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Initial Federal Register Notice
In a March 24, 2004 announcement in the Federal Register, USPS stated its intention to change its purchasing rules and sought public comments on its proposed new rules.

Public Comments
Contains all of the public comments submitted in response to USPS's March 24, 2004 announcement in the Federal Register that USPS intended to change its purchasing regulations.

USPS's October 21, 2004 Letter
USPS's response to the public comments it received on its proposed new purchasing regulations.

Request to Postpone Implementation
Wickwire Gavin, P.C. asked the Board of Governors to postpone implementation of the proposed new purchasing regulations on the grounds that the new regulations did not remove any "inflexibilities" in the current purchasing process, nor implement any new or commercially-oriented purchasing practices.

Final Regulations
These are the final regulations, as contained in the April 19, 2005 issue of the Federal Register. The new regulations became effective on May 19, 2005.

Commentary on the New Regulations

"U.S. Postal Service:  Purchasing Changes Seem Promising, but Ombudsman Revisions and Continued Oversight Are Needed," GAO Report, Dec. 2005.

"What GAO's Report on USPS Purchasing Reform Left Out," Commentary by David Hendel.

"Misaddressed Reform:  The U.S. Postal Service's New Procurement Guidelines," article by David Hendel, published by Washington Legal Foundation, January 2006.  For more information on WLF, please visit the association's Web site at www.wlf.org.

"USPS's New Purchasing Regulations and Policies," article by David Hendel in The Clause, Fall 2005 (see page 14).

“Who Cares How The Postal Service Spends $12 Billion?” article by Charles Guy

"New USPS Procurement Rules - Are the Guidelines Really Non-Binding?" article by David Hendel

"Summary of Changes in USPS's New Purchasing in Purchasing Regulations" article by David Hendel

"Summary of Changes in USPS's Interim Internal Purchasing Guidelines" article by David Hendel

Michael Schuyler's review of the new regulations

Federal Times article, "Contractors Wary of New Procurement Rules"

Charles Guy's criticisms of the new regulations

"Legal Corner" articles:

July 2005 column, which discusses the highlights of USPS's Interim Internal Purchasing Guidelines
June 2005 column, which discusses the new purchasing regulations which went into effect on May 19, 2005.