Discussions and negotiations are not the same. Discussions are communications between the purchase⁄SCM team and offerors. Generally, negotiations are held with one or more suppliers after the purchase⁄SCM team has determined through either discussions or the proposal evaluation team’s recommendations, that the supplier’s (or suppliers’) proposal has the best chance of providing the Postal Service the best value. The goal of negotiations is to come to final agreement on contract terms and conditions, including contract type and price.
When negotiating, the purchase⁄SCM team must remember that the client’s needs, the purchase plan, and best value are the forces that drive all actions. The negotiation process will also be impacted by the establishment of detailed objectives regarding the aspects of contract performance, including:
