2.7 Million Unmailed Letters to Pennsylvania Residents, Officials Report

Overview of the Mail Delivery Issue

In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a significant issue has come to light regarding the state's mail delivery system. Approximately 2.7 million pieces of state agency mail were not sent to residents last month due to a failure by a contracted vendor. This problem affected correspondence from the Department of Human Services and the Department of Transportation, according to officials.

From November 3 to December 3, the affected mail was not presorted and delivered by the vendor to the U.S. Postal Service, leading to a substantial backlog of unsent communications. The issue was discovered late last week, prompting the state to terminate the contract with Capitol Presort Services LLC, a Harrisburg-based company, and hire a new vendor to manage the backlog.

Impact on State Communications

The state Department of Human Services, which is responsible for the care of vulnerable residents and children, is still assessing the exact volume and categories of the delayed mail. However, some services were confirmed to be unaffected. Residents waiting for Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, mail from county assistance offices, and notices about suspended benefits during the federal government shutdown were not impacted.

On the other hand, several routine correspondences were affected, including:

• PennDot driver’s license and vehicle registration renewal invitations
• Driver’s license camera cards
• Vehicle registration cards
• Address update cards

It is important to note that driver’s license suspensions were not impacted by the stalled mail. Additionally, vehicle registration and license renewal notices are sent three months in advance, meaning anyone who was due to receive one at the start of November will have until February to submit it.

Resolution and Next Steps

All of the recently discovered unsent state agency mail was transported to USPS on Monday by the state's new vendor and will be promptly delivered to residents. PennDot customers should expect any expected mail from the period of November 3 to December 3 within the next 7-10 days.

To address the backlog, the state secured a $1 million emergency contract with Pitney Bowes, a mail presorting company. The state had previously contracted with Capitol Presort Services since May 1, 2021. Despite the company filing for bankruptcy in 2022, it continued its work for the state until the mail pileup was uncovered last week.

Questions Remain

It remains unclear why it took a full month for officials to determine that 2.7 million pieces of state agency mail had not been reaching residents. Additionally, it is not clear how the issue was discovered by officials last week.

The unsent mail could pose challenges for Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration, depending on the type of state communications that were not delivered. The backlog may include critical correspondence related to state services such as health benefits or food assistance.

State agencies regularly send communications by mail about an individual’s eligibility for services or benefits, renewals and appeals, and whether a person is due to appear at a hearing about that eligibility, among other matters.

Proactive Measures

"Agencies across the Commonwealth continue to evaluate any potential negative effects of this mail delay and are taking proactive steps to mitigate potential impacts on Pennsylvanians," said Paul Vezzetti, a spokesperson for the state Department of General Services.

A spokesperson for Gov. Josh Shapiro declined to comment on the matter.

According to the state’s contract with Capitol Presort Services from 2021, the vendor was responsible for delivering more than 16 million pieces of state agency mail each year. Almost all of this mail was to be for the delivery of the state’s First Class and Next-Day mail, which are among the U.S. Postal Services’ fastest delivery options.

Philip Gray, the president and owner of Capitol Presort Services, did not immediately respond to questions about his company’s bankruptcy and how the backlog of mail came about.

Capitol Presort Services advertises itself as a way for "companies to maximize postal discounts while improving their mail delivery," according to its website. Mail presorting allows organizations to prepare mail with the proper bar codes and trays needed for easy delivery by USPS, which USPS offers to companies at a discounted rate.