You might have heard top-notch package delivery companies like DHL, UPS, and FedEx update order delivery status as “tendered to delivery service”. What exactly does this term mean?
Whether you are an e-commerce business owner waiting for your orders to get delivered to your customers or simply an individual entity tracking their order status, it is wise to know all the necessary terms and package delivery statuses used during the whole delivery management process.
To make you aware of the underlying meaning of this term, we have curated this comprehensive guide, in which we will cover the ins and outs of tendered delivery service packages.
So, without further ado, let’s get started!
Tendered to delivery service- What does mean?
When a package delivery company makes your parcel “tendered to delivery service”, it means the package has been handed over by the company to the last-mile delivery service provider.
The giant courier companies often partner with local subcontractors to expand their e-commerce delivery operations when they themselves don’t have sufficient time and resources to do so.
In the US, usually the subcontractor is the USPS, but in some cases, it could also be the post office. Nonetheless, they prepare the package for the final mile and deliver it to the doorstep of the customer. This increases the overall efficiency of the delivery management team and ensures the fastest delivery.
Moreover, even though the different shipping carriers can mark the parcel’s “tendered to delivery” status differently, the underlying meaning of all still remains the same, with no to minimal time variation.
What does “tendered to” mean for the different package delivery companies?
The below table shows how different courier companies label “tendered to” in different ways and the post-status delivery time variation.
Moreover, it is important to know that these business days may vary depending on how strong a shipping company’s network is. For instance, USPS has the largest fleet of delivery vans that could independently drop-ship parcels at the recipient’s address without the external help of any subcontractor.
| Courier Service | Tendered to” Status | Shipping Business Days |
| FedEx | Tendered to Authorized Agent for Final Delivery | 2-5 days |
| DHL | Tendered to Delivery Service Provider | 2-3 days |
| UPS | Tendered to Delivery Service Provider | 2-5 days |
| USPS | Tendered to by USPS | 3-7 days |
FedEx Parcel: What does “tendered to authorized agent for final delivery” status mean?
When you receive the text “tendered to authorized agent for final delivery” for your FedEx parcel, it means that the FedEx company has handed over your package to the outside carrier (usually USPS in this case) for the final mile of your delivery.
This usually happens when the package is sent by FedEx SmartPost, a hybrid, cost-effective shipping option partnered with USPS. Moreover, the FedEx economy packages are delivered by FedEx Ground. Once you receive this message, you will get your order delivered within two to five business days.
DHL Parcel: What does “tendered to delivery service provider” status mean?
Similar to a FedEx parcel, when you receive the text “tendered to delivery service provider” for your DHL package, this means that the company has handed over the parcel to the local subcontractors for the final mile of the delivery. Since DHL service does not have enough resources and time, the company works in partnership with USPS and FedEx courier services.
Usually, it takes two to three business days to deliver the domestic parcels after the “tendered to” status. However, for international shipments, it could take a bit longer than this.
UPS Parcel: What does “tendered to delivery service provider” status mean?
It is a common practice for UPS courier companies to partner with local carriers like USPS, which has the strongest network for residential deliveries, to hand over the package for the final
mile of the delivery. This collaboration ensures the prompt delivery of the packages to the doorsteps of recipients.
Once they turn in the package to the subcontractor, they send the message to the customer as “tendered to delivery service provider”. And the customer will then receive their parcel within two to five business days.
USPS Parcel: What does “tendered to by USPS” status mean?
USPS has an abundance of resources and the largest fleet of delivery vehicles, which is why they don’t take any external help from any local subcontractor and execute the final-mile package delivery all by themselves.
When you receive a message “tendered to by USPS”, this means the company has handed over the package to their local postal office, and you will get your parcel delivered within three to seven business days.
However, it has been seen that some customers received their packages longer than the estimated business days mentioned. If such a thing happens to you, you can report it to the local postal office or contact their last-mile delivery service provider.
Why do package delivery companies partner with last-mile delivery contractors?
In addition to keeping their customers happy and building a sense of credibility, there are numerous other reasons why giant shipping companies like DHL, FedEx, or UPS collaborate with local subcontractors. And these are as follows:
Resources and expertise.
Not every shipping company has the abundance of resources and regional expertise of USPS. This is why they work with the last-mile delivery service providers, who hold a good reputation in the market and have a strong network in the respective areas. This way, they can take advantage of the leverage of their services without investing additional hefty money in the business.
