Supplier diversity program

Diversity performance and tracking

Performance indicators

The Postal Service™ establishes effort-based indicators for continued improvement. These indicators include…

  • Ensuring that SMWOBs are considered in the sourcing process, including consideration for prequalification and subcontracting opportunities.
  • Attending and participating in business opportunities and trade fairs promoting SMWOBs.
  • Holding advisory and debriefing sessions with SMWOBs.
  • Participating in and sponsoring forums that provide suppliers an opportunity to receive additional guidance on processes within a commodity area.
  • Expanding the types and numbers of source files and related resources used to identify qualified suppliers.
  • Developing, implementing, and maintaining purchasing plans and commodity strategies that include SMWOBs.
  • Understanding the current diversity of each category supplier base and taking specific steps to ensure the continued effectiveness of that base.
  • Benchmarking results with other public and private-sector organizations.

Nothing in this Plan requires or permits employees that generate a requirement, approve a purchase, commit postal funds, identify or select suppliers, or manage a supplier relationship to grant preferential treatment to any person on the basis of race or gender.

Tracking progress

To foster continued improvement, the Postal Service™ monitors all effort-based indicators and year-end results on a quarterly basis. The Postal Service will periodically adjust supply strategies to adopt leading practices identified in the supply chain management process.

Goals

The Supplier Diversity Corporate Plan outlines the Postal Service’s commitment to the SMWOB community. Although statutorily exempt from the Small Business Act, the Postal Service establishes annual goals that represent the maximum opportunities for SMWOB participation in contracts that further its business and competitive interests.

The goal for each SMWOB category is expressed as a percentage of the estimated total contract values for the fiscal year and is assessed on the following factors…

  • Historical achievements in each business category
  • Current Commodity Strategies
  • Estimated total dollar values of all prime contracts to be awarded in the fiscal year

NOTE: Fiscal year goals are available under “Doing Business With Us” at USPS.com®.

Data Collection and Reporting

All suppliers are required to allocate prime and subcontracting (second-tier) spending within each socioeconomic category.

The Postal Service will continue to collect and report results through the tracking of…

  • Total number of actions (contract awards and modifications)
  • Total dollar amount of actions (contract awards and modifications)
  • Number of actions with SMWOBs (contract awards and modifications)
  • Prime Supplier SMWOBs allocation
  • Subcontracting (second-tier) spending allocation with SMWOBs
  • Total purchase card expenditures
  • Number and value of purchase card expenditures with SMWOBs