7-16.5 Innovations

The Postal Service encourages suppliers to provide innovative supply chain practices and offer products and services that further the Postal Service’s sustainability objectives. Early supplier involvement, RFIs, and value engineering are methods whereby purchase/SCM teams can promote sustainability in the purchasing process, and Clause 7-10, Sustainability, which is included in all Postal Service contracts, encourages suppliers to improve environmental sustainability practices in the performance of the contract (see 7-16.7 for more information). COs should examine Clause 2-22, Value Engineering Incentive, as an example of a cost-sharing approach that may be used as a starting point for encouraging innovation. Clause 2-22 may be modified as needed to meet the goals of the purchase, or COs and purchase/SCM teams may draft contract-specific clauses depending on the nature of the purchase. In either case, the CO must consult assigned counsel in the incentivizing effort.