A delivered-package vault has a selectively-lockable access portal that is configured to contain at least one package, which package has at least one recipient-specific requirement associated therewith. The delivered-package vault also includes a two-way communications interface configured to communicate with a remote source having that at least one recipient-specific requirement and further includes a control circuit that operably couples to the two-way communications interface and the selectively-lockable access portal. The control circuit is configured to communicate with the remote source regarding the at least one recipient-specific requirement for the at least one package that is presently in the delivered-package vault and to unlock the selectively-lockable access portal to thereby provide access to the at least one package by a recipient who meets the at least one recipient-specific requirement.