United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2008-07-31 monographic deposited born digital 48 p. GA 1.13:GAO-08-938R https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-938R P0b002ee180375bb8 f:d08938r DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-938R machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-938R GAO-08-938R Agency missions Anthrax Appropriated funds Comparative analysis Consumer protection Continuity of operations Contract costs Cost analysis Cost control Data collection Data integrity Federal facilities Mail transportation operations Postal facilities Postal service Radiation monitoring Reporting requirements Schedule slippages Correspondence A83221 In October 2001, spores of the deadly bacterium anthrax were found in mail sent to members of the news media and congressional leaders. In all, 22 people were infected with anthrax and 5 people died, including 2 postal workers. The United States Postal Service (Service) took a variety of steps to protect people from biohazards in the mail. For example, the Service began contracting for the irradiation of mail to recipients at the Congress, the White House, and federal agencies with specific ZIP Codes (20201 through 20597) in the Washington, D.C., area (D.C. federal mail). The irradiation process uses either a high-energy electron beam or X-rays to penetrate pieces of mail (mailpieces) and kill harmful organisms, such as anthrax. The Service initially hired two contractors to irradiate the mail, one of which operated between November 2001 and April 2002. The other contractor has been irradiating mail since November 2001. In addition, the Service hired contractors to transport the mail for irradiation and to oversee the current irradiation contractor. Senate Report 110-129, dated July 13, 2007, directed GAO to report on the status of the Service's program for irradiating D.C. federal mail since November 2001. In response to the directive, this report describes: (1) the volume of mail irradiated and how the volume has changed, (2) the cost of irradiating mail and how the cost has changed, and (3) the extent to which irradiation delays mail deliveries and how these delivery delays have changed. In addition, given continuing congressional interest, this report also provides information on the status of an irradiation facility in Washington, D.C. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-938R/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-938R.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-938R/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-938R.pdf GAO-08-938R https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-938R Correspondence GAO-08-938R; United States Postal Service: Information on the Irradiation of Federal Mail in the Washington, D.C., Area; Agency missions Anthrax Appropriated funds Comparative analysis Consumer protection Continuity of operations Contract costs Cost analysis Cost control Data collection Data integrity Federal facilities Mail transportation operations Postal facilities Postal service Radiation monitoring Reporting requirements Schedule slippages Volume 118 Page 2809 118 Stat. 2809 Volume 121 Page 1844 121 Stat. 1844 Public Law 108-447 Public Law 110-161 S. Rept. 110-129