"They're not providing just a shipping service anymore, but data information services as well," says Sue McIver, deputy director of the Services Acquisition Center at GSA. "Workers are managing materials more, so they want information about what, where and when."
GSA's contract with FedEx to provide overnight and two-day services went into effect a year ago. Although use of GSA vendors is no longer mandatory, "we got wonderful prices, so I'd be surprised if most [agencies] didn't use FedEx," says McIver.
The Postal Service, which is the only supplier that can deliver to Post Office boxes, also has a share of the market. But restrictions placed by the Postal Rate Commission make its price and services less competitive, McIver says.
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