Contract Delivery Service (CDS) HCR 935C1 PALMDALE, CA to H001, CA

The U.S. Postal Service is soliciting proposals under Contract Delivery Service (CDS) Contract 935C1 for surface transportation services between Palmdale, CA, and Lake Hughes, CA, with an effective service start date of October 1, 2026. The solicitation, numbered 801-838-26, closes on May 18, 2026, at 10:00 AM Mountain Time, and requires offerors to submit a two-volume proposal using standardized USPS forms—PS Form 7405 for technical and contractual details and PS Form 7468A for pricing. Proposals must be emailed to amy.warnecke@usps.gov or faxed to 651-456-6819. The contract is a fixed-price arrangement with economic price adjustment, covering mail transportation between designated points including Palmdale, Lake Hughes, and Leona Valley, with performance requiring certainty, celerity, and security under all conditions. Contractors must operate vehicles equipped with roof warning lights, secure enclosed compartments, cellular communication, and adhere to strict safety and security protocols, including prohibition of unauthorized passengers or items in mail compartments. Offers are evaluated based on three equally weighted technical factors—Past Performance, Supplier Capability, and Operations Plan—with price playing a secondary but critical role in trade-off decisions. Offerors must demonstrate strong past performance in timeliness and business relations, sufficient equipment availability and financial condition, and a comprehensive operations plan covering both normal and contingency scenarios. Supplier eligibility is assessed as a pass/fail gate, and only those meeting all requirements may proceed to technical evaluation. Contractors must comply with numerous USPS-specific clauses covering indemnification, payment terms, fuel price adjustments, safety ratings, subcontracting, privacy protection, and labor standards including the Service Contract Act. Special requirements include mandatory background investigations for all personnel using Form 2025, Form 2181-C, and FD Form 258, with clearance valid for four years and rescreening required. Former Postal Service officers are barred from key roles for one year post-retirement if duties are substantially similar. The contract permits up to 6 months of extensions in 90-day increments under the same terms. Contractors must avoid organizational conflicts of interest, report any data breaches within 24 hours, prohibit weapons or impairment on duty, and comply with reporting obligations for subcontracting over $1 million and affirmative action goals. No contract