WASHINGTON (Dec. 5)—The U.S. Postal Service's plan to change its methods of retread tire procurement "could result in severe economic consequences to a number of family-owned and -operated small businesses," Rep. Donald Manzullo, R-Ill., wrote in a letter to Postmaster General John E. Potter.
The USPS believes that giving a nationwide retreading contract to a large retreading technology firm will enhance the agency's retread procurement, but Manzullo sides with the Tire Industry Association and the Tire Retread Information Bureau on behalf of smaller, local retreaders who often depend on local USPS contracts to stay in business. A meeting between the USPS and retread industry officials is scheduled for Dec. 10 in Washington.