Independent Assessment of a White Paper by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General

In response to declining volumes of mail and an ever-changing communications world, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (OIG) authored a White Paper entitled "Public-Private Partnerships: Best Practices and Opportunities for the Postal Service." Such partnerships are an increasingly common way for governments to achieve policy goals and develop infrastructure while shifting short-term financial burdens out of government. The OIG's White Paper discusses how U.S. government agencies, states, and international postal operators use PPPs, and how the Postal Service might adopt these practices to reduce the cost of universal service and leverage private sector competencies.

The Academy formed a three-member Panel, chaired by F. Daniel Ahern Jr., to conduct a study of this public-private partnership. In performing this independent review, the Panel and/or study team interviewed public-private partnership stakeholders in various public and private organizations. The Panel and/or study team also conducted a range of other research and analysis within the time frame available for the review.