USPS Contracts: How to Sell to the US Postal Service

The United States Postal Service spent $21.4 billion on contracts in FY2023 — making it one of the largest purchasers in the federal government. And with a $40 billion, 10-year modernization plan (Delivering for America) underway, spending is accelerating across vehicles, technology, facilities, and transportation.

But here's what most contractors don't realize: USPS contracting is completely different from every other federal agency. It doesn't use SAM.gov. It doesn't follow the FAR. It has its own procurement portal, its own rules, and its own registration process. If you've only worked with DoD or civilian agencies, you'll need to learn a new system.

This guide covers everything you need to know to sell to the Postal Service.

Why USPS Contracting Is Different

The USPS is an "independent establishment of the executive branch" under 39 U.S.C. § 201. This legal status gives it unique procurement authority that differs from every other federal agency:

Factor	USPS	Other Federal Agencies
Procurement rules	Supplying Principles and Practices (advisory, non-binding)	FAR (binding regulation)
Competition requirement	"Adequate competition whenever appropriate"	"Full and open competition" (CICA mandate)
Small business mandate	Exempt from the Small Business Act (voluntary goals only)	Legally mandated set-asides and goals
Solicitation portal	USPS eSourcing (Coupa) / Logistics Gateway	SAM.gov
Vendor registration	USPS-specific registration process	SAM.gov registration
Dispute resolution	USPS Supplier Disagreement Resolution + PSBCA	GAO protests + ASBCA/CBCA
Contracting authority	VP of Supply Management (unlimited authority)	Delegated warranted contracting officers

The key takeaway: USPS has maximum procurement flexibility. Its Supplying Principles and Practices manual is advisory, not regulatory. There's no Competition in Contracting Act mandate. And the VP of Supply Management has unlimited contracting authority. This means USPS can move faster and more flexibly than agencies bound by the FAR — but it also means the process is less transparent for vendors.

Laws That DO Apply

Despite its exemptions, several federal laws still apply to USPS contracts: the Service Contract Act, Davis-Bacon Act (construction), Miller Act (bonding), Contract Disputes Act, Prompt Payment Act, Section 508 (accessibility), and Section 889 NDAA (telecom restrictions).

What USPS Buys — $21.4 Billion in Annual Spending

FY2023 spending by category:

Category	FY2023 Spend
Highway transportation	$6.6B
Air transportation	$3.1B
Other services	$1.4B
Information technology	$1.2B
Vehicle maintenance	$864M
Fuel and utilities	$778M
Packaging and supplies	$271M+ (Victory Packaging alone)
Total	$21.4B

Transportation dominates — 7 of the top 10 USPS suppliers in FY2023 were transportation companies. But IT ($1.2B), vehicle procurement (NGDV program), EV charging infrastructure, facility leasing, and mail processing equipment represent substantial non-transportation opportunities.

Major Ongoing Programs

Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV) — Oshkosh Defense

The signature USPS modernization program:

Contract: 10-year IDIQ awarded February 2021
First production order: $2.98B for 50,000 vehicles (~$59,600/unit)
Total range: 50,000 to 165,000 vehicles over 10 years
EV mix: 75% will be battery-electric; at least 45,000 BEVs by 2028
Manufacturing: Oshkosh Defense facility in Spartanburg, SC

EV Charging Infrastructure

Funded by $1.71B from the Inflation Reduction Act. Three suppliers: Blink Charging (IDIQ for up to 41,500 chargers), Siemens, and Rexel/ChargePoint (3-year contract). First chargers installed January 2024.

Delivering for America — 10-Year Plan

USPS's $40 billion self-funded modernization:

Vehicles: 106,000 new vehicles total (66,000 zero-emission); 25,684 acquired in FY2024 alone — the largest single-year deployment in USPS history
Package sorting: 348 new machines deployed; daily capacity increased to 70 million packages
Facilities: New 1M+ sq ft regional processing centers; $2.9B committed to facilities capital
Transportation savings: $1.3B achieved in FY2024, targeting $3B over two years

Air Cargo Transition

USPS ended its 20+ year relationship with FedEx (contract expired September 2024) and signed a new 5.5-year contract with UPS. USPS had already cut air volume ~90% from 2021-2024, saving ~$1B before the transition.

IT Modernization — $2.8B ITS IDIQ

In May 2023, USPS awarded a $2.8B, 7-year IT Services IDIQ to 11 companies including GovCIO, Peraton Enterprise Solutions, and Infosys Public Services.

Where to Find USPS Opportunities

Critical difference: USPS opportunities are NOT posted on SAM.gov. You must use USPS's own portals.

USPS eSourcing Portal (All Categories Except Surface Transportation)

Built on the Coupa Supplier Portal. Used for IT, equipment, services, air transportation, and all other categories. Accessed via about.usps.com/what/business-services/suppliers/. Contact: [email protected].

