Mail Processing Facility Review – Initial Findings

Macon Processing and Distribution Center

August 1, 2023

The Postal Service is investing heavily in its Georgia operations as it moves to modernize the nation’s aging and outmoded postal network and to achieve the organization’s goal of 95% on-time delivery across all mail products. As part of its 10-year strategic plan, Delivering for America, USPS opened a new Sorting and Delivery Center in Athens, GA, late last year and is currently building a new, state-of-the-art, 1-million-square-foot Atlanta Regional Processing and Distribution Center (RPDC) in Palmetto — the first facility of its kind in the nation.

As part of this modernization initiative, the USPS is in the process of conducting a Mail Processing Facility Review (MPFR) of processing operations at its Macon Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC). The review was initiated to evaluate what role the facility will take in the redesigned postal network and to assess potentially moving some of the mail processing operations from the Macon P&DC to the new Atlanta RPDC.  

Below are initial findings from the study:

Facility Future:
The initial results of the facility review support the business case for keeping the Macon facility open and modernizing the facility as a Local Processing Center (LPC) with simplified processes and standardized layouts. The Macon LPC will be a critical node in connecting mail to the new Atlanta RPDC. Additionally, the business case supports transferring some mail processing operations to the Atlanta RPDC. 

Postal Employees:
Note: There will be no career employee layoffs as part of this initiative. The numbers presented here reflect data available as of August 1, 2023 and are subject to change until the completion of the facility review.

Due to the transfer of some operations, an estimated net decrease of 26 craft and 6 management positions are ultimately projected once the initiative relating to the Macon Processing and Distribution Center is completed.  All bargaining employee reassignments will be made in accordance with the respective collective bargaining agreements.

Estimated Cost Savings 
Proposed savings in the draft MPFR analysis are ultimately projected to be between approximately $3.1M – $5.1M annually once the initiative is completed.  Below is a breakdown of this savings estimate:

Annual Transportation Savings                      $1.2M - $2.0M
Annual Maintenance Savings                         $1.3M - $2.1M                             
Annual Mail Processing Savings                    $220K - $360K  
Annual Management Savings                        $380K - $630K  

Local Customer Considerations:
•	Retail and other services currently available at the Macon facility will not change. 
•	Business mail acceptance will remain the same. 
•	A local postmark will continue to be available at retail post offices.
•	Delivery times of mail to residences and businesses should not change because of the MPFR.

Commercial Mailers:
•	Mailers who presort mail will continue to receive appropriate postage discounts. 
•	Mailers who drop ship to Destination Sectional Center Facility (DSCF) can expect no changes if the MPFR is approved.

Written comments may be submitted at:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/mpfr-macon-ga 

All comments must be received by August 23, 2023.