A standard mailing requires a minimum of 200 pieces. All pieces in a bulk mailing must be of uniform size and weight.
The USPS developed the Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS) Certification to ensure address accuracy. CASS certification will flag typing errors, incorrect addresses and will automatically update our mailing list to the USPS National Change of Address (NCOA) data base, negating the need to print an Address Change Service (ACS) request on each mail pieces. Please check with Central Receiving before printing any ancillary service request on the mail pieces.
To receive CASS certification, sending departments will need to run their address lists through the “Mailers +4 software program at least every two months. This program will clean out any undeliverable addresses from mailing lists. Training on using the “Mailers +4” program will be provided by LTR.
Check-List for Bulk Mailings
The following is a list of items that must be included with your bulk mailing and preparation steps that must be completed before your bulk mailing can be sent to the mail room:
Steps Before labels are generated
- Before labels can be created a sampling of 10 pieces must be weighed, measured for size and measured for thickness – this information will be relayed to the person generating the labels (the mail room or the St. Mary’s post office can weigh them for you)
- A sample of the mailing must be given to the label maker before labels can be generated
- The mailing must also go through the College editing process (Anne Arundel 222C or 222E) and have a signed mail authorization form.
Steps for putting mailing together:
- Paper work will be supplied by the individual creating the labels and will consist of:
- Qualifying Report
- CASS Summary Report
- Postage Statement
- Tray Tags
2. Review the qualifying report to see the exact number of trays needed to complete the job – the post office or mail room have trays available for use
3. Pieces of mail will have to be sorted in the exact number of trays as specified by the Qualifying Report
4. A tray tag will be placed in the front of the tray for the exact grouping that goes in the tray
5. If the amount of the mailing is small and does not fill the tray, bound the pieces with a rubber band
6. Make sure the name of the organization doing the mailing is not on the Postage Statement (ex. Athletics), write it in the square at the top right of the first sheet
7. On the labels created, there should be a break in the pattern that is a blank line or a line that states, new tray starts here – this will tell you when a new tray is to be used
8. When all trays are used, the ones that cannot be mailed as bulk (foreign and any others that do not have a bar code on the label at the end of the sheets), put this group in with your regular mail as first class – do not put with the whole mailing in the tray
9. If you are sending a mailing that has the College “indicia” printed on the mailing (“non-profit status”), when you put your residual labels on the mailing, you must make sure the indicia is covered (ex. can be covered with a blank label)
Items to go with Mailing to Mail Room
All paperwork from label maker as stated above – exception is tray tags which should be placed on the individual trays
Approval sheet for College Editing and a sample of the mailing
Mailings of Over 200 Items of Mail:
All mailings with more than 200 pieces must have their addresses presorted by the sending department. Please refer to “Qualified Mailings” in the USPS Quick Service Guide Publication. This publication is available at the local post office. Mail that is incorrectly labeled, packaged, or sequenced will be returned to sender for correction. Splitting mailings to avoid the approval requirements is not allowed and will result in delays.
Time Frame to Post Office
Please notify Central Receiving 48 hours in advance that a standard mail is forthcoming. Once Central Receiving receives the standard mailing request and related materials. it normally takes 1 to 2 working days for processing. Bulk mailings are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. You will need to allow a longer time frame so please plan ahead.
