Every Postal Service contractor should know the answer to certain fundamental questions: What procurement rules apply to the Postal Service and how do they differ from other agencies? What contract provisions are most likely to cause problems during performance? How do I identify and respond to changes and changed conditions? What recourse do I have when disputes arise?
That’s why our firm is presenting a full-day seminar on “Postal Service Contracting: What Every Contractor Should Know,” at the Westin Tysons Corner hotel on Thursday, November 6, 2014.
We start with the basics
We start with a primer on the creation, structure, and current management of the Postal Service. We provide vital background and statistical information that all postal contractors should know. We explore the pressing issues confronting the Postal Service today, its plans for the future, and how these issues will impact contractors. We conclude the session by setting out the 23 most important “culture pointers” encountered in the unique Postal Service contracting environment.
USPS’s purchasing rules
Next, we explore the Postal Service’s unique purchasing rules. The Postal Service has placed a renewed emphasis on obtaining competition in contracting. Coupled with fewer agency dollars to spend, this means that postal contractors need to understand the policies that apply to the procurement process, and the avenues available when problems arise. Topics include:
▪ Prequalification
▪ Evaluation criteria
▪ Responding to solicitations
▪ Reverse auctions
▪ Discussions and negotiations
▪ New restrictions on noncompetitive contracting
▪ Green purchasing
▪ Special USPS contract clauses
▪ Protests and disagreements
Contract administration problem areas
Like it or not, the success of your contract depends on how well you administer it. We describe “best practice” contract administration techniques and the most frequently encountered contract administration problems that arise in performing a Postal Service contract. We also describe the costs you are entitled to recover if your contract is terminated for convenience, in whole or in part.
Changes and claims
Nobody wants them, but they are a fact of life. This section of the seminar examines your rights and responsibilities when your contract is changed. We identify the most common types of changes, how to respond to them, and how to avoid taking self-defeating actions. We then describe the process employed for bringing and resolving contractor and Postal Service claims.
Additional information and registration:
The seminar is being held at the Westin Hotel in Tysons Corner, VA, close to both Dulles Airport and Reagan National Airport. Continental breakfast and a luncheon are provided, and a discounted hotel rate is available for attendees. The registration cost is $395, and $295 for each additional person from the same company. Click here to register or for more information, or contact Seminar Coordinator Stephanie Dorssom at 314-345-6646.