hygiene and from non-readability of the mail.

A new system was being introduced to the mailing industry. USDA had the opportunity to beta test he Computer-Assisted Mail Sorting Station (CAMSS). This system used voice-activated software to enable a clerk to read the recipient's name, the STOP Code, or the organizational code to initiate a computer search of the database. This search results in the appropriate bin lighting up to guide the mail clerk. The CAMSS accurately processes about 2, 500 pieces hourly. Training on this system take approximately 30 minutes. Mail clerks; voices are programmed into the system, which reduces the need to cross-train in different delivery units. Any employee who is trained whose voice has been programmed can sign on at any sorting station, and sort the mail.

The beta test was a huge success. Customers reported improvement in the accuracy of sorting and delivering the mail, and employees were pleased with their new skills and presence of a computer system in the Mail Center. After the beta test, 21 CAMSS systems were installed in the door-to-door delivery unit. A customized database was designed, including the names of all employee organizations and acronyms, with Stop Codes. This database is updated and managed by Mail Center staff.

USDA is also completing a database which will provide the opportunity to implement expedited service for Inter-Office Mail. Inter-Office Express Envelopes feature a plastic dial to set the mail stop number. As the numbers are dialed, a bar code is created in an adjacent window, which can be read by scanners on the CAMSS system and instantly sorted, faster than by voice command, to the correct USDA Mail Stop. Mail Center staff easily recognize these red, white, and blue envelopes and sort them first to provide expedited service to our customers. This system is especially useful in the USDA Mail Center where about one-third of the staff is disabled, and where some of the staff cannot read well.

The end results of this innovative move toward automation are: accurate sorting and delivery of mail, a manageable database, improved customer service, and reduced costs.

USDA's automation efforts and success with implementing the CAMSS system can be duplicated in any medium to large volume mailing center. USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) in St. Louis assumed mail service responsibilities for three additional, co-located USDA agencies. By implementing CAMSS at this location, the FSA eliminated 3,000 square feed of sorting racks and assumed this additional workload without increasing staff.

Evaluation Criteria: Implemented effective performance measurement tools:

The USDA Mail Center automation plan is one of the goals in the Office of Operations Strategic Plan. This goal is measured biennially through Customer Service Surveys. These surveys are distributed to all mail stops. The results of the surveys are reported as annual Indicators of Success. Accuracy of sorting has improved from 66 percent in Fiscal Year 1998 to 76 percent in Fiscal Year 2000. We expect accuracy to increase to 85 percent in Fiscal Year 2001 with full implementation of the system in all delivery units.

Instituted better business practices:

Implementation of automation resulted in the following:

• Reduction in the number of mail runs from 28 to 18, resulting in a decrease of 8 mail clerks.
• Reduction in the requirement to cross-train staff.
  
• Reduction in overtime costs caused by backlogs in specific units because
  of the absence of the "knowledgeable mail clerk".
  
• Enhancement of employee computer skills, to the extent that mail clerks
  become database managers for their delivery units.
  
• Improvement in the accuracy of mail
  sorting and delivery.
  
• Increase in customer satisfaction
  with mail service.
  
• Standardization of the address for
  the USDA Headquarters Complex, with
  all STOP codes included in the
  national ZIP+4 database.

Promote efficiency in mail processes:

Properly prepared incoming mail contains the 0-digit delivery point bar code, which can be read by our scanners, expediting sorting and delivery. Implementation of a complete database, which employees can manager and update, has increased the overall efficiency of the mail operation. The system has eliminated backlogs due to absenteeism. Overtime costs were eliminated, saving over $35,000 annually and a full-time staff year.

Provided improved excellent customer service:

Customer Service surveys continues to show USDA Mail Center supervisors and managers that customers have noticed an improvement in mail service. Mail Center supervisors have also conducted customer tours of the new mail operations as part of the marketing plan to encourage the use of STOP Codes and the importance of advising correspondents of the new USDA address. Customer Service surveys measured a 10 percent increase in customer satisfaction with services during the first year of implementation.

Reduced overall mail costs:

The total savings in salaries over the expected four-year life of the CAMSS equipment is estimated at $1.2 million. These savings are based on (1) reducing staff by 8 positions; and (2) eliminating overtime costs. The end result of these savings is a 38 percent return on our investment over the next four years.

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2001 Mail Manager of the Year

The winners of the Second Annual Federal Mail Best Practice Awards were recognized at a ceremony in Washington, DC on June 13, 2001.

