Procedures
In order to gain substantial savings when you have a mailing that is larger than 200 identical pieces (or 50 pounds); please request it be send Standard Mail (formerly known as bulk). For example: a 20,000 piece mailing which would have cost $2.16 per piece (first class) was prepared as Standard Mail and went out at $.27 - - a tremendous saving.
To get started with a standard mailing, decide what you want your mail piece to look like. When you have a prototype, bring it to Mail Services for approval. This step is imperative, otherwise a piece may not meet USPS standard mail specifications and would have to go out first class. Approval is necessary BEFORE you have the piece printed or you run the risk of having an unacceptable standard mailing.
The Standard Mail Scheduling Form will give you all of the steps you need to follow to get the mailing completed. After we make sure your design meets USPS standards, we will begin this form and schedule the mailing date.
Bar Coded mailing labels for standard mailings must be requested from Alan Mingen (x3138) in Computer Services. Once you place your label request with him, mail services will provide him with additional details, such as type of label (Cheshire Labels or pressure sensitive) and piece weight.
Bear in mind that once you schedule your mailing date it is your responsibility to make sure that your label request has been placed with Alan and that the Print Shop (or outside vendor) will complete your job on time. All of these steps must be followed to ensure Standard Mailing will be processed smoothly and efficiently. If your mailing will not arrive in mail services by the required date, you must notify us as soon as possible. Many times there are additional mailings waiting "in queue" and if your mailing is late, it may get "bumped" back. The key is to allow plenty of time when scheduling a mailing and to keep the lines of communication going with Mail Services.
Peak Time Frames
Our busiest time is from September to the middle of December. During this time, if we cannot get a mailing out on its scheduled date, you will be notified as soon as possible in case you need to make alternative arrangements (i.e.: have an outside vendor send out the mailing).
Maintaining Mailing Lists
When you are doing a Standard Mailing you need be sure that your addresses are correct and that you are not putting Address Service Requested on the pieces if you are not concerned with maintaining your address list. When you put Address Service Requested on a piece of standard mail it will cost approximately $ .50 to get a piece of mail back. The correct address will either be on the mail piece or nothing will be on it meaning that they could not find an address for that person in which case you either take it off your list or try to find a correct address yourself. If you have no intention of changing your list don't put the endorsement on the mail piece. This will mean that you will not have any pieces returned to you that could not be delivered.
When you have Address Service Requested printed on First Class Mail, the correct address comes back to you at no charge but the USPS will not do this, for no charge, on discounted standard mail.
