Management Alert - Unsecured Assets at the Washington Network Distribution Center

The Washington NDC is a highly mechanized U.S. Postal Service mail processing plant that distributes standard mail and packages in piece and bulk form. To carry out its mission, the Washington NDC owns the following types of assets: Capital assets have a unit cost of $10,000 or more, are acquired through purchase, transfer, or donation, and depreciate. In calendar year 2014, the threshold for capital assets was increased from $3,000 to $10,000. Expendable assets cost less than $10,000 and include items such as repair parts, replacement components, mail transport equipment, and workroom furniture. Sensitive assets are a subcategory of expendable assets and consist of assets vulnerable to theft or loss, and include items such as computers, laptops, cell phones, digital cameras, and other valuable portable equipment. Assets can be stored onsite in internal stockrooms or outside in storage facilities. Washington NDC management utilizes a 6,375 square feet external portable structure – built in 1995 – to store equipment and repair parts that exceed the storage capacity of its internal stockroom.