Fairbanks North Star Borough School District
Administrative Services
MailCenter
MailCenter Guidelines
“In Today, Out Today”
By following these guidelines you will:
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July 2008
Save time
Reduce delays
Reduce expenses
July 2007........................................................................................................1
Why Are There Guidelines?.............................................................................3
Welcome to the MailCenter .............................................................................4
Internal Mail ...................................................................................................6
Expediting Internal Mail ...............................................................................6
External Mail ..................................................................................................8
Incoming Mail ..............................................................................................8
Letters and Flats requiring postage ...............................................................9
Postal Services .........................................................................................9
First Class Mail .................................................................................... 13
First Class Mailing Strategies ............................................................ 14
Choosing the Right Envelope ......................................................... 14
Regardless of the envelope size or contents, if the letter exceeds 13
oz it must go as Priority Mail.Mail Preparation ................................ 16
Mail Preparation ........................................................................... 17
Extra US Postal Services ...................................................................... 18
Time-Sensitive Mail ................................................................................ 21
Standard Mail (“Bulk Mail”) ..................................................................... 22
Package Services .................................................................................... 29
Overseas Military Mail ............................................................................. 29
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Why Are There Guidelines?
There are three primary things we do here at the MailCenter:
 We take the stuff that’s on your desk and get it to someone else’s.
 We see to it that your US Mail gets to where it’s supposed to.
 We see to it that you get the US Mail you’ve got coming to you.
Although it sounds simple, the sheer volume of mail that passes through the
MailCenter on a daily basis is mind boggling. On an average day we meter over
1,000 mailpieces. That’s a fraction of the inter-school mail we process. Every day
we distribute mail to 36 work sites throughout the Borough and 24 distinct work
sites within the Administrative Center, receive and sort incoming US Mail, UPS
and FedEx packages, process and deliver US Mail to the Post office. Some days it
doesn’t seem possible to get it all done in 7.5 hours, but it happens more often
than not because our motto is:
“In Today – Out Today”
That means anything that comes to the MailCenter today will be on its way out
the door at the first opportunity. This is a distribution center, not a storeroom.
Because there are so many different schools, departments and programs it
would be difficult to meet the needs of individuals in an efficient manner.
Therefore we have developed these Guidelines in order to facilitate the swift
transportation of your documents and packages from where they are to where
they need to be.
These are guidelines, not rules (well, some of them are rules from other
documents). If you don’t follow the guidelines you won’t get fired (at least, we
don’t think so). However, if you send someone something and you didn’t follow
the guidelines, don’t be surprised if it takes an unusually long time to get there.
If you did follow the guidelines and your stuff still took a long time to get there,
it’s a good bet that someone else gummed up the works by doing their own
thing. For instance, if we have to take 15 minutes to nest 200 envelopes in order
to get them through the mailing machine, that’s 15 minutes we couldn’t spend
on your stuff.
We created this document in order to help you get your stuff to that other guy
the fastest, cheapest way. We haven’t thought of everything (yet) and we’re
always open to suggestions. If you have comments, questions or concerns you
can call us at extension 484, or you can email us at mailroom_adc.
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Welcome to the MailCenter
The MailCenter has undergone and continues to undergo many changes in order
to increase efficiency, reduce costs and improve services. Our personnel strive to
keep abreast of constantly changing rules and regulations and to be
knowledgeable in all aspects of letter and package services. We have an
excellent working relationship with the US Postal Service as well as third party
carriers such as UPS and FedEx. We also network with MailCenter personnel from
other businesses throughout the Borough. There are few things that we aren’t
prepared to do in order to get your mail, internal or external, where it needs to
go. We’re always willing to go the extra mile if it means getting the job done. In
turn, we ask for your cooperation in order to help us help you.
There are some things that we used to do that we don’t do any more, and there
are some things that we never did that we do now. Change is hard, but
inevitable. Providing better service means taking advantage of new technologies
and utilizing all of the appropriate services that our vendors provide. We do not
institute a change without seriously considering the effect it will have on our
customers.
If you work in the Administrative Center, or if you are visiting the MailCenter
from one of our schools, we ask that you follow these suggestions
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Mail brought to the MailCenter for distribution should be placed in one of
the appropriate mail receptacles. Please do not place mail on the desk,
chair, mailing machine, postal scale or sorting table. MailCenter personnel
look for mail in the mail receptacles. Mail that will not fit in a receptacle
should be placed on the table just inside the door.
MailCenter personnel will distribute school mail to the bags and assumes
all accountability and responsibility.