Being Honored at this year's ceremony for the Federal Mail Manager of the Year

Mr. Ted Boyd
Department of State
Diplomatic Pouch and Mail Division

In part the application read:

"The Department of State, Office of Logistics Management (A/LM) is pleased to nominate Mr. Theodore E. Boyd for "Mail Manager of the Year." Mr. Boyd is a career Foreign Service Officer with more than 26 years of distinguished government service. He has served a Chief of the Department's Diplomatic Pouch and Mail Division (DPM) for three years. He directs the Department's domestic, international, APO/FPO and Diplomatic Pouch mail programs. The Diplomatic Pouch is the primary mailing service to American Embassies and Consulates overseas where no APO/FPO services exists. Approximately 10 million pounds of mail was processed by DPM last year. DPM programs support about 30 federal agencies present as embassies and consulates overseas. Mr. Boyd manages more than 120 civil service and contract employees and an annual budget of $29 billion.

In fiscal year 2000, Mr. Boyd made numerous significant and notable improvements to the Department's mail operations. Highlights include:

Implementation of a Robust Performance Management Program

Last year Mr. Boyd developed, implemented and refined a complete performance management process for the Diplomatic Pouch and Mail Program. He developed a business plan consistent with the goals of objectives of the LM Strategic Plan. The plan implemented performance measures of mail. The plan implemented performance measures of mail transport cycle time, prohibited mail pieces received, incorrectly addressed and mail pieces received, frustrated mail cycle time and numerous incoming and outgoing volume and weight measures, cost per kilogram of items mailed overseas, alternative mail carrier savings and total mail transport costs. This data is now captured and reviewed to ensure customer service standards are met and problems are quickly identified and resolved. Mr. Boyd reports DPM performance data to management on a quarterly basis. The data is also used to anticipate trends and project performance management program package was rated ""out standing" by Price Waterhouse Coopers, the consultants assessing LM's performance measurements.

Institution of Better Business Practices

In 2000, Mr. Boyd masterminded the transfer of a Bell & Howell automated mail sorter from another government agency for installation in the Department of State's domestic mail facility. This machine has dramatically increased the accuracy, and decreased the cycle time of letter mail processing. This machine also permits DPM to sort letter mail by zip plus four codes when modified standard Embassy/Consulate address format describe below is used. This capability allows the alignment of DPM with the capabilities of private industry mail sorting facilities.

Mr. Boyd expanded domestic letter mail presorting Department-wide, which he had identified as a best practice during the recent integration of the U.S. Information Agency.

He quickly adjusted Department-wide procedures to accommodate this new money saving process.

Mr. Boyd reengineered and streamlined internal newspaper/magazine distribution in the Main State Building. This service now works in concert with commercial delivery schedules and provides more timely delivery service to Main State occupants.

Under Mr. Boyd's guidance, DPM established and maintains an Intranet Web site, which provides customers with rules, procedures, services, staffing and contact information pertaining to DPM. The web site is structured to be customer focused and serve as a one-source location with links to other relevant Web sites, thus providing access to a vast amount of useful consumer information.

Promotion of Efficiencies in Mail Processes

The Department of State's Diplomatic Pouch function entails receipt, sortation, consolidation and transportation of mail to or from American Embassies and Consulates overseas. Mr. Boyd devised an innovative machine-readable Embassy/Consulate address format to streamline the sorting of letter and flat mail, and to make manual sorting of packages easier and more efficient. The address configuration consists of a combination of a unique street addresses plus four zip code add-ons. For example, the address for American Embassy Abidjan would be 2010 Abidjan Pl., Washington, DC 20521-25010. Each embassy and consulate throughout the world now has one of these unique addresses. The city location of the embassy or consulate is used as the 'street name." The address street number is a unique zip plus four add on for that embassy or consulate. The 20521 zip code, which is agency unique, directs mail to the central Department mail receiving and sorting facility in Sterling, VA. Mail addressed using this format is delivered to the Sterling facility by the US Postal Service or express package carriers and can t hen be electronically sorted by a Bell & Howell mail sorter using the plus four add on. Larger mail can be hand sorted by overseas destination efficiently and accurately.

Implementation of this change required coordination with over 180 overseas locations, the US Postal Service and express package carriers. Mr. Boyd had the foresight to recognize value of the change and the determination to see it through. The implementation went flawlessly and is now full operational. As a result of this change, the number of incorrectly address mail pieces received is down a remarkable 60%. The Bell & Howell mail sorter read efficiency is up to 40 - 50%. Customer satisfaction is up because mail sort handling time has decreased and accuracy has increased. An example of customer reaction to this new format is included as Attachment 1 of this package.

