ment policy provisions of contracts, including equal employment opportunity under Executive Orders 11246 and 11375, and is the liaison on such matters with the Department of Labor on behalf of the General Counsel.

(iii) Recommends disposition of questions arising from application of the Private Express Statutes.

(iv) Recommends approval of procedures and actions under laws and executive orders relating to personnel security.

(v) Prepares and tries before hearing examiners and the Judicial Officer cases involving the denial of entry or revocation of entry of second-class mail when obscenity questions are not involved.

(vi) Aids and assists in the negotiation of and interpretation of agreements made with organizations which are the representatives of postal employees.

(vii) Performs all legal services in the procurement of and interpretation of contracts, laws, and regulations for:

and

(a) The training of postal personnel; (b) The services of experts consultants;

(c) Contracts awarded by the Bureau of Research and Engineering; and

(d) The banklet position surety bond, and cafeterias and vending machines.

(viii) Aids and assists in the interpretation and implementation of laws affecting personnel in the Postal Service and Headquarters.

(ix) Assists and collaborates with the Department of Justice in the institution and defense of civil suits involving the Department, other than those handled by other divisions of the Office of the General Counsel.

(x) Acts for the General Counsel in rendering final decisions on behalf of the Department on appeals from the denial of access to records maintained in the Department or in the postal field srevice.

(xi) Through the Deputy Assistant General Counsel, who reports directly to the General Counsel on such matters, assists and acts for the General Counsel in all matters relating to his function of Ethical Conduct Counselor for the Department.

(5) Real Property and Procurement Division. (i) Prepares legal opinions and documents, approves contracts as to legal sufficiency, and performs all other legal services arising from the acquisition,

management, disposal, and leasing of real property or space by the Post Office Department.

(ii) Performs the legal services in connection with the acquisition, construction, alteration, extension, moderization, and management of federally owned buildings used primarily for postal purposes.

(iii) Performs the legal services in connection with contracting for procurement of services and supplies in all procurement matters, except those specifically assigned to other divisions of the Office of the General Counsel.

(iv) Assists and collaborates with the Department of Justice in all matters pertaining to subdivisions (i), (ii), and (iii) of this subparagraph.

(v) Acts as Departmental Counsel in all Board of Contract Appeals cases arising from contracts made under subdivisions (i), (ii), and (iii) of this subparagraph.

(6) Transportation Division. (i) Prepares and tries before regulatory bodies, and other agencies of the Government, cases dealing with the transportation of mail, and transportation rates paid by the Department to railroads and airlines and postage rates.

(ii) Acts in all matters pertaining to contracts for the transportation of mail.

(iii) Collaborates and maintains liaison with the Department of Justice and other Government agencies in matters involving the work defined in subdivisions (i) and (ii) of this subparagraph.

(e) Contract Compliance Office. Directs nationwide contract compliance program (Executive Orders 11246 and 11375), to promote and insure equal employment opportunity for all qualified persons without regard to race, color, religion, sex, or national origin employed by or seeking employment with Government contractors and subcontractors. [32 F.R. 13130, Sept. 15, 1967, as amended at 34 F.R. 5989, Apr. 2, 1969]

§ 822.3 Bureau of Operations.

(a) Assistant Postmaster General. (1) Provides functional direction for the execution of policies, programs, regulations, and procedures governing the operational activities of the Postal Establishment which involve the admissibility, classification, collection, processing, dis

patch, and delivery of mail; administers the operations budget.

(2) Selects, appoints, and disciplines postmasters; appraises their perform

ance.

(3) Selects and appoints rural carriers.

(4) Directs the establishment, consolidation, and discontinuance of mailhandling facilities (except transfer offices, airport mail facilities, and truck terminals); recommends site locations for leased and federally constructed buildings.

(5) Determines the consolidation, conversion, extension, and discontinuance of city and rural delivery services.

(6) Determines space, mechanization, and equipment requirements for postal installations; recommends priorities, participates and coordinates with others to satisfy these requirements; directs the vehicle utilization program.