All schools, Admin Ctr and Facilities Mgmnt
Any mail that requires postage
Mail that is already stamped
If your mail will not fit in the receptacle or
if the receptacle is full, place mail on the table
just inside the door (door is usually unlocked).
There are two basic types of mail handled at the Mail Center:
Internal Mail – Documents and packages from a school or department
that are intended for another school or department
External Mail - Documents and packages that will be delivered outside
the District’s internal mail system by a third party (US Postal Service, UPS,
FedEx, etc.)
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Internal Mail
The vast majority of the work in the MailCenter involves Internal Mail and it’s our
number one priority. We do our best to route Internal Mail as expeditiously as
possible, and we provide these guidelines to help you understand how we
process Internal Mail so that you can maximize your potential for speedy
successful delivery.
Expediting Internal Mail
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All Internal mail should be clearly marked:
TO:
FROM:
Name - School/Department
Name – School/Department
PLEASE make sure all names previously written are crossed out, and you
have only one TO and one FROM address. Check both sides of the
envelope. In an average day, Mail Center personnel may process
thousands of mail pieces. There is little time to figure out where each
individual piece goes. The clearer the address is, the sooner it gets
delivered.
The address (TO and FROM) must contain a school or
department/program. Although Mail Center personnel may know the
location of employees that work at the Administrative Center, it is not
likely that they will recall the location of all 1,200 teachers and 800
support staff. If you factor in transfers, layoffs, new hires, etc. it is clear
that adding the department or school will save time.
The Mail Center recommends using labels such as Avery 5160 (Central
Stores item #615-51-50-5160 LABELS, LASER PRINTER, 1” x 2-5/8” 3
ACROSS, 30/SHT 3,000/BX) or 5261 White Mailing Label to address
internal mail envelopes. Printed labels are much easier to read. If you
routinely send mail to a particular location you could pre-print an entire
sheet.
There are three district mail routes. The routes have been color-coded to
speed processing at the MailCenter.
Route 1
Red Route
Leaves Admin Ctr at 7:30
am
AND – Anderson Elem
ARC- Arctic Light
BDG – Badger Road
BEN – Ben Eielson
CEC – Career Ed Ctr
CHI – Chinook
CRW – Crawford
ESSA/FEA
NSC – Nutrition Svcs Ctr
NPE – N Pole Elem
NPH – N Pole High
NPM – N Pole Middle
SAL – Salcha Elem
SON – Star of North
TIC – Ticasuk Brown
TRV – Two Rivers
WLR – Weller Elem
Route 2
Yellow Route
Leaves Admin Ctr at 8:00
am
BNT – Barnette Elem
Boy’s & Girls’ Home
DNL – Denali Elem
FYF– Fbks Youth Fac
EKC- Effie Kokrine
HTR- Hunter Elem
HUT- Hutchison
LTH- Lathrop
Noel Wien Library
PCR- Pearl Creek
RYN- Ryan Middle
UPK- Univ Park
Y.E.S.S. Elementary
WVH- West Valley
WDR- Woodriver
WSD- Watershed
Green Route
Leaves Admin Ctr at
11:30 am
AWE- Anne Wien
B.R.I.D.G.E
H.I.R.E. Program
FMD- Facilities Mgmt
ICS- Monroe
JOY- Joy Elem
LAD- Ladd Elem
NDL- Nordale
RSM- Randy Smith
S&R- Ship/Rec
TAN- Tanana
Y.E.S.S
Route 3
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DO NOT use envelopes with the School District logo for internal
mail. To us they look like external mail and in all likelihood will get
metered and sent to the Post Office, and it could take days or even weeks
for the Postal Service to return them.
Please do not use envelopes larger than 10”X13”. The 12”X15.5”
envelopes are too big. They don’t fit our mailboxes, sorter or mail cart
and they slow down the sorting process.
Notify the Mail Center when you run low on internal mail envelopes. We
have plenty here.
Boxes or packages for internal delivery must taped shut and, if
necessary, reinforced so that the contents will not spill out and boxes will
not burst open. Please do not over-pack boxes. If you can’t lift it by
yourself easily, don’t expect anyone else to.
The Warehouse drivers are on tight schedules and are unaware of the
contents of individual mailbags. They exercise reasonable care when
handling mailbags, but the nature of the job makes rough handling hard
to avoid. If you don’t want something broken, package it
appropriately.
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External Mail
Incoming Mail
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Mail addressed to you should include your school or department/program.
