A mail collection box sits outside of the Butler Post Office on Monday, June 30. Nearly 3 million pieces of state agency mail, mostly from November, were left unsent by a vendor. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

Around 2.7 million pieces of state agency mail from the last month never got delivered after a state-contracted vendor failed to send them.

Between Nov. 3 and Dec. 3, correspondence from the state Department of Human Services and the Department of Transportation were never sent out by Capitol Presort Services, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. The state fired the vendor and hired another company on Dec. 5, to take over services.

Paul Vezzetti, a spokesperson for the state Department of General Services, told the Inquirer that PennDot driver’s license and vehicle registration renewal invitations, driver’s license camera cards, vehicle registration cards and address update cards were included in the disruption.

“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,” Vezzetti told the Inquirer.

The full extent of agencies affected by the disruption is unclear.

Vezzetti also told the Inquirer that all the unsent mail has been transported to the United States Postal Service, and that PennDOT customers should receive their expected mail within the next seven to 10 days.

Through an emergency contract, the state hired Pitney Bowes for $1 million to take over mail operations.

“The supplier was chosen based on their proven performance providing similar mail-processing services, ability to meet critical time frames, and readiness to assume responsibilities with no interruption to commonwealth operations,” the contract stated.