(7) Determines staffing standards, maintains manpower and personnel complement controls, and administers control of supervisory staffing of post offices; directs the work measurement program.

(8) Promotes a patron relations program to encourage customer participation in the improvement of practices involving the makeup and processing of mail; directs the customer complaint program.

(9) Formulates and implements policies concerning the entry, makeup, and classification of domestic mail and application of postage rates and fees.

(10) Adjudicates, as the first level of appeal, all adverse action cases involving post office employees in which the Regional Director renders the initial decision.

(b) Office of the Executive Assistant(1) Executive Assistant. (1) Provides staff assistance to the Assistant Postmaster General and his deputies in the formulation of policies, programs, regulations, and procedures regarding all matters within the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Operations.

(li) Responsible for the administrative direction of the Fiscal Control Office; directs the Administrative Management Office.

(2) Fiscal Control Office. (1) Reviews, coordinates, and approves budget policies of the various divisions of the

Bureau to assure that they conform with program and policy direction of the Assistant Postmaster General; prepares the Bureau's budget submission; assists in the presentation of the Bureau budget before review authorities.

(ii) Develops appropriated fund allocations for submission to the Assistant Postmaster General.

(iii) Coordinates all planning-programing-budgeting activities of the Bu

reau.

(iv) Advises the Executive Assistant and the Assistant Postmaster General and his deputies on cost trends, expenditures, and expenditure control; makes periodic and special analyses of the status of appropriation accounts.

(v) Serves as consultant to Bureau officials on financial and cost aspects of programs, projects, and management and operations studies. Provides assistance to the Executive Assistant and the Assistant Postmaster General in the preparation of the Bureau's legislative program.

(3) Administrative Management Office. (1) Conducts a continuing review of organization and management practices, including manpower utilization and staffing, within the Bureau.

(ii) Reviews, coordinates, and controls the clearance of proposed regulations, manuals, and procedural issuances.

(iii) Coordinates the Bureau's annual work program.

(iv) Develops, administers, and controls the Bureau's progress and status reporting system; prepares periodic and special reports as required by Bureau and Department management, including the Bureau portion of the Postmaster General's Annual Report.

(v) Directs administrative services for the Bureau, including the review and approval of travel orders, travel vouchers; approves requests for issuance of permanent travel commissions and issues temporary travel commissions.

(vi) Performs the Bureau personnel functions and maintains personnel celling control.

(vii) Maintains control of property within the Bureau; determines office space requirements.

(viii) Coordinates charity campaigns for the Bureau.

(c) Special Assistant. Performs such duties as are assigned by the Assistant Postmaster General.

(d) Special Assistant for Policy and Projects. (1) Serves as advisor to the Assistant Postmaster General, Bureau of Operations, on the establishment of policy and on the initiation and administration of programs for the operation and improvement of the Postal Service. Serves as principal consultant on matters of organization, management, programing, and budgeting.

(2) Directs and coordinates programing, planning, and budget policy for the Bureau of Operations participating with the Assistant Postmaster General in the presentation of the operations budget to review authorities and to the Congress.

(e) Office of the Deputy Assistant Postmaster General-Postmasters and Patron Relations-(1) Deputy Assistant Postmaster General. (i) Advises and assists the Assistant Postmaster General and acts for him at his direction.

(ii) Directs the staff and activities of Postmasters and Rural Carriers Division, Customer Relations Division and Classification and Special Services Division.

(2) Postmasters and Rural Carriers Division (i) Performs functions pertaining to selection, appointment installation, indoctrination, and training of postmasters and acting postmasters.

(ii) Performs functions pertaining to selection and appointment of rural carriers; and consolidation of rural routes.

(iii) Establishes criteria and administers the program for appraising the conduct and performance of postmasters and acting postmasters; executes disciplinary action when warranted and maintains a historical record of postmasters and acting postmasters.

(iv) Maintains liaison with the Congress, the Civil Service Commission, and with other interested agencies and parties as necessary in order to perform the functions of the division.

(v) Develops policies and procedures and issues directives, regulations and instructions for the establishment, consolidation, conversion, and discontinuance of independent post offices; naming of post offices; and wording in the circular portion of dating stamps.