Please be sure to let any potential correspondents know exactly where
you are so that they can include it in your address. Mail received with only
a name or simply addressed to 520 5th Ave will have to be held until mail
center personnel can determine where the mail needs to go. There is no
quick method to determine this, and it may take even longer if substitute
personnel are working.
The school district and MailCenter personnel will not be responsible for
personal mail. Please do not use a school district address for your bank
statements, credit card accounts, utility bills, etc. These types of
correspondence are often sent directly to Accounts Payable where they
are opened and examined (we think they’re ours, not yours).
MailCenter personnel must sign for and take responsibility for packages
delivered by carriers such as UPS, FedEx and DHL. Please do not have
personal items shipped to the school district. We understand that many
vendors use UPS and FedEx only for shipping, and that those carriers
cannot ship to PO boxes. You can arrange to have those services hold
your package at their Fairbanks facilities, or you can make arrangements
to have someone else receive your package.
When purchasing items for school district use, be sure the billing
address is Accounts Payable, 520 5th Ave and the shipping address
is Shipping and Receiving, 1300 Minnie Street. Many salespeople
will tell you that they have your address on file, but it’s often the wrong
one. Items purchased with a Purchase Order must be processed by
Shipping and Receiving. If they come to the MailCenter we have to send
them to the warehouse, which may add a day or more to delivery.
If you purchased items through a process other than Purchase Order, be
sure that your name and your school or department is in the shipping
address. We have very limited ways of determining where to send
packages with no Purchase Order number, name or school/department.
If you are expecting an Express Mail, FedEx or UPS shipment, get the
tracking number from the vendor. These shipments can be tracked on
their respective web sites and you can receive email notification when
they arrive at the MailCenter.
Letters and Flats* requiring postage
Postal Services
If you really want to learn the best way to send your letter or package you can
obtain a copy of “A Guide to mailing for Businesses and Organizations” from your
local Post Office or www.usps.com (the Guide is downloadable in PDF format).
There are six classes of Postal Service:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Express Mail
Priority Mail
First Class Mail
Parcel Post
Media Mail
Bound Printed Matter
The order of the list is also the order of priority for the Postal Service as well as
the magnitude of the rates. Express Mail is the best, fastest, and most expensive
way to send mail. Bound Printed Matter is the slowest and cheapest.
Express Mail requires PS Label 11-B and an Express Mail envelope or box. All
are available at the MailCenter or your Local Post Office.
o The district has a corporate account for Express Mail. Instead of a
meter stamp we write an account number on the label. For
purposes of accountability please allow MailCenter
personnel to fill in the account number.
o The Postal Service also has a 9.5” X 12.5” flat rate
envelope and a 12.5” X 15.5” X 3” flat rate box. Whatever
you can cram into either one will go for $16.50 anywhere
in the U.S. Both are available at the MailCenter.
o Express Mail service is guaranteed overnight. Until recently
this has not been the case for Alaska. However, according to USPS
terms and conditions, if you use the time and rate calculator on
their web site and it says they will deliver the next day, then that’s
what they’ll do.
o The Express Mail service includes tracking, proof
of delivery, and insurance up to $100.
o Express Mail can be delivered to most
destinations 365 day a year. There is an extra
charge for Saturday, Sunday, and holiday
delivery.
o Express Mail rates start at $12.60.
*
Letters taller than 4 ¼ inches or longer than 6 inches.
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Priority Mail is the next best thing to Express Mail in that the Postal
Service really does treat it special. For example, if they get into a situation
where they have limited space on a plane, Priority Mail will go and First
Class will wait for the next one. Postal regulations require any First Class
mail that weighs 13 oz or more must be Priority Mail.
o Priority Mail does not require any special packaging but it should be
clearly marked as Priority. When our DM800 Mailing Machine
informs us that a letter is too heavy for First Class we apply a
Priority Mail label (and the appropriate postage) to distinguish it as
such, but that does not necessarily guarantee it will get Priority
treatment. The best way to get our money’s worth is to use Priority
Mail packaging. There are a wide variety of Priority Mail mailers,
and your MailCenter stocks them all.
Dimensions: 5" x 10"
Dimensions: 8.625" x 5.375" x 1.625"
Features a window that allows preaddressed
envelopes, #10 regular in size or smaller, to
be conveniently inserted. The address
shows through clearly,
making this item ideal for
sending letters and other
small documents via
Priority Mail.
This small corrugated box
accommodates a variety of
items such as VHS videos,
small books and CD's.
Dimensions: 6" X 10"
Allows folded
documents to be
conveniently inserted.
