USPS Curbs Canceled Trip Plans for CLEAR Contracts

The Postal Service intends to pull a much-maligned contract provision striking payments for runs canceled as soon as four hours before its scheduled start, provided that the contract is on the CLEAR system.

Keith Harris, director of the Surface Transportation Category Management Center, detailed the planned change to NSRMCA Executive Director Greg Reed in a phone call June 13. Contracts being transitioned to the Postal Service’s new CLEAR contracting platform will be the first to have the provision removed. All PNT and LDT contracts should reflect the change by early 2023.

The provision, which was introduced in the 2022 update to the USPS Statement of Work Addendum to postal contracts, specifies that “suppliers will not be compensated for canceled service” if they are provided with at least four hours prior notice. Earlier contracts provided at least partial compensation.

Harris first unveiled the contract provision during the NSRMCA’s Northeastern/Eastern Region meeting on April 1 and was met with immediate pushback from contractors at the meeting.

It is unknown whether the Postal Service intends to maintain the provision for existing non-CLEAR contracts going forward.

Contracts will begin transitioning to the CLEAR platform on Sept. 1, Harris stated.