On September 30, 2010, the Postal Service™ completed its first year of Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) compliance — but SOX is not over. The Postal Service must maintain compliance with SOX permanently. Part of this effort has been to improve the accuracy of our Business Mail Acceptance (BMA) verification and payment procedures. These procedures remain a top priority for the Postal Service in its second year of SOX compliance.
Remember these key steps to ensure proper completion of BMA procedures:
n Initial Verification
n For all mailings except First-Class Mail® items, open and examine mailpieces to confirm content eligibility.
n Perform a cursory review of mailings.
n Perform an in-depth performance-based verification if:
n Scheduled by PostalOne!
n Errors are identified during initial verification.
n End-of-Day Reconciliation
n Ensure all mailings are checked in.
n Ensure each postage statement has been finalized.
n Ensure any postage statement transaction not finalized has been reconciled.
n Postage Statement Completeness
n Ensure the postage statement includes all critical fields, including the permit number, postage amount, and mailer signature.
n SOX Certification Questionnaire
n Ensure the end-of-day certification is consistent with observations.
n Ensure all new supervisors are aware of certification requirements.
n Release of Mail to Operations — Clearance Documents
n Identify Business Mail Entry Unit (BMEU) verified and accepted containers with a release placard before the mail is staged as cleared and released to operations.
n Only use PS Form 3607, Weighing and Dispatch Certificate, or PS Form 3607-P, Mail Release Placard, to identify containers ready for release.
n Affix a release placard to all mailing segments.
n Do not release containers without a release placard to Operations.
n Check-in
n Ensure the postage statement is checked into PostalOne! prior to processing.
Visit the BMA website at http://blue.usps.gov/bma/ for information about BMA controls and resources for policies and procedures. Employees can find out how their units are performing as measured by BMA key controls by visiting the SOX Compliance Scorecard page at http://blue.usps.gov/sox/sox_compliance_scorecard_2011.htm on the SOX website (http://blue.usps.gov/sox/).
We will continue to create value in the mail by giving customers greater assurance that their mail is verified and accounted for accurately. The Postal Service’s financial accountability depends on you!
— SOX Management Controls and Integration,
Controller, 1-13-11
