Overview

The United States Postal Service is launching a nationwide competitive‑bidding platform that will let any qualified shipper vie for access to its last‑mile delivery network. The move ends Amazon’s long‑standing preferential arrangement and opens the door for midsize and smaller sellers to negotiate their own terms, a shift that could reshape fulfillment costs in 2026 and beyond.

Key Points

• Open solicitation replaces private contracts — All carriers, including Amazon, must now submit formal bids to use USPS’s final‑mile infrastructure, eliminating the exclusive pricing and service privileges Amazon previously enjoyed.
• Regional bidding is now possible — A retailer based in the Midwest can bid solely for delivery‑unit access in that corridor instead of being forced to commit to a nationwide agreement, making participation realistic for businesses with limited geographic reach.
• Custom contract elements are permitted — Bidders may propose their own volume thresholds, price schedules, delivery‑time windows, and contract lengths, allowing a high‑volume FBM seller in Texas to negotiate a three‑year term with a per‑piece discount tied to a 500,000‑package annual commitment.
• Access to over 18,000 delivery units — The platform unlocks USPS’s extensive network of local post offices, community mailboxes, and carrier routes that were previously allocated mainly to the largest shippers, giving smaller merchants a chance to tap into the same infrastructure.
• Granular location specifications are allowed — Shippers can request service at the individual delivery‑unit level, such as requiring same‑day handoff at a specific post office in San Francisco’s Financial District, rather than a blanket national service level.
• Potential cost pressure on Amazon — Because Amazon will now compete for the same rates as other e‑commerce players, any increase in its USPS expenses could be reflected in higher FBA fees or reduced profit margins for sellers who rely on Amazon’s fulfillment network.

How the New Bidding System Works

1. Publish a solicitation request — USPS releases a formal request for proposals (RFP) that outlines the available delivery‑unit capacity, performance standards, and evaluation criteria. For example, the Q2 2026 RFP might list 2,500 units in the Northeast corridor with a required 95 % on‑time delivery rate.