annual management planning cycle generates reports that comply with the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993. (see table 1-1 below)

GPRA requires the Postal Service to submit specific reports to Congress:

• The first Postal Service Five-Year Strategic Plan developed for GPRA was published in September 1998. The Act requires strategic plans to be updated at least every three years. The current update, which covers the period 2004-2008, was presented to Congress on September 30, 2003. The current Five-Year Strategic Plan incorporates the efforts outlined in the Transformation Plan, April 2002, and includes the Annual Performance Plan for 2004.
• The Annual Performance Report for 2003 is included in this 2003 Comprehensive Statement on Postal Operations.

• The preliminary Performance Plan for 2005 is included in this 2003 Comprehensive Statement on Postal Operations. The final Annual Performance Plan for 2005 will be published on September 30, 2004.

The Office of Strategic Planning provides support for the development of functional plans and training programs that provide a longer-term strategic perspective among postal managers and executives. The Office also conducts studies and analyses of issues and trends that influence the Postal Service's ability to achieve its mission and goals. The Office also manages an outreach program that discusses these issues and trends with key stakeholders.

c. Transformation

In April 2002 the Postal Service delivered to Congress a Transformation Plan that took a systematic look at the challenges facing the Postal Service in the future. The Plan addressed possible structural changes to the organization, but it focused on near term strategies that the Postal Service can implement under current law. Through three major overarching initiatives — Growth Through Customer Value, Increase Operational Efficiency, and Enhance Performance-Based Culture, and a supporting strategy — Enable the Organization — the Postal Service adopted a blueprint for every aspect of Postal Service business. The postmaster general and the Executive Committee meet regularly to review transformation strategies and substrategies and have aligned the budget, the Annual Performance Plan, and the Five- Year Strategic Plan, 2004-2008, with transformation goals and objectives.