Logistics Gateway (Surface Transportation Only)

Dedicated portal for highway and surface transportation carriers at logistics.usps.com. Contact: [email protected].

SAM.gov (Awards Only)

USPS voluntarily publicizes competitive and noncompetitive contract awards over $500,000 on SAM.gov — but the solicitations themselves are not posted there. You cannot respond to USPS opportunities through SAM.gov.

How to Register as a USPS Supplier

For non-transportation suppliers (eSourcing path):

Prepare prerequisites: Obtain a DUNS number and identify your NAICS code (USPS also uses UNSPSC codes).
Submit registration form: Download the Supplier Registration Form from the USPS website and email it to [email protected].
Receive Coupa invitation: After USPS reviews your form, you'll get access to the Coupa Supplier Portal.
Complete supplier profile: Fill out the full profile and USPS Supplier Information (SIM) form in Coupa.
Wait for USPS review: USPS reviews for completeness and sends final approval.

Important: Registration does NOT guarantee an invitation to bid. USPS invites registered suppliers to specific eSourcing events based on its needs. Think of registration as getting on the vendor list — you still need to be selected for specific opportunities.

For surface transportation: register directly at logistics.usps.com.

Relevant NAICS Codes

484110 / 484121 / 484122 — General Freight Trucking (dominant spend category)
481112 — Scheduled Air Freight
541512 / 541511 — Computer Systems Design / Custom Programming (IT contracts)
336211 / 336999 — Motor Vehicle Body / Other Transportation Equipment (NGDV)
335999 / 335313 — Electrical Equipment / Power Distribution (EV charging)
334119 — Other Computer Peripheral Equipment (mail processing equipment)
532411 / 531120 — Equipment Rental / Building Rental (facility leasing)
315210 — Cut and Sew Apparel (uniforms)
561499 — All Other Business Support Services (mail presort, consolidation)

Top USPS Suppliers (FY2023)

Supplier	FY2023 Spend	Category
FedEx	$1.6B	Air transportation (contract ended Sept 2024)
10 Roads Express	$734M	Over-the-road carrier (largest highway supplier)
Oshkosh Defense	$378M	NGDV vehicle production
UPS	$339M	Air cargo (now primary carrier post-FedEx)
Victory Packaging	$271M	Packaging materials (largest non-transport supplier)
ITS National	$248M	Transportation

The top 150 suppliers collectively received $14B (65% of total spend).

Small Business and Supplier Diversity

USPS is exempt from the Small Business Act — there are no legally mandated small business set-asides, no SBA size standards enforced, and no required percentage goals. However, USPS voluntarily runs a Supplier Diversity Corporate Plan targeting Small, Minority-Owned, and Women-Owned Businesses (SMWOBs).

The program tracks spending across small businesses, minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses, and veteran-owned businesses. USPS publishes annual goals as a percentage of estimated total contract values.

While the voluntary nature means fewer formal set-asides than other agencies, it also means less bureaucratic overhead for small businesses that can demonstrate value.

Other Ways to Work with USPS

Beyond standard contracting, USPS offers several alternative business relationships:

Unsolicited Proposal Program — For companies with innovative ideas not tied to a specific solicitation
Approved Postal Provider Programs — For businesses that want to offer alternate mailing/shipping locations
Contract Postal Units — For operating postal services at your own location

How to Win USPS Contracts

Register First, Then Be Patient

Unlike SAM.gov where you can browse and bid on any open solicitation, USPS invites registered suppliers to specific events. Get registered, keep your profile current, and be responsive when invitations arrive.

Understand the Advisory Framework

USPS's procurement rules are advisory, not regulatory. This gives contracting officers more discretion than at other agencies. Relationships and demonstrated capability matter more than strict compliance with procedural requirements.

Target the Modernization Wave

The Delivering for America plan is creating demand across every category: EV charging infrastructure, new vehicle maintenance, IT modernization, facility construction, and package sorting equipment. If your products or services align with these priorities, now is the time to register.

Don't Assume SAM.gov Rules Apply

Everything you know about federal contracting — FAR compliance, full and open competition, SBA set-asides, SAM.gov registration — does not apply to USPS. Approach it as a separate market with its own rules, portals, and culture.

Watch for Subcontracting Opportunities

With top suppliers receiving hundreds of millions each, subcontracting to prime USPS contractors is a viable entry strategy — especially for IT (under the $2.8B ITS IDIQ) and transportation.

Next Steps

Try BidSparq free for 14 days — AI-matched procurement opportunities from 2,000+ sources
Register as a USPS supplier at about.usps.com/what/business-services/suppliers/
Browse active federal RFPs by state
Learn about NAICS codes for government procurement
Read our guide to government contract search engines