{
  "id": 11154526,
  "title": "Internal document reveals Amazon's secret contingency plan for life without the US Postal Service",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/internal-document-reveals-amazons-secret-contingency-plan-for-life",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-01T09:00:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Insider",
    "slug": "business-insider",
    "url": "https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-delivery-expansion-nearly-all-zip-codes-by-2029-2026-9"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "An internal document reveals that Amazon has developed a contingency plan, named Project Aurelian, in case the US Postal Service (USPS) is no longer a reliable delivery partner. The internal planning document, reviewed by Business Insider and sources familiar with the project, outlines how Amazon could continue serving customers if negotiations with USPS were to fall apart.\n\nProject Aurelian aims to serve 95% of ZIP codes, covering 99.9% of US demand, through the expansion of Amazon's own delivery network and partnerships with third-party carriers. The plan involves the construction of new delivery warehouses and local collaborations to reduce dependency on USPS carriers. Amazon's previous negotiations with USPS became strained last year, leading the company to start preparing for a future without USPS as a delivery partner.\n\nThe negotiations took a significant turn in April when the two companies reached an agreement. However, the planning exercise has shaped Amazon's future delivery strategy, pushing the company to aim for a dual coverage approach, where every addressable ZIP code is served by both its own delivery network and at least one third-party carrier. This strategy ensures that Amazon has two ways to reach customers and provides it more leverage in future negotiations.\n\nAmazon's expansion efforts include opening 165 core delivery stations between 2027 and 2029, adding around 3,300 ZIP codes with dedicated van delivery. The company is also pursuing Project Mercury, a plan to build more than 1,000 same-day fulfillment centers to bring popular inventory within 10 miles of most Prime customers. Additionally, Amazon plans to lower the minimum number of packages generated by a ZIP code before offering its own delivery service, from 50 a day to no minimum at all.\n\nDespite its ambitious delivery network expansion, Amazon still relies on USPS for its US Postal Service contract, which expires in September 2029. The company assumes the partnership will be renewed due to the mutual dependency between Amazon and USPS. Amazon estimates that without a renewal, its network would need to absorb an additional $860 million in network costs annually.",
  "summary": "Amazon developed a USPS contingency plan as contract talks soured. Its own delivery service now aims to reach nearly every US ZIP code by 2029.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}