2-27.1 Publicizing Requirements

The purchase/SCM team should use market knowledge to determine whether purchase, subcontracting or prequalification opportunities should be publicized and, if so, by what means and to what extent. If there is any doubt that the identified listing of potential sources for any RFP does not represent the most capable suppliers in the marketplace or will not result in adequate competition, the purchase/SCM team should publicize. Although publicizing requirements is a matter of judgment, purchase opportunities should be publicized if:

• Best value could be realized from market providers not previously identified as potential suppliers.
• Competitive or noncompetitive awards offer significant subcontracting opportunities.
• Publicizing will further the Postal Service’s supplier diversity objectives.
• The announcement of the award may enhance future competition.
• Publicizing will further the business and competitive interests of the Postal Service.

The contracting officer is responsible for publicizing requirements. Methods for publicizing include:

• Announcement in the GPE, also known as SAM (https://sam.gov).
• Announcement in other media.
• Presolicitation notices.

See Section 2-10.3.8, Publicizing, for information regarding the post award requirement to publicize all noncompetitive awards valued at $1 million or more; Section 3-2.1, Advance Notification of Contract Awards, for information regarding the preaward requirement to provide advance notification to key internal stakeholders for certain contract awards; and Section 3-2.2, Publicizing Contract Awards, for guidance on publicizing contract awards to promote competition in subcontracting and the requirement to publicize noncompetitive awards value at $1 million or more upon award.