Customer Service Enhancements

The service provided to overseas embassies and consulates is critically important to the conduct of foreign diplomacy as well as the morale of each Foreign Service officer living overseas. It is often their only lifeline to friends, families and co-workers in the US. Being a Foreign Service officer himself, service to this community is of paramount importance to Mr. Boyd. Las year he direct many successful customer service enhancements initiatives. He participated in the development and analysis of a worldwide logistics management survey, which evaluated the DPM mail operations. Mr. Boyd helped design survey questions related to mail services, analyzed responses and implemented several suggested service enhancements.

Also noteworthy is Mr. Boyd's continuing effort to reduce delivery transit time to embassies and consulates, which has resulted in a 1.2-day worldwide reduction (18%) from last year.

Reduced Overall Mail Costs

Mr. Boyd implemented an Alternative Air Carrier Savings program in November of 1999. That program was designed to stimulate price competition between carriers used to transport mail pouches to embassies and consulates. Since inception, this program has saved over $320,000.

Mr. Boyd's analysis of the Department's 2000 APO/FPO bill uncovered a $5,000,000 overcharge by the Military Postal Service Agency. It was discovered only because of his extensive knowledge of normal Department APO/FPO mail volumes throughout the world. After discussion with MPSA officials, the billing error was corrected.

In addition, the domestic mail-presorting program described above saved more than $50,000 in the year 2000.

Mr. Boyd's innovation and effective administration resulted in cost savings and avoidance totaling $5,370,000 last year.

In summary, Mr. Boyd is an experience mail professional, whose management initiatives of the past 18 months have dramatically improved the operations of the Department of State's Diplomatic Pouch and Mail unit. Through the implementation of a robust performance management process and mail industry 'best practices', he has successfully decreased cycle time and improved customer service while decreasing the overall cost of operations. For all of these reasons, the Department of State is proud to recommend Mr. Ted Boyd for the deserving title of "Mail Manager of the Year."

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2000 Mail Manager of the Year

Federal Mail Manager of the Year recognizes the Federal Mail Manager who has significantly contributed to advancing the industry standards by innovative policy or practice.

GSA's Office of Governmentwide Policy, First Annual Best Practice Award Winner for:

Mail Manager of the Year - 2000

Mr. Leonard A. Bartels, Department of Defense

Mr. Bartels, the Department of Defense (DoD) Official Mail Manager, decentralized budgeting and payment for postage to the user level in 1990. Over the ten years since, DoD's annual postage cost per employee declined 38 percent. During the same period, the total amount spent by the DoD for postage has declined from $254 million to $108 million, a drop of more than 57 percent. In addition, Mr. Bartels established the annual DoD-wide Official Mail Management Workshop, training over 3,200 people since 1985. In 1999, GSA recognized Mr. Bartels with a special Eagle Award for his personal dedication, leadership in the federal government, and help in focusing GSA's Mail Management Policy program. Mr. Bartels is a Certified Mail and Distribution System Manager (CMDSM).

Honorable Mention for Mail Manager of the Year

Mr. Ed Sias
Department of Transportation (U.S. Coast Guard)

Mr. Sias was the driving force behind developing the Postal Expenditure Tracking System (PETS), which is a computer tracking system used to audit the data from the Official Mail Accounting System (OMAS). Using PETS enabled Mr. Sias' to reduce the Coast Guard's postal costs by 25%, from $7.8 M to $6.2 M.

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2000 Mail Team Excellence Award Winners

Federal Mail Center Excellence Award recognizes the Mail Center team that has demonstrated that they have successfully implemented mail related innovations that have improved customer service or reduced costs for the agency.

Federal Mail Center Excellence Team

Department of Energy (DOE)

Mary Anderson

Alvan Majors

Tony Nellums

The DOE initiatives have resulted in annual savings of $260,000. In January 1999, the Team instituted the Mail Center Outreach Program to increase customer awareness of the entire mail process. This program improved communications with customers and led directly to partnerships with express and special mail vendors.

Receiving "Honorable Mentions"

Ms. Sallye S. Benecke and Mr. Forest Flickinger

General Services Administration

Public Building Service (PBS)

Kansas City, South Property Management Center

Developed one of the first mail presort contracts in the nation. Since the first contract began in November 1998, the Kansas City federal community has saved over $2,000,000, while obtaining the best mail handling cost for the government down to the fraction of a cent.

Special Recognition

Paul N. Butler

General Services Administration

Groupware and Messaging Team

Office of the Chief Information Officer

The Groupware and Messaging Team implemented performance measurement tools and reduced overall costs in terms of the growth in electronic mail. The team has successfully routed GSA's electronic mail at a rate of 50,000 per day with no known loss. Assuming that half of those 20,0000 messages of growth would previously have been sent on paper, GSA has avoided handling 10,000 piece of mail per day. The CIO Mail Team has increased the excellence of information delivery by eliminating much of the paper means of transfer.

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