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Permanent Note: On May 1, 2006, the Interim Internal Purchasing Guidelines were replaced by the Postal Service's Supplying Principles and Practices (SPs and Ps).
The SPs and Ps have been updated to reflect the following:
Process Step 2: Evaluate Sources
2-1 Develop Purchase Plan
- 2-1.3.1, Competitive Purchases, list of elements to be addressed in the purchase plan is revised to include best value sought for a particular purchase, evaluation factors, and proposed evaluation strategy.
2-10 Determine Extent of Competition
2-18 Select Contract Type
2-26 Develop Proposal Evaluation Strategy
- Revised to state that proposal evaluation strategies should be tailored to the purchase and if simplified purchasing procedures are to be a used, a streamlined proposal evaluation process should be used.
- 2-26.1, Best Value, revised to state that aspects of value are expressed in the solicitation’s evaluation factors and tied in to other aspects of the purchasing process.
- 2-26.2, Proposal Evaluation Strategy and Factors, re-titled and revised to state that past performance and supplier capability are mandatory evaluation factors, and risk of successful performance should almost always be considered. Examples of proposal evaluation factors and weighting discussion revised and included in later sections.
- 2-26.3, Cost/Price Factors, new section added.
- 2-26.3.1, Relationship of Cost or Price Factors to Other Evaluation Factors, states that the relationship of cost/price factors to other evaluation factors should be generally stated in all solicitations.
- 2-26.4, Past Performance and Supplier Capability, new section discussing mandatory evaluation factors.
- 2-26.4.1, Past Performance, states requirements and considerations when evaluating suppliers’ past performance.
- 2-26.4.2, Supplier Capability, states considerations when evaluating supplier capability including technical and financial capabilities, and other business information.
- 2-26.5, Site Visits, new section stating site visits may be conducted to validate and supplement information provided by potential suppliers.
- 2-26.6, Preaward Survey, new section stating preaward surveys may be used if required information and discussions do not provide an adequate basis for determining capability.
- 2-26.7, Subcontractors, new sections stating suppliers are generally responsible for determining subcontractor capability, however in cases where the USPS assesses subcontractors, the criteria used to determine prime supplier capability should be used.
- 2-26.8, Other Evaluation Factors, includes revised information from former section 2-26.2, Proposal Evaluation, factors including list of potential factors, use, and scoring systems.
- 2-26.9, Quadrant Approach, renumbered.
- 2-26.10, Other Topics Considered, renumbered.
2-29 Issue Amendments, revised for clarity.
2-30 Receive and Record Proposals
2-31 Implement Proposal Evaluation Strategy, complete revision).
- 2-31.1, Proposal Evaluation, discussion of preliminary review of proposals and granting an opportunity to acknowledge an amendment and correct mistakes is removed.
- 2-31.2, Individual Evaluation, removed explanation of two types of evaluation factors other information moved to 2-26.8 Other Evaluation Factors.
- 2-31.4, Disclosure and Use of Information, re-titled and revised to address the release of information during the purchasing process and to state restrictions on release of information after receipt of proposals.
2-35 Reserved
2-40 Produce Contract Award Documentation
- 2-40.3, Contract File, added cross-reference to 2-42 for information regarding contract files for simplified purchases.
2-43 Simplified Purchasing, new section added.
- 2-43.1, General, defines simplified purchasing.
- 2-43.2, Purpose, states that simplified purchasing can reduce costs, promote efficiency, and lessen burdens on the Postal Service and its suppliers.
- 2-43.3, Use, states when simplified purchasing should be used.
- 2-43.4, Clauses and Provisions, requires Provisions 4-1, 4-2, and 4-3 and Clauses 4-1 and 4-2 in all solicitations and contracts.
- 2-43.5, Soliciting Proposals
- 2-43.5.1, General, states that simplified purchases allow for use of both oral and written solicitations.
- 2-43.5.2, Solicitation Requirements, describes the elements that must be communicated to potential suppliers.
- 2-43.5.3, Relative Importance of the Evaluation Factors, states that solicitation need not disclose the relative importance of evaluation factors.
- 2-43.5.4, Oral Solicitations, lists the information which must be provided to and obtained from suppliers when conducting oral solicitations.
- 2-43.5.5, Written Solicitations, states written solicitations should contain the same elements as oral solicitations and may require additional elements.
- 2-43.6, Evaluation, states that formal evaluation plans and scoring and ranking of proposals are not required, but proposals must be evaluated and compared in accordance with the solicitations, and this must be documented using the Simplified Purchasing Template.
- 2-43.7, Discussions and Negotiations, provides cross-references to 2-37, Hold Discussions, and 2-38, Negotiate with Suppliers.
- 2-43.8, Contract Award, states that the best value rationale must be documented on the template, the award must be made in accordance with the basis established in the solicitation, the CO must determine that the price is fair and reasonable, and that required reviews and approvals must be obtained. This section also discusses when contract award is made and award notification.
- 2-43.9, Notification to Unsuccessful Offerors, states when unsuccessful offerors must be notified and what the notification must include.
- 2-43.10, Contract Files for Simplified Purchases, states what must be included in the contract file.
- 2-43.11, Other Topics Considered
Process Step 3
3-1 Award Contract and Notify Suppliers
- 3-1.1, Award and Notification, added cross-reference to 2-42 for information regarding notification to unsuccessful offerors when simplified purchasing techniques were used.
General Practices
7-1 Appointment and Selection of Contracting Officers
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