Postal Service
Cost of Meetings and Conferences Gao ID: GGD-90-66FS March 9, 1990Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed five Postal Service (USPS) traffic managers' meetings during fiscal year 1989 and their total costs.
GAO found that: (1) USPS charged about $6.2 million to a meetings and conferences account, but charged travel costs to a separate account; (2) the individual cost per day ranged from $212 to $369, depending on the meeting location; (3) lodging costs ranged from $63 to $98 per night; (4) USPS provided some meals, which varied in cost, with average dinner costs ranging from about $22 to $99; (5) high beverage costs at one conference contributed to its higher cost per day of $369; (6) USPS paid per diem subsistence allowances in quarter-day increments; and (7) in October, USPS exceeded its total allowable subsistence costs for the three meals provided attendees at a particular conference.