(a) Appointments Branch. (1) Ascertains qualifications and suitability of candidates for postmaster and acting postmaster.

(2) Recommends candidates and processes the nomination, confirmation, and appointment actions.

(3) At time of appointment, arranges for ceremonies attendant to the installation of acting postmasters and postmasters, including departmental or regional representation where appropriate.

(4) Determines method of filling rural carrier vacancies; ascertains qualifications and suitability of applicants; and issues instructions for the appointment of rural carriers.

(5) Recommends policies and procedures relating to seasonal and regular rural carrier appointments.

(b) Postal Changes Branch. (1) Develops policies and procedures, and issues directives, regulations, and instructions for the establishment, consolidation, conversion, and discontinuance of independent post offices.

(2) Conducts studies, performs analyses, coordinates action with other interested branches, divisions and bureaus, and authorizes changes relating to the consolidation of post offices, their conversion to stations and branches, or their replacement with rural or star route service.

(3) Determines the discontinuance or consolidation of rural carrier routes when carrier vacancies occur, coordinating this activity with the Distribution and Delivery Division.

(4) Evaluates requests for changes in name of independent post offices, determines advisability of effecting change, coordinates action with the Board of Geographic Names, and when appropriate authorizes change in name.

(5) Prescribes regulations governing the wording to be shown in the circular portion of postmarks at all postal facilities. Authorizes exception to published regulations whenever circumstances require.

(c) Postmaster Appraisal Branch. (1) After installation, issues instructions governing the indoctrination of newly appointed acting postmasters and postmasters.

(2) Conducts performance appraisal program; analyses and evaluates reports

of regional officials and postal inspectors, and when required initiates special investigation pertaining to conduct and performance of acting postmasters and postmasters; issues commendations, reprimands, withholding of periodic salary increases, or removal notices.

(3) Performs personnel management functions for postmasters and acting postmasters.

(4) Maintains historical records of postmasters and acting postmasters.

(3) Classification and Special Services Division. (i) Recommends policies, prescribes standards, and issues regulations for the management and control of the admissibility, classification, and application of rates and fees for domestic mail, including parcel post, and the disposition of undeliverable mail.

(ii) Makes final departmental determination, subject to appeal and hearing under the Administrative Procedure Act, on sufficiency of applications for

(a) Entry of newspapers and other periodical publications as second-class matter;

(b) Acceptance into the mail of controlled circulation publications and matter for use by the blind; and

(c) Granting of mailing privileges of news agents.

(iii) Directs the administration of all standards, regulations, and procedures established by the Universal Postal Convention, the Convention and Parcel Post Agreement of the Postal Union of the Americas and Spain, and bilateral agreements, as they affect classification, rates and fees, and related matter concerning the international mail service; recommends proposals for consideration at international postal congresses concerning such standards, regulations and procedures; directs the establishment of procedures relating to customs treatment of international and military mail and admissibility of such mail under controls established by other agencies of the Government.

(iv) Recommends policies and prescribes regulations governing the domestic c.o.d. and certified mail services, and the domestic and international registry and insurance services including filing, processing, and administrative settlement of indemnity claims arising therefrom; the operation of the post office lock box service; and the disposal of

dead mail. Maintains controls over the manufacture, distribution and use of postage meter equipment.

(a) Domestic Mail Classification Branch (1) Prescribes standards and regulations covering admissibility of matter, including parcel post, to the mail (except matters covered by § 822.2), classification, and application of rates; addressing, preparation and packaging, and weight and size limitations for domestic mail, domestic free mail, official Government mail, use of penalty and franking privileges, and acceptance of mail for the Armed Forces.

(2) Prescribes the regulations and procedures for collection of postage by various permit methods, such as postage permit imprints and postage meter stamps, etc.; interprets the laws and regulations pertaining to refunds of postage.

(3) Performs staff work pertaining to the adequacy of applications for entry of newspapers and other periodical publications as second-class matter, acceptance into the mail of controlled circulation publications and matter for use by the blind, granting of mailing privileges to news agents, and authorization of nonprofit organizations to enter secondand bulk third-class matter at reduced postage rates.