This item is ideal for
sending letters, cards,
and other small
documents via Priority
Mail.
Dimensions: 9.25" x 6.25" x 2"
This small corrugated box
accommodates a variety of
items such as VHS videos,
DVD's, small books and CD's.
No tape necessary - just pack
and ship.
Dimensions: 7" x 7" x 6"
The cube shaped box is
ideal for clothing, books
and hats.
Dimensions: 11.625" X 15.125
This durable, water
resistant Tyvek®
envelope offers you
flexibility when
shipping items that do
not require the added
protection of a
corrugated box. This
Tyvek envelope is sturdy and self-sealing.
This envelope is ideal for mailing large
student records files that will not fit in a Flat
Rate envelope
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Dimensions: 12" x 12" x 8"
The cube shaped
box accommodates
a variety of items
such as clothing,
books, and hats.
Dimensions: 11.25" x 14" x 2.25"
Box has self sealing
tape on each end and
accommodates a
variety of items such
as clothing, books,
board games, and
relatively thin items.
Dimensions: 12.125" x 13.375" x 2.75"
Box accommodates a variety of items such
as clothing, books,
board games, and
relatively thin items.
This corrugated box
item features self
sealing tape on each
end.
Dimensions: 12.5" x 15.5" x 3"
Box features pressure
sensitive tape on each
end and is ideal for
clothing, books, and
board games.
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The Postal Service also provides flat rate packaging.
 You should use a flat rate envelope if the weight of your
documents is 13 oz or more. Do not underestimate the
capacity of this envelope. It will accommodate a ream of
documents 1 inch thick and weighing over 2 lbs.
Dimensions: 12.5" x 9.5"
Use this envelope to send student records files or similar heavy
documents, especially if they are going Outside.
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You should use a flat rate box if postage will exceed
$9.80. Priority Mail rates are based on weight and
distance. The Postal Service web site (www.usps.com)
has a postage rate calculator. If you use it be sure to add
the weight of the box.
Dimensions: 12" X 3.5" X 14"
This box is
shaped like a
garment box
and is ideal for
very large
student records
files, clothing,
books, board
games, and
relatively thin
items.
Dimensions: 11" X 8.5" X 5.5"
This box is similar
to a shoe box
(11" x 8-1/2" x 51/2") and holds
merchandise such
as model cars,
and taller items.
Both shapes have the same cubic inch dimensions. These boxes weigh 8.2 oz. If you are mailing
something to somewhere in Alaska you should use one of these boxes if the total weight exceeds
7.5 lbs. If you are mailing to the east coast the total weight need only exceed 1.5 lbs.
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o Mail that arrives at the MailCenter in Priority Mail packaging will get
a Priority Mail shipping label. This label
will guarantee fastest possible delivery
and will provide Delivery Confirmation
at no extra cost to the district.
 Destination address will be
standardized†.
 Delivery Confirmation bar code will
be added
 Receipt will be returned to sender
for delivery confirmation purposes.
o Heavy mail that is destined for an
Outside address will be repackaged in a
Priority Mail Flat Rate envelope, if
possible, to save postage.
 Priority Mail shipping label will be
added
 Receipt will be returned to sender for delivery confirmation
purposes.
First Class Mail
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†
Outbound US Mail leaves the Admin Center twice
daily at 9:30 am and 2:30 pm.
Tip: Bookmark
All mail must have a school or school district
www.usps.com
return address. This is a Federal Regulation and
there are no exceptions.
o In order to ensure that any returned mail is routed to the proper
place, the Administrative Center return address should include
department or program. If the school or department is not in the
return address, Mail Center personnel will attempt to locate the
sender of returned mail when time permits.
Mail bearing a home return address will be returned to the sender. The
MailCenter will only put postage on mail with a school or school district
return address.
International mail should be clearly marked (sticky note) and separated
from other mail.
For best service, all addresses should include zip +4 code. The Postal
Service web site has a zip code locator.
If you use a computer to create labels or address your envelopes directly,
have it print a Postnet Bar Code.
Address will be compared to USPS database and corrected for errors. +4 zip code will be added.
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First Class Mailing Strategies
Choosing the Right Envelope
Previously, postage costs were based primarily on weight. The new rate
structure puts a greater emphasis on size, shape, and weight. In the interests
of using district funds wisely, it is no longer acceptable to use any available
envelope to send something through the mail.
