7-16 Sustainability

7-16.1 General

As stated in the Sustainability section of the Ethics and Social Responsibility Principle, the Postal Service recognizes that environmentally sustainable purchasing has the potential to reduce the environmental and financial costs of our operations and network. Building sustainability considerations into purchase plans, solicitations, evaluation factors, and best value decisions can have a major impact on the Postal Service’s achievement of its sustainability goals. At all times, however, best value to the Postal Service must remain the basis of buying and supplying business decisions.

Clause 7-10, Sustainability, encourages suppliers to improve sustainability effectiveness in the performance of Postal Service contracts, and states that the Postal Service will collaborate with suppliers to identify opportunities to improve sustainability performance and, when deserved, will reward suppliers’ innovation in the area of sustainability improvement. Clause 7-10 is included in all Postal Service contracts through its incorporation by reference in Clause 4-2, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Policies, Statutes, or Executive Orders.