Imperial Postal Service (Barrayar)
| Imperatorskiy Pochtovaya sluzhba Imperial Postal Service Service postal impérial Aftokratorikí Tachydromikí Ypiresía | |
 Official logo of the Imperial Postal Service | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | January 4, 2867 |
| Jurisdiction | Barrayar |
| Motto | Forward Momentum |
| Minister responsible |
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| Agency executive |
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| Parent department | Ministry of Posts and Communications |
The Imperial Postal Service is the state postal and telecommunications monopoly of the Barrayaran Empire. The IPS is placed under the control of the Ministry of Posts and Communications of the Government of Barrayar. The IPS provides throughout the Imperium postal services (including philately), holo-video telecommunication services, planetary written communication services, Barrayaran datasphere services, interplanetary communication services (within the Empire).
The Service operates the physical services, while the Ministry of Post and Communications is directly in charge for the overall discipline of the matter and for implementation of the policies related with posts and telecommunications. The IPS maintains 242,379 post offices throughout the Imperium, as well as 38,386 other offices and locations.
Overall organisation
The agency is centrally divided into functional Directorates, which in turn are subdivided into Bureaus, and into four geographic Regions: Barrayar, Komarr, Sergyar and Foreign Space: each of these regions are subdivided into functional Departments, which mirror the Directorates. Both IPS Komarr and IPS Sergyar are dependant on their planetary governments and Viceroys, while ISP Barrayar depends directly on the Government of the Empire.
State and public control
The IPS is a government agency which also carries out trade and commercial services. Therefore, while the core businesses are not matter of stock and shares control, more commercial ones are subject to share decision making.
The IPS Corp. enjoys substantial protectionist benefits from Government of Barrayar, and experiences frequent government intervention in its business affairs. Government control is maintained through the ownership of over seventy percent ownership of IPS Corp. - the remainder being controlled by public investors.
Service Board
The Board of Directors consists of no less than seven and no more than eleven members and is appointed by the Emperor on the basis of lists presented by the Minister of Posts and Communications, Interior and Industry; one additional member of the Board is elected by private stakeholders.
The Board has general powers of direction and control of the Company and running of the business. He directs the Service, pursuing the goal of creating value for society, taking into account the continuity of the company over time and to this end, the decisions necessary or useful.
The Board in plenary session shall be given a power of strategic direction and responsibility for direct intervention in the decisions of major impact on the Service. In particular, belong to the Council, inter alia:
- Examination and approval of the strategic, operational and financial and budget
- Examination and approval of strategic operations
- Verification of the organizational, administrative, with particular reference to the internal control system
- Preparation and adoption of corporate governance
- Supervision on the general performance, periodically comparing the results achieved with those planned.
Evaluation of management performance is based on a continuous flow of information to non-executive directors and auditors, coordinated by the Chairman of the Board. This assessment shall be made from time to time in various meetings and specifically, with detailed comparison of the results obtained with the objectives of the program budget, in the examination of periodic financial reports. The Board is also in charge of the evaluation of the organizational, administrative and accounting structure of the Company.
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee is composed of executive and non executive directors. The Chairman of the Executive Committee is the Chairman of the Board. The Executive Committee is responsible for:
- Implementing service internal policies
- Monitoring the performance of operations of the Service
- Approving the macro-organizational structure of the Service
- Formulating opinions to the Board on the budget and strategic plans, industrial and financial service
- Giving a prior opinion on the strategic transactions that, due to the significant impact that can have on the Service, are subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.
Audit and corporate governance commission
The Committee is composed of five non-executive directors. At least one of its members have adequate skills in accounting and finance. The Audit and corporate governance committee has advisory functions. In particular, the Committee:
- Assists the Board of Directors in carrying out the tasks related to internal control system of the Service;
- Evaluates the work plan and receives reports of internal control;
- Ensures, together with the heads of administration, the correct application of accounting standards within the Service for the purpose of preparing consolidated financial statements;
- Supervises the effectiveness of the audit process, respect for the principles of transactions with related parties, are complied with and update the rules of corporate governance.
Committee for internal appointments
The Committee for internal appointments consists of four internal non-executive directors, chaired by a Chairman appointed by the CEO. The Committee proposes policies regarding remuneration of the Chairman and CEO and the criteria for the remuneration of directors of the Service. It also monitors the implementation of decisions and corporate policies regarding the compensation of executives of the service.
In addition, the Committee for internal appointments has the responsibility for the internal process of succession and replacement of management.
Postal Services Directorate
The Postal Service Directorate is the Barrayar's courier service. With its headquarters in Vorbarr Sultana, the corporation has 1,578,199 employees trough the Imperium and on all major foreign planets.
Mail Bureau
The Mail Bureau is the letter deliver authority in Barrayar. It has the exclusive right to deliver letters under 1,000 grams in Barrayar. The Mail Bureau is further subdivided into the following units:
- Mail Communication handles domestic mail service as well as international mail from Barrayar
- Press Services handles domestic distribution of print products (newspapers and magazines).
- Universal Mail handles international mail and domestic mail in other countries under the IPS umbrella.
Express Bureau
The Express Bureau transports courier, express and parcel shipments all over the Nexus, combining space and ground transport, under the IPS. It is divided into business units along Nexus regions.
Freight Bureau
The Freight Bureau carries goods by rail, road, air and space under the IPS. It consists of two main business units:
- IPS Nexus Forwarding handles nexus-wide freight.
- IPS Freight runs an Imperium-based freight network covering the three planets belonging to the Empire.
Enterprise Information Solutions Bureau
The Enterprise Information Solutions Bureau provides contract logistics and corporate information solutions tailor-made for customers. It consists of two main business units:
- Supply Chain provides warehousing and warehouse transport services as well as value-added solutions along the entire supply chain for customers from a wide variety of sectors.
- Corporate Information Solutions handles documents (collection, digitalisation, printing, storage, archival) of all types.
Telecommunication Service Directorate
The Telecommunication Service Directorate (abbreviated Telecom SD) is the Barrayaran telecommunication service agency headquartered in Vorbarr Sultana. All subordinate Bureaus of Telecom SD have names starting with "T-":
- T-DataHome: Legacy Telephone, Broadband & IPTV and web service Provider
- T-Mobile: Mobile Network Operator. The T-Mobile Services Bureau is a Bureau within Telecom Service Directorate in charge for mobile and cellular cellular networks in Barrayar and, among other operators, Sergyar and Komarr.
- T-System Services: business division focused on providing services to public and business sector customers
- T-Broadband/Fixed Network (BBFN)
Personnel
Although the IPS is a civilian agency, during Time of Isolation and its immediate aftermaths it served in order to keep the realm at least quite united and therefore the service under the IPS is considered to be equal to the military service, although only for second-twenty-years discharged soldiers.
Uniforms and rank insignia
The colour for postal services is the Cornflower blue, while telecommunications is gray, and other services is dark blue. The postal uniforms are generally worn only in the postal service, while in the other services uniforms were usually displayed only for special events.
Ranks
The following ranks are applied:
Managers
- President of Department
- Vice President of Department
- Actual State Councillor
- State Councillor, 1st class
- State Councillor, 2nd class
- State Councillor, 3rd class
Officials
- Senior Councillor
- Councillor
- Chief Commissioner
- Senior Commissioner
- Commissioner
Inspectors
- Inspector
- Deputy Inspector
Superintendents
- Chief Superintendent
- Superintendent
- Deputy Superintendent
Postmen
- Postman Ist class
- Postman IInd class
- Apprentice Postman