(4) Administers provisions of law requiring filing and publication of statements of ownership, management, and circulation of second-class publications.

(5) Prescribes standards and regulations governing management and control of mail forwarding and return, disposition of undeliverable matter, exceptional dispatch of publisher's secondclass mail, approval of additional mailing places for second-class publications, newspaper handling, mailing list correction, and handling of short-paid and unpaid mail.

(6) Administers the annual migratory waterfowl kill survey.

(7) Administers the annual alien address report program.

(8) Transportation of Radioactive Material and on the Advisory Committee formed by the Surgeon General to advise the Post Office Department regarding toxicity of materials when mailability is concerned.

(9) Provides liaison with the Advisory Commission on Parcel Distribution Service required by Public Law 89–593.

(b) International Mail Classification Branch. (1) Administers standard and promulgates regulations applying the provisions of international conventions and agreements as they relate to classification, admissibility, addressing, preparation and packaging, size and weight limits, postage rates and special charges, forms used, recall or change of address, forwarding, and treatment of undeliverable, shortpaid, unpaid, and improperly accepted international mail. Administers regulations and procedures relating to refunds of postage, fees and charges, and to purchase, sale, and exchange of international reply coupons.

(2) Maintains liaison with Bureau of Customs, U.S. Treasury Department, relating to measures for submitting international and military mail for customs treatment; corresponds with postal authorities in other countries and with postal installations in the United States concerning makeup of mail subject to customs treatment, and initiates and administers regulations and procedures for postal service handling of such mail and for collection of duty thereon; maintains liaison with other agencies of the Government relative to application of their international control measures as may be applicable to shipments by mail.

(3) Corresponds with postal authorities in other countries concerning interpretation of provisions of international postal conventions and agreements as they apply to the operating aspects of the international mail service assigned as its responsibility. Informs the International Bureau of the Universal Postal Union and the International Office of the Postal Union of the Americas and Spain about conditions in the U.S. postal service for dissemination to other countries of the world.

(4) Develops material for informing the postal service and the public about ternational postage rates and fees and the Bureau of Transportation on any operational matters that might affect international mail transportation.

(c) Special Mail Services Branch. (1) Prescribes rules for the acceptance and handling of domestic registered, insured, international postage rates, fees, and other mailing conditions; collaborates with the Bureau of Finance and Administration concerning adjustments in in

special delivery, certified, c.o.d., and special handling mail, and for the application of the fees and other charges required by law, regulation, or conventions and agreements with other countries. Maintains liaison with other Government agencies and the Federal Reserve Board concerning use of the special mail services.

(2) Administers the laws, conventions and agreements under which postal insurance is paid for the loss or rifling of, or damage to, registered, insured, and c.o.d. mail. Maintains actuarial data and controls.

(3) Prescribes procedures and regulations governing the use of post office lockboxes.

(4) Develops and prescribes criteria for the placement in post offices of postage metering and vending equipment for stamps and other accountable stock.

(5) Prescribes standards and maintains controls over the manufacture, distribution and use of all postage meter equipment and the use of meter advertising dies.

(6) Administers the law and prescribes regulations for the authorization, use, and disposition of special cancellation dies used to print advertising slogans on postmarked mail.

(7) Administers the application of fees for special delivery and special handling mail.

(8) Administers the law under which certificates of mailing are issued for ordinary mail of any class, and for duplicate receipts for registered, insured, certified, and c.o.d. mail.

(9) Develops and prescribes procedures for the preparation and use of Parcel Post Zone Guides and the standardization of Parcel Post Zone Keys.

(10) Prescribes the regulations for treatment of dead mail and management of dead letter and dead parcel post branches.

(4) Customer Relations Division. (i) Plans and directs programs concerned with promoting public cooperation in accepting new and improved mailing practices designed to reduce costs, improve mail handling efficiency and provide better mail service.

(ii) Conducts a continuing program of study and analysis of mailing public requirements; coordinates these require