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NASA Ball NASA
Policy
Directive
NPD 1460.1A
Effective Date: October 25, 2022
Expiration Date: October 25, 2027
COMPLIANCE IS MANDATORY FOR NASA EMPLOYEES
Printable Format (PDF)

Subject: Agency Mail Management Program

Responsible Office: Office of Strategic Infrastructure



1. POLICY


NASA's policy is to establish and maintain a mail management program for efficient, effective, and economical management of internal and external, inbound and outbound mail to ensure that the established mail communications system supports NASA's official mail requirements. Under the authority of Mail Management, 41 CFR Part 102-192, mail management resources and operations—including interoffice services—will be associated with official business and in support of NASA mission requirements.

2. APPLICABILITY

a. This NASA Policy Directive (NPD) is applicable to NASA Headquarters (HQ), NASA Centers, including Component Facilities, and Technical and Service Support Centers. This NPD also applies to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), a Federally Funded Research and Development Center, only to the extent specified in the NASA/Caltech Prime contract. The requirements of this NPD will be administered to JPL by the NASA Office of JPL Management and Oversight (NOJMO).

b. In this NPD all document citations are assumed to be the latest version, unless otherwise noted.

c. This NPD is applicable to processing and managing mail pieces weighing up to and including the established Agency threshold.

d. This policy refers only to document mail; it does not include packages containing repair parts and materials processed by central receiving and is not applicable to any form of electronic or voice mail.

e. In this NPD all mandatory actions (i.e., requirements) are denoted by statements containing the term "shall." The terms "may" or "can" denote discretionary privilege or permission, "should" denotes a good practice, and is recommended but not required, "will" denotes expected outcome, and "are" or "is" denote descriptive material.

f. Documents cited as authority, applicable, or reference may be cited as a different categorization, which characterizes its function in relation to the specific context.

3. AUTHORITY

a. The National Aeronautics and Space Act, 51 U.S.C. § 20113 (a).

b. Mail Management, 41 CFR Part 102-192.

4. REFERENCES

a. General Powers of the Postal Service, 39 U.S.C. § 401 et seq. and § 601 et seq.

b. NPR 1620.3, Physical Security Requirements for NASA Facilities and Property.

c. USPS Domestic Mail Manual.

d. USPS International Mail Manual.

5. RESPONSIBILITY

a. The Assistant Administrator (AA), Office of Strategic Infrastructure (OSI), a civil servant employee with support from the Logistics Management Division (LMD), is responsible for establishing mail management policies and guidance and for assessing the effectiveness of program implementation.

b. The Director, LMD, a civil servant employee designated by the AA for OSI, is responsible for establishing and enforcing NASA mail management policies conforming to Federal laws and regulations. The Director shall designate an Agency Mail Manager.

c. The Agency Mail Manager, a civil servant employee, shall:

(1) Serve as the primary coordinator in the implementation and approval of NASA policies, procedural requirements, standards, and program-level performance measures for the Agency Mail Management Program.

(2) Develop and maintain NPDs and NASA Procedural Requirements (NPRs) for the Agency Mail Management Program and provide technical direction to NASA Centers to achieve Agency-wide compliance.

(3) Develop and maintain a system of mail accountability and expenditures incurred by NASA.

(4) Promote Agency awareness and compliance with mail management standards per the General Powers of the Postal Service, 39 U.S.C. §401 et seq. and §601 et seq., the Domestic Mail Manual, the International Mail Manual, and the United States Postal Service (USPS) Postal Bulletin, as well as the General Services Administration's (GSA) standards and guidelines.

(5) Assess Centers' compliance with Agency policies and procedural requirements.

(6) Identify training needs and opportunities for Center Mail Managers.

(7) Serve as the technical expert to identify and promote Agency mail management best practices and support communication among NASA Centers.

(8) Represent the Agency in its relations with service providers, other Agency mail managers, and GSA's Office of Government-wide Policy.

(9) Host quarterly business reviews with service provider officials to identify cost and technological efficiencies.

(10) Review and submit an annual mail expenditures report to GSA as required.

(11) Develop and implement a mail security plan in accordance with NASA's Office of Protective Services guidelines.

d. Center Directors (CD) are responsible for:

(1) Establishing one mail center that processes outbound and inbound mail and distribution.

(2) Appointing by written notice to Center organization heads and to the Director, LMD, a Center Mail Manager responsible for ensuring that Center mail management operations comply with applicable laws, regulations, and Agency policy directives and procedural requirements.

e. Center OSI Integrators (COI). Under the authority, direction, and control of the CD, the COI is the Center representative to OSI in mail management matters. The COI, to the extent of the authority delegated by the CD, shall:

(1) Provide oversight to Center compliance with the mail management policy set forth herein.