More geographic coverage.
By making USPS their partner and reaping the benefits of their extensive network, the shipping companies can reach locations that otherwise may not be possible and expand their geographical coverage.
Timely delivery.
Needless to say, the local subcontractors give the shipping companies an edge over their competitors by ensuring efficient and timely delivery of the customers’ packages.
Cost-effective.
By collaborating with last-mile delivery service providers, courier companies can drastically reduce their carrier expenses, especially for residential deliveries.
Steps in the package delivery process
To have a basic idea of how “tendered to delivery service” fits into the whole delivery management picture, it is imperative to have a brief idea of the steps involved in it. And these are, as follows:
Package pickup and packing.
Once the shipping company receives an order-placed request, the item is picked up from the sender’s location or the assigned drop-off point. Based on the dimensions of the product, they choose a respective box and start packing it. After the packaging, the parcel is weighed to calculate the final cost of the shipment.
Loading.
Once all the offers are packed, they are then loaded into the trailers or vehicles in order to transport them to the shipping partner, which is the next step of the delivery management process.
Shipping starts by selecting a carrier route.
Once all the packages are in the carrier’s account, they are then categorized based on their destination and assigned to different routing methods (ship, plane, truck) for the next stop delivery. For instance, very distant packages are shipped by express delivery transportation modes like air. For domestic or local deliveries, trucks or vans are the best way to ship items.
Based on the package destination, courier companies optimize different routes in order to safely deliver their items. This brings us to our next step.
Transfer to a reliable last-mile delivery service provider.
When the original courier company could not deliver the package themselves, they partnered with local subcontractors who got the work done on their behalf. The last-mile delivery is the final leg of this process and ensures guaranteed delivery to the doorstep of the customer.
Delivery confirmation.
At this stage, the final-mile carrier updates the delivery status after successfully delivering the order to the customer. And as a token of proof, have the recipient sign the slip or take the digital signature.
What should you do after the tracking update “tendered to delivery service” for more than weeks?
The “tendered to delivery service” is a part of the delivery management process, and you don’t need to worry about that. However, certain things need to be taken into account when the status doesn’t change after the given estimated number of business days. In such a case, follow the below steps:
Wait for some more time.
As said earlier, the final delivery timeframe may vary depending on your location and the last-mile delivery partner. So, if it exceeds the stated time by the courier company, be patient and wait for a couple more days. The ideal time would be 3–4 days (i.e., the same as their given business days).
Cross-check the delivery address.
Before you reach out to any shipping authority, first double-check the delivery address to ensure every piece of information you have filled in is correct. Any kind of incomplete or wrong details can be the reason behind the delivery delays.
Contact the first courier company.
While the original courier company has no control over the status of your parcel, once the status is updated to “tendered to delivery service provider”, they could still help you. Report the problem you are facing to them. Tell them how you have not yet gotten your package after the given business days.
Ask them for the information of their last-mile delivery partner so that you can contact them and get a delivery update.
Go to the local postal office.
Once you have the information of the local contractor from the original shipping provider, go to the local post office or their last-mile delivery partner. At times, it happens that they have their package in their warehouse but have not dispatched it yet. Ask them what the current status is related to your parcel delivery.
Request the package trace.
If the delivery service provider updates the current status of your package, monitor the order with their given tracking number. This will give you the real-time delivery progress of your package and ensure an estimated time for receiving your order.
File a complaint.
Consider filing a complaint to the higher authorities if nothing works and you are not getting prompt responses from your courier company. This will put pressure on the managerial holders, and chances are they might take a quick step towards investigating your delay in your package delivery for the sake of the company’s reputation.
The Key Takeaways
Even though it is perfectly normal to receive a “tendered to delivery service provider” status related to your parcel, there are still nominal risks of unexpected delays or the possibility of getting your package lost. To avoid such circumstances, it is wise to always opt for a reliable shipping company.
Whether you are an individual person or an e-commerce business looking to invest in a logistics company, compare the infrastructure and the fleets of different shipping companies. Go through the online reviews and see what customers are saying about them. If they work with last-mile delivery service providers, check their testimonials too. All these will give you the wisdom to make an informed decision.
Also, finding an efficient courier service with the fastest delivery options comes with premium pricing. So, take into account that one too.
Having said that, we take a rest now. We hope you find this blog informative.
In case of any further doubts or queries, feel free to ask in the comments section below. We would be more than glad to help you.