For instance, a one page document C folded and inserted into a standard #10
envelope will go for 44¢. If the same document is folded in half and inserted
into a 6x9 envelope it will still go for 44¢. However, if you use a 6x9 clasp
envelope the postage will be 64¢. Letter size envelopes that have clasps or
other closure devices are non-machineable and a 20¢ surcharge will apply.
If you put the document into the more popular 6 ½ x 9 ½ clasp envelope,
the postage will be 88¢. While
only slightly larger that 6 x 9, the
envelope exceeds the letter size
dimensions and must go at the
large envelope rate.
If you choose to use a large
envelope such as a 9 x12 clasp
envelope or (better) a 9 x 12
First Class Mailer, the postage for
up to one ounce will be 88¢.
However, if you grab a larger 12
x 15 ½ clasp envelope the
44¢
A
64¢
#10
Envelope
6x9 Envelope
w/clasp
one-page
document
88¢
$1.22
postage will be $1.22. The
extra ½ inch in length exceeds
the flat-sized dimensions and the
letter is now considered a
parcel. Also, if you put
something into a large envelope
that makes it lumpy or rigid, it’s a
parcel. So as you can see, choosing the wrong envelope can double or even
triple the cost of mailing.
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6½x9½
or 9x12
Envelope
12x15½
Envelope
Use the following guidelines to determine which envelope
you should use to send mail at the lowest possible rates:
o Do not use clasp envelopes of any kind.
They were not designed for mailing and their
use may incur unnecessary additional postage.
o Consider using postcards. They are ideal for
notifications, invitations or reminders – and
any communication that requires a quick
turnaround. You can fit quite a lot of
information on a 4¼”x6” card, and the postage
is 36% less expensive than the cost of a letter.
o Documents consisting of 11 sheets or less
will fit in a standard #10 business envelope
when C folded without exceeding the
maximum thickness of ¼”. Most of the
district’s outgoing mail meets this criteria. The
#10 should be your #1 choice for mailing.
o Documents consisting of 22 sheets or less
will fit in a 6x9 envelope (Sales Order Item
#310-24-51-7113, 6”x9” FIRST CLASS
ENVELOPE, 500/BOX) with a single fold without
exceeding the maximum thickness of ¼”. We
get far too much mail in this category where an
attempt was made to fit too many sheets into
a #10 envelope. The results are contents that
do not allow the flap to close properly and our
mailing machine cannot successfully seal them.
If not well folded they may also cause the
letter to exceed the ¼” limit and incur the 20¢
surcharge. This can all be avoided by choosing
the appropriate letter size envelope.
Almost all of the district’s outgoing mail can go out in
one of these two envelopes. Resist the temptation to
use larger envelopes. The savings can be significant.
As an individual you may occasionally send a few
letters at a time, but so does everyone else. Here at
the Mail Center we meter an average 1,000 mail pieces per day (including
summer).
Some mail just will not fit in a letter size envelope. While more expensive than
the First Class Letter rates, First Class Flats are less expensive and faster than
the alternative – Parcel Post.
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Documents that consist of more than 22 sheets will
most likely exceed the 3.5oz weight limit for letters
and should go into a First Class Mailer (Sales Order
item #310-24-51-2099
MAILER‡, 1st CLASS, OPEN
END, 10”x13”, REDI-SEAL,
100/BOX). This mailer is
distinguished by its green
diamond border and
prominent “First Class Mail”
designation.
If you are mailing multiple documents or other items in
a single envelope, and:
o the thickness will exceed ¾” or,
o your envelope dimensions exceed the any of the
maximums or
o you put cassette tapes, CD or DVD cases, key
chains, books, pens or pencils or anything that
keeps the envelope from being nice and flat and
flexible,
your letter will now be considered a parcel, but it can still go First Class.
If what you are mailing will be considered a parcel, you may want to consider
using a box instead of an envelope, especially if the contents will make the
envelope bulky. Use the smallest possible box.
Postage for First Class Parcels is $1.22 for the first ounce and $.17 for each
additional ounce up to 13 ounces. Regardless of the envelope size or contents, if
the letter exceeds 13 oz it must go as Priority Mail.
‡
Search for mailer. This item is not listed with the envelopes.
16
Mail Preparation
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There needs to be at least 3 ½ inches of clear space from the right edge
of the letter and 2 inches from the top edge. This is the postage area.
