Postal Service Training Center

In response to a congressional request, GAO: (1) evaluated the Postal Service's decision to build a new Postal Service Technical Training Center in Norman, Oklahoma, rather than relocate the existing Center from Norman to Seneca Falls, New York; and (2) estimated the costs, over the next 10 years, of locating the Center at each of the two locations.

GAO found that: (1) the net cost difference for the two locations would be relatively small; (2) the total nonrecurring costs, such as land acquisition and building rehabilitation, would be lower for Seneca Falls than Norman; (3) the total recurring costs, such as facility operating costs, would be higher at Seneca Falls because of the greater space requirement and annual costs to operate the existing facility; and (4) although the residual value of the Seneca Falls facility would initially be higher than that at Norman, its value would decrease because of the age of the buildings. In addition, GAO found that: (1) relocation to Seneca Falls would delay resumption of training for about 4 weeks longer than at Norman; (2) since some of the instructors would elect not to move, training their replacements would impair accomplishment of the Center's mission; and (3) since there are other support facilities located at Norman, co-location would facilitate interaction of personnel in developing training courses and achieving consistency in maintenance materials and equipment sharing. GAO believes that the decision to locate the Center at Norman was reasonable.