(2) Ensure execution of budget formulation supporting Center mail management operations in coordination with OSI/LMD and Center and Mission Directorates.

f. Center Senior Logistics Manager/Chief (Head) of Logistics Activities at the Center has the responsibility and authority to account for the effective Center mail operation. The Senior Logistics manager shall:

(1) Provide direction, leadership, and general supervision in the implementation and maintenance of the mail management program at the Center.

(2) Provide oversight for the proper implementation of the Agency's policy directives, procedural requirements, and Center internal procedures satisfying Mail Program requirements and the various laws and regulations referenced therein.

(3) Coordinate all logistics and infrastructure support for the Center Mail Manager to effectively keep up Center mail operations.

g. Center Mail Manager, a civil servant employee, shall:

(1) Plan, implement, and maintain an efficient and cost-effective Center mail distribution system in accordance with Center mission requirements by:

(a) Establishing, in coordination with and approval from the Center Senior Logistics Manager and the COI, the frequency of outbound mail collection and delivery to the supporting postal office or United States (U.S.) Department of Defense (DoD)-supporting organization.

(b) Coordinating, with the supporting local postal office or DoD-supporting organization, the frequency of inbound mail pickup as approved by the Center Senior Logistics Manager and the COI.

(c) Establishing, in coordination with and approval from the Center Senior Logistics Manager and the COI, the frequency of inbound mail distribution.

(d) Ensuring the Center mail distribution system includes interoffice delivery and pickup, including outlying buildings, of all categories of Government documents and small packages in accordance with the frequency approved by the Center Senior Logistics Manager and the COI.

(2) Conduct customer satisfaction surveys at a minimum of once per fiscal year, October 1 through September 30, and submit results to the Center Senior Logistics Manager, the COI, and the Agency Mail Manager no later than October 31 of the new fiscal year.

(3) Conduct periodic reviews of their Center's mail operations to identify process improvements concerning cost effectiveness and mail processing efficiencies to optimize customer service.

(4) Serve as the technical monitor overseeing mail and distribution operations of service support contractors, as specified in their contract, when applicable.

(5) Perform as liaison between the NASA Center and local USPS, Federal Express (FedEx), United Parcel Service (UPS), and other service provider officials on matters concerning mail efficiencies and distribution operations.

(6) Ensure that mailroom operations adhere to the requirement to screen (x-ray) all inbound mail for explosives and chemical/biological agent detection, and to handle suspicious mail and evacuation procedures in accordance with guidelines from the Center Office of Protective Services.

(7) Develop and implement internal procedures to:

(a) Effectively support mandatory telework and Continuity of Operations (COOOPS) activities.

(b) Properly handle and deliver registered or certified mail.

(c) Capture daily cost accountability for commercial meter processing of mail.

(8) Ensure that mail operators responsible for operating x-ray machines are provided initial formal training and annual training thereafter.

(9) Routinely refer to the GSA and USPS websites for specific and updated information concerning Federal mail management policies and procedures.

(10) Audit service providers' invoices to monitor performance.

(11) Submit postal accountability and expenditure reports to the Agency Mail Manager as requested.

(12) Coordinate with the Center Senior Logistics Manager all logistical and infrastructure requirements for effective Center mail operations.

(13) Provide training opportunities for all levels of Center personnel on cost-effective mailing practices for inbound, outbound, and interoffice mail and security.

(14) Review daily mail operations for unauthorized use, loss, or theft of postage, including any unauthorized use of penalty or commercial mail stamps, meter impressions, or other postage indicia, and immediately reporting such incidents to the Center Senior Logistics Manager, the NASA Office of Inspector General, the security office, or other appropriate authority.

h. The Center Export Administrator, NOJMO, or the Headquarters' Office of International and Interagency Relations is responsible for:

(1) Reviewing all mail correspondence addressed to designated areas, or designated country nationals per NPR 1450.10, NASA Correspondence Management and Communications Standards and Style.

(2) Conducting random reviews of mail going to non-designated countries or non-designated country nationals for concurrence with Export Administration Regulations (EAR), 15 CFR Subchapter C; International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 CFR Subchapter M; and NASA international cooperative activities.

(3) Cited reviews will be conducted with the mail originator (sender) prior to turning over the mail to the mail manager for processing.

i. Center Transportation Managers and Center Printing Managers shall:

(1) Track costs of outbound packages metered by the transportation officer rather than the mail manager, which meet the definition of mail.

(2) Submit annual postal accountability and expenditure reports to the Center Mail Manager for report consolidation and reporting to the Agency Mail Manager.

6. DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY

None.