Please do not
Keep Clear
write, stamp or
stick anything in
Keep Clear
the postage area
of the envelope. If
the meter stamp
is unreadable the
letter may be
returned but the
postage will not.
o Our
postage meter uses red ink to print postage. The meter stamp
contains information that will speed delivery of your mail. Red or
other dark-colored mail will obscure the meter stamp and
may delay delivery.
o The postage meter is essentially an inkjet printer similar to any
other Hewlitt-Packard style printer. The ink is designed to be
absorbed by paper and will not stick to glossy surfaces such as
vinyl packing tape. If you wish to tape shut confidential mail
we recommend using brown (or white) paper mailing tape.
This tape will readily reveal any signs of tampering and will also
absorb meter stamp ink.
Please do not staple documents to the envelope. They may damage our
mailing machine and any Postal Service machines. If your document is
stapled, please insert the document with the staple on the return address
side of the envelope.
Please do not mail documents with paper clips of any size. The envelope
should be sufficient to keep everything together.
Any envelope that weighs 13 oz or more must be sent as Priority Mail
($4.80 minimum postage). The Mail Center suggests that every school
mail room should have an inexpensive postal scale. When we get “heavy”
mail here we apply Priority Mail labels to alert Postal Service employees
that special handling is required. However, to assure that your mail gets
the service we are paying for, Priority Mail should be in Priority Mail
packaging (see Priority Mail in the Postal Services section).
It is not necessary to seal your letter size envelopes, however it is often
more expeditious to leave mass mailings of 10 or more envelopes
unsealed. Be sure the contents are properly folded and will fit completely
within the envelope and that the envelopes are nested if unsealed. Avoid
17
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trying to cram too many documents into a #10 envelope. If it’s more than
¼” thick the $.20 nonmachineable
surcharge applies.
Mass mailings of less than 200 envelopes
should be grouped together with rubber
bands or boxed. If they are unsealed they
need to be nested.
Extra US Postal Services
The Postal Service provides three basic extra
services:
Nested envelopes
1. Proof of mailing at deposit
2. Protection in transit
3. Confirmation at delivery
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Proof of mailing
o The cheapest way to go is to get a Certificate of Mailing. This is
not the same as Certified Mail. To get a Certificate of Mailing you
must take your mail to the Post Office. The fee is $1.10 + postage
o If you don’t want to go to the Post Office, the next way is
Certified Mail. This
requires PS Form 3800,
available from the Mail
Center or any Post
Office. There are enough
Postal Service regulations
and Mail Center
requirements for
Certified Mail to warrant
a separate publication (see “MailCenter Guidelines for Certified
Mail”). We get many Certified letters here where the label has been
improperly applied and/or the receipt was not properly completed.
 Instructions for proper placement are printed on the label.
 Please do not use forms printed before February 2002.
 Provide the recipient’s address on the form. A pre-printed
label is okay if it will fit in the space provided.
 Indicate your school or department on the receipt portion of
the label so that it can be returned to you.
 The cost is $2.70 + postage
o If you need proof of mailing and speedy delivery use Express Mail.
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Protection in transit
o Insured Mail provides a minimum of $100 coverage to a
maximum of $5,000 coverage. PS Form 3813 (black label) is
required for mail valued under
$200 and PS Form 3813-P (blue
label) is required for mail valued
over $200. Both forms are
available from the Mail Center or
your local Post Office.
 Please do not use forms
printed before February
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2002.
Provide the recipient’s
address on the form. A preprinted label is okay if it will
fit in the space provided.
MailCenter personnel will fill
in the postage information.
Indicate the coverage
desired in the space provided, rounded off to the nearest
dollar.
Indicate your school or department on the receipt portion of
the label so that it can be returned to you.
Costs start at $1.70 + postage based on coverage.
o Registered Mail provides maximum security and coverage up to
$25,000. It is escorted by Postal Service employees from the
originating Post Office to the final destination. Registered Mail has
very stringent packaging requirements.
 Registered Mail is intended primarily for the secure delivery
of negotiable instruments such as checks, stock certificates
and similar documents. The Mail Center does not
recommend using Registered Mail for any other purpose.
 MailCenter personnel will do the required paperwork and
packaging. Please provide the following:
 Recipient address
 Total value of the contents (no rounding)
 Your email address (for delivery confirmation)
 Costs start at $10.00 + postage based on coverage.
o Confirmation at Delivery
 Express Mail has been previously discussed. The following
are the delivery confirmation benefits
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


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A copy of the shipping label will be mailed to you
showing the delivery date.
Enter the article number on the USPS web site Track
& Confirm page or call the toll-free number 800-2221811. Enter your email address to receive an email
when the mail has been delivered.
A copy of the recipient’s signature is available for a
fee.

