USPS was established by the 1970 Postal Reorganization Act, Public Law 91-375 (codified at Title 39 of the United States Code), but it is an independent establishment of the U.S. government’s executive branch. USPS is mandated by law to operate like a business and, therefore, is exempt from the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) governance. Our contracting officials use our Supplying Principles and Practices (SPs&Ps) for procurement guidance. We are also exempt from the Small Business Act, but the Supplier Diversity Program ensures that small businesses are given the opportunity to compete for USPS business.
USPS acquires goods and services pursuant to the authority of Title 39, U.S. Code 410. Our purchasing regulations can be found within 39 CFR 601, and our SPs&Ps. These regulations provide advisory and illustrative approaches that may generally be used by USPS employees during the purchasing process, but are intended to provide for flexibility and discretion in their application to specific business situations. The goal of USPS’s supplying activities is to further the business and competitive interests of the Postal Service through the use of supply chain management business practices and best value solutions.
