Office of Inspector General (OIG)

The Postal Regulatory Commission's Office of Inspector General was established in June, 2007, as required by an amendment to the Inspector General Act of 1978 included in the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-435 sec. 605).

Under the Inspector General Act of 1978 as amended, the Office of Inspector General has the duty and responsibility, with respect to the Postal Regulatory Commission: (1) to provide policy direction for and to conduct, supervise, and coordinate audits and investigations relating to the programs and operations of such establishment; (2) to review existing and proposed legislation and regulations relating to programs and operations of such establishment and to make recommendations in the semiannual reports required by section 5(a) concerning the impact of such legislation or regulations on the economy and efficiency in the administration of programs and operations administered or financed by such establishment or the prevention and detection of fraud and abuse in such programs and operations; (3) to recommend policies for, and to conduct, supervise, or coordinate other activities carried out or financed by such establishment for the purpose of promoting economy and efficiency in the administration of, or preventing and detecting fraud and abuse in, its programs and operations; (4) to recommend policies for, and to conduct, supervise, or coordinate relationships between such establishment and other Federal agencies, State and local governmental agencies, and nongovernmental entities with respect to (A) all matters relating to the promotion of economy and efficiency in the administration of, or the prevention and detection of fraud and abuse in, programs and operations administered or financed by such establishment, or (B) the identification and prosecution of participants in such fraud or abuse; and (5) to keep the head of such establishment and the Congress fully and currently informed, by means of the reports required by section 5 and otherwise, concerning fraud and other serious problems, abuses, and deficiencies relating to the administration of programs and operations administered or financed by such establishment, to recommend corrective action concerning such problems, abuses, and deficiencies, and to report on the progress made in implementing such corrective action.

Confidentiality

Individuals who contact the Office of Inspector General may ask that their identities not be revealed. However, a complainant's identity may be revealed if it is unavoidable to effectively investigate the alleged matter or as otherwise required by law. The Inspector General Act of 1978 provides that, after receipt of a complaint or information from a PRC employee, the Inspector General shall not disclose that employee's identity without the employee's consent, unless the Inspector General determines such disclosure is unavoidable during the course of the investigation. Please note that individuals who contact the Office of Inspector General via electronic mail cannot be assured of confidentiality due to the non-secure nature of electronic mail systems.