Certified Mail has been previously discussed. The following
are the delivery confirmation benefits
 Enter the article number on the USPS web site Track
& Confirm page or call the toll-free number 800-2221811. Enter your email address to receive an email
when the mail has been delivered.
 A copy of the recipient’s signature is available for a
fee.

Delivery Confirmation
 Provides the date and time of delivery or attempted
delivery.
 Mailers may retrieve
delivery status
through the Internet
or the toll-free
number 800-2221811.
 Available for Priority Mail and parcels sent as FirstClass Mail, Parcel Post, Bound Printed Matter, or
Media Mail. Not for First Class letters.
 Included with Priority Mail service when a Priority Mail
shipping label is used.
 Fee is $.75 for First Class Parcels, Parcel Post, Bound
Printed Matter, or Media Mail. Fee is $.65 for Priority
Mail (Fee is waived when a barcoded Priority Mail
label is used).

Return Receipt
 Return receipt service provides a mailer with evidence
of delivery (to
whom the mail was
delivered and date
of delivery), along
with information


about the recipient's delivery address.
This is the only delivery confirmation service available
for First Class letters. Letters must be sent Certified.
Fee is $2.20
Time-Sensitive Mail

Occasionally you may be required to send documents as fast as possible.
Under certain conditions the MailCenter can accommodate your needs,
but be aware that this may be something that you may have to do
yourself since sending the mail to us will usually add a day to delivery.
To avoid this, call the MailCenter and provide the following information
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Number of mailpieces
Recipient address(es) including zip code(s)
Recipient telephone number(s), if available
Recipient email address(es), if available
Your email address (for delivery tracking)
Delivery date
Weight of each mailpiece
Date and time when mail will be ready

The MailCenter will use Express Mail (see Express Mail under Postal
Services) for time-sensitive mail.
o The district has an Express Mail Corporate Account
o Postal Service carrier makes a scheduled pickup every business
day.
o Warehouse driver delivers mail to the Post Office every business
day.
o All other carriers require advance notice for pickup which may add
a day to delivery date.
o Postal Service is the only carrier that will deliver to a PO Box.
o Express Mail rates start at $12.60 and are based on weight and
distance.
o If you use the Flat Rate envelope your documents will go for
$16.50 regardless of weight or distance
o Express Mail can be delivered 365 days a year.

Our experience has been that no service can guarantee overnight service
to locations outside of Alaska, and that Express Mail delivery guarantees
compare favorably with other services. Should you choose to use another
carrier you will need to make all the arrangements yourself.
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Standard Mail (“Bulk Mail”)

Standard Mail (formerly known as Bulk Mail) is the best way to send large
volumes of mail at the lowest cost. A discount is applied because some of
the more labor-intensive work has already been done for the Postal
Service. Generally speaking, this involves sorting and addressing. If the
mail is sorted before it gets to the Post Office they charge us less. Further
discounts apply if the addresses can be read by machine. Discounts can
be as much as $.095 per letter. The district does not have the equipment
to do pre-sorting and addressing, so it has contracted with a third-party
vendor to do it for us.
o The advantage of using a third party vendor is that they can do
just about all of the work
 Folding and stapling
 Inserting
 Addressing and labeling
 Sealing
 Applying postage
 Fill out all the forms
 Meet all requirements
 Deliver to Post Office
o The disadvantage is that they don’t work just for us
 They need to have your job a minimum of ten (10) working
days prior to the day the mail must be delivered to the Post
Office.
If you have 200 or more identical mailpieces to send and the mailing date
is ten business days or more away you should use Standard Mail.
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The following information has been provided by our Standard Mail Vendor:
 A bulk mailing consists of at least 200 addressed pieces or 50 pounds of
addressed pieces.
 All bulk mail should identify the School District (FNSBSD) in the return
address.
 All bulk mail should bear the School District bulk mail permit:
 The minimum size for a bulk mailing is 3½ in. high by 5 in. wide. The
thickness is either .007 in. for postcards or .009 in. for folded self-mailers.
As far as the folded self-mailers, 20# copier paper on a half fold piece is
not acceptable. In addition to roughly $.02 per piece more for not being
automation compatible they also incur a non-machinable surcharge of
$.02.
 When designing a single sheet mailer, it is better to go with a tri-fold
design.
 20# paper folded in half comes to only .008 inch thick. 24# or 60# is
acceptable for a half fold piece.
 Postcard stock must be 110# index or greater, 90# is not acceptable. 65#
Astrobright Cover is acceptable, however some colors interfere with Postal
processing.
