The goal of Postal Service supplying activities is the achievement of best value for the Postal Service, and sourcing and material management decisions are made on this basis. Best value is defined in the Best Value Supplying Principle as “the outcome that provides the optimal combination of elements such as lowest TCO, technology, innovation and efficiency, assurance of supply, and quality consistent with the Postal Service’s needs and market strategy.” In the sourcing area, best value is generally achieved through competition because competition brings market forces to bear and helps purchase/SCM teams compare the relative value of proposals and prices.