7. MEASUREMENT/VERIFICATION

a. Center Mail Managers shall collect data on NASA postal expenditure and key performance indicators and submit it to HQ/LMD each fiscal year.

b. Cumulative results of annual customer satisfaction surveys by Center Mail Managers to evaluate mail service effectiveness that are submitted to the Center Senior Logistics Manager, the COI, and the Agency Mail Manager.

8. CANCELLATION

NPD 1460.1, Agency Mail Management Program, dated September 9, 2015.


/s/ Bill Nelson
Administrator


ATTACHMENT A: (TEXT)

ATTACHMENT A: DEFINITIONS

Agency Mail Manager. The person who manages the overall mail program of a Federal Agency.

Certified Mail. Provides a receipt for the sender, and for an additional fee they will receive a copy of the recipient's signature upon his or her receipt of the mail.

Customer Service. Measures user satisfaction with mail center services. Examples include the number, frequency, and type of mail user complaints by customer groups.

Designated Countries. A compilation of countries and territories with which the United States has no diplomatic relations, such as: • Countries determined by U.S. Department of State to be "State Sponsors of Terrorism" or identified by the Department of Commerce as "Terrorist Supporting Countries." • Countries under sanction or embargo by the United States. • Countries of missile technology concern. Inbound or Incoming Mail. Any mail that comes into a facility delivered by any service provider, such as Dalsey, Hillblom, and Lynn (DHL), FedEx, UPS, and USPS. At NASA, inbound mail also means mail picked up by mail center personnel from the local USPS and brought into the NASA mail center for processing.

Interoffice or Internal Mail. Mail generated within a Federal facility that is delivered within that facility or to a nearby facility of the same agency, so long as it is delivered by agency personnel.

Mail. Any of the following that meet USPS size and weight requirements, regardless of the distribution, dispatch, or delivery method: • catalogs • documents • drawings • letters • memoranda • microfiche • packages • postcards • publications • other hard copy communications

Mail Center. An organization and/or place within or associated with a Federal facility.

Mail Expenditures. Direct expenses for postage, fees and services, and all other mail costs, meter fees, and permit fees (e.g., payments to service providers, mail center personnel costs, mail center overhead).

Non-Designated Countries. Countries with which the United States has diplomatic relations, countries determined by the Department of State not to support terrorism, countries that are not under sanction or embargo by the United States, and countries that do not represent missile technology concern.

Official Mail. Inbound or outbound mail that is related to official business of the Federal Government.

Outbound or Outgoing Mail. Mail generated within a Federal facility that is going outside that facility.

Registered Mail. A service offered by the USPS for customers sending valuable or irreplaceable items through the mail. Registered mail provides added protection for valuable and important customer and internal mail with evidence of mailing and delivery. Registered mail provides the sender a receipt and detailed records of their mail's location.

Service Provider. Any agency or company that delivers materials and mail. Some examples of service providers are DHL, FedEx, UPS, USPS, courier services, the DoD, the Department of State's Diplomatic Pouch and Mail Division, and other Federal agencies providing mail services.

Unauthorized Use of Agency Postage. Use of penalty or commercial mail stamps, meter impressions, or other postage indicia for personal or unofficial use. ATTACHMENT B: ACRONYMS

AA Assistant Administrator

CD Center Director

COI Center OSI Integrators

COOPS Continuity of Operations

DHL Dalsey, Hillblom, and Lynn

EAR Export Administration Regulations

FedEx Federal Express

FMR Federal Management Regulation

GSA General Services Administration

ITAR International Traffic in Arms Regulations

LMD Logistics Management Division

NPD NASA Policy Directive

NPR NASA Procedural Requirements

OSI Office of Strategic Infrastructure

U.S. United States

UPS United Parcel Service

USPS United States Postal Service

ATTACHMENT C: REFERENCES

C-1. Export Administration Regulations (EAR), 15 CFR subch. C.

C-2. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 CFR subch. M.

C-3. Security Requirements for All Agencies, 41 CFR §§ 102-192.70 - 102-192.80.

C-4. NPD 1450.12, Handling Correspondence and Information from the Executive Office of the President.

C-5. NPR 1450.10, NASA Correspondence Management and Communications Standards and Style.

C-6. NPR 1450.4, Handling Congressional Correspondence, and Information Concerning Congressional Activities.

C-7. NPR 1600.1, NASA Security Program Procedural Requirements.

C-8. NAII 2190.1, NASA Export Control Program Operations Manual.

C-9. NASA Form (NF) 2699, Mail Services Request Form.

C-10. NF 2699A, Mail Center Access Log.

C-11. NF 2699B, Change of Custody of Registered/Certified Mail.

(URL for Graphic)

None.

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