How to Become a Contract Delivery Service for the United States Postal Service

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Megaera Lorenz, PhD. Megaera Lorenz is an Egyptologist and Writer with over 20 years of experience in public education. In 2017, she graduated with her PhD in Egyptology from The University of Chicago, where she served for several years as a content advisor and program facilitator for the Oriental Institute Museum’s Public Education office. She has also developed and taught Egyptology courses at The University of Chicago and Loyola University Chicago.

There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.

This article has been viewed 327,279 times.

The U.S. Postal Service has always relied on contractors to help deliver the mail, especially in rural or difficult to access areas. If you’re interested in working as a contract delivery service with the USPS, you can do so either as an individual or as an organization. To get started, you’ll need to make sure you meet the eligibility requirements and file the appropriate paperwork with the USPS.

Part 1 of 2:

Applying for a Transportation Contract

Step 1 Determine what type of contract you need.

Step 2 Check if you meet the contractor eligibility requirements.

Tip: For most individual contract delivery positions, you’ll need to provide your own vehicle. Your vehicle may also need to meet certain requirements, such as being in good working order and large enough to accommodate the amount of mail you normally carry on your route. [2] X Research source

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Step 3 Complete a Mailing List Application.

Step 4 Mail the application to your local contracting office.

Step 5 Obtain a DUNS.

Step 6 Register as a federal contractor with SAM if you represent an organization.

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Finding Delivery Contract Opportunities

Step 1 Check with your local contracting officer for opportunities.

Step 2 Visit the FedBizOpps website to see contractor solicitations.

Note: FBO.gov has been moved to https://sam.gov/content/home and is now known as Contract Opportunities.

Step 3 Use the USPS Supplier Registration system for organizational contracts.

Step 4 Search for individual delivery contractor jobs on general job websites.

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Community Q&A

Where do I get the PS Form 5436? wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer

This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer

You can find this form on the About.USPS.com website. Navigate to "Find a Form" under the "Resources" tab at the top of the page.

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How do I find the proper address to send the form 5436? wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer

This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer

Regional addresses for contracting officers are available in the Mail Transportation Contracting Guide (Publication 33). This guide is linked in the article, or you can find it by doing an online search for "USPS Mail Transportation Contracting Guide."

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How do I find out if there are routes available in my area? wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer

This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer

Check with your local USPS distribution network office. You can find contact information for these offices in the USPS Mail Transportation Contracting Guide (Publication 33).

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  1. ↑https://local300npmhu.org/wordpress-content/uploads/2013/07/Pub33-Mail-Transportation-CONTRACTING-Guide.pdf
  2. ↑https://apwu.org/sites/apwu/files/resource-files/PO-603%20Rural%20Carrier%20Duties%20and%20Responsibilities%2009-13.pdf
  3. ↑https://local300npmhu.org/wordpress-content/uploads/2013/07/Pub33-Mail-Transportation-CONTRACTING-Guide.pdf
  4. ↑https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-utl/duns_num_guide.pdf
  5. ↑https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-utl/duns_num_guide.pdf
  6. ↑https://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/register/sam-registration/index.html
  7. ↑https://local300npmhu.org/wordpress-content/uploads/2013/07/Pub33-Mail-Transportation-CONTRACTING-Guide.pdf
  8. ↑https://about.usps.com/suppliers/becoming/registration.htm
  9. ↑https://about.usps.com/suppliers/becoming/registration.htm
  1. ↑https://about.usps.com/suppliers/becoming/esourcing-user-guide.htm
  2. ↑https://about.usps.com/careers/

About This Article

Co-authored by: wikiHow Staff Writer

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Megaera Lorenz, PhD. Megaera Lorenz is an Egyptologist and Writer with over 20 years of experience in public education. In 2017, she graduated with her PhD in Egyptology from The University of Chicago, where she served for several years as a content advisor and program facilitator for the Oriental Institute Museum’s Public Education office. She has also developed and taught Egyptology courses at The University of Chicago and Loyola University Chicago. This article has been viewed 327,279 times.

86 votes - 82% Co-authors: 11 Updated: October 31, 2023 Views: 327,279 Categories: Occupations

The USPS relies on contract delivery services to deliver mail, especially in rural or difficult to access areas. To become a contract delivery service, you’ll usually need your own vehicle that’s in good condition and big enough to carry the mail for your route. Fill out a mailing list application from the USPS website and mail it to your local contracting office. If you’re registering as an organization, you’ll need a Data Universal Number System number, which places you on a directory for government contracts. If you want to bid on contracts as an organization, you’ll also need to register with the System for Award Management. Once you’ve submitted your application, you should start receiving information about opportunities through the mail. You can also call your local office or visit them in person to find out about opportunities. For more tips, including how to find individual delivery contractor jobs online, read on!

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