 The maximum size for a bulk mailing is 12 inches high by 15 inches long
and ¾ inch thick.
 Not all sizes in between are acceptable to the Post Office. A mail piece
must have an aspect ratio (length/height) between 1.3 and 2.5. If the
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aspect ratio is not met then the same $.02 nonmachinable surcharge is
applied. A common example is a quarter page postcard 5.5 wide / 4.25
high = 1.294, which is actually outside the range. Though probably not
noticeable to the naked eye, if measured could be rejected. Cutting the
height of the postcard to:
5.5wide / 4.125 high = 1.333
This is within the range.
 All folded self-mailers should have the return address and permit at the
top of the sheet of paper.
 Our folder is capable of folding up to six sheets of paper bound with one
staple. If the piece is saddle stitched, our folder will not take it, it simply
folds at the first staple it encounters. Any piece over six sheets should be
saddle stitched. One staple in the upper corner to bind the mailer is
acceptable. Closing staples on a folded piece are unacceptable to the
Post Office. They require a tab of some sort, either scotch tape or one of
the white sticky tabs that we use here.
 All paper must be of uniform weight and of the same color. We have
noticed variations in paper weight of different colors even though the
reams said the same weight.
 If the piece is cut it must be cut precisely to avoid differing weights.
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Standard Tri-Fold
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Standard Z-Fold
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Standard C-Fold
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
Prior planning is essential for a successful mass mailing project.
o Some mass mailings happen every year (in some cases, every
month), year after year. Plan now. The meter stamp that goes on
each and every letter is a visible indication of how the district
manages its funds. If we want public support for increased funding
we must demonstrate that we use their money wisely.
o Printing the addresses directly on the envelopes is faster than
applying labels. In many cases the Information Services
department can provide our standard mail vendor with a digital
mailing list. This will speed processing and may increase the
discount. Contact Information Services for details.
o If you are providing mailing labels, be sure that they are printed in
Zip code order. However, applying labels to mailpieces adds to the
labor cost and preparation time and, therefore, is not
recommended.
o Let the vendor do the folding, stapling, inserting and addressing
o If you prefer, you can take your job to Advance Printing at 612
30th Ave (451-1111).
o Fill out a “Bulk Mail Request” form and place it with the job.
o If your order is printed in the Copy Room or Print Shop, we’ll
handle everything else from here.
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Package Services
Your Mail Center is equipped to facilitate the delivery of documents and
packages anywhere in the world utilizing The US Postal Service.

The MailCenter has the ability to send packages up to 150 lbs in many
cases. The U. S. Postal Service is the preferred carrier. Unless otherwise
specified, any package that weighs more than 13 ounces will be sent
Parcel Post.
o Postal Service carrier makes a scheduled pickup every business
day.
o Warehouse driver delivers mail to the Post Office every business
day.
o All other carriers require advance notice for pickup which may add
a day to delivery date.
o Postal Service is the only carrier that will deliver to a PO Box.
o MailCenter personnel will print shipping labels for US Postal Service
packages. Please provide the following
 Recipient address
 Recipient telephone number, if available
 Recipient email address, if available
 Your email address (for delivery tracking)
 Delivery date
Overseas Military Mail
Mail can be sent to overseas APO or FPO addresses with certain
restrictions, most of which are related to addressing and contents.
 Addressing: Mail must be addressed to an individual or job
title such as “Commander,” “Commanding Officer,” etc.
 Customs Declaration: Customs declaration
will not be required for mail that weighs less
than one pound. Mail that weighs more
than one pound will require PS Form
2976-A, which is a white, multi-part form. In
keeping with Postal Service bureaucratic
tradition, PS Form 2976-A must be placed
inside PS Form 2976-E, which is a clear
plastic envelope with an adhesive backing.
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


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You must fill out and sign the form. MailCenter
personnel cannot sign for you.
 Put the form in the envelope, but do not seal it. The
form requires further processing by Postal and
Customs Service personnel, and a copy will be
returned to you.
 As a side note, if you have any Postal Service customs
forms printed before January 2004, throw them
away! They are no longer acceptable and your
package will be rejected immediately.
Call your local Post Office and ask them if anything you are
about to send is dutiable. If anything is, form 2976-A is
required.
Follow the instructions on the forms. If we see anything that
looks out of whack once they get to the Mail Center we’ll try
to correct it, but we’ll probably have to send it back. We
cannot sign any customs forms, so be sure that you do.
When in doubt, call the Post Office. That’s what I do.