How to Prepare Your Outgoing Domestic USPS Mail
All outgoing USPS Mail that needs postage should be kept separate from all other mail and bear a valid University return address. The mail should be stacked with the address facing the same direction, larger pieces on the bottom and smaller pieces on the top. In addition, postcards should be placed on top since our mail processing equipment does not differentiate between letter-size pieces and postcards. Any letter-size pieces that need to be machine sealed by our mail processing equipment should be stacked with the flaps up and nested together. Larger pieces of mail and overstuffed envelopes should already be sealed prior to being metered. Failure to properly seal this type of mail could result in the contents of the mailpiece being unsecured in the envelope.
Mail that needs metering should be accompanied by a Domestic Charge Slip if the destination address is within the United States and by an International Charge Slip for mail traveling to other countries. It is very important to keep domestic mail separate from international mail.
Your mail should be bundled together by a rubber band and have the appropriate charge slip attached. Large quantities of mail that cannot be secured by a rubber band may be placed in a U.S. Mail tub or tray with the charge slip placed on top in plain view.
Campus Mail Service strongly encourages mailers to rubberband their mail to be metered. This helps in making sure that only your mail is processed on your account and no other department’s mail is accidentally mixed-in with your mail. Mail picked up from each department on campus is merged with mail picked up from other departments, so securely rubberbanding your mail will help ensure each department’s mail stays together.
Campus Mail Service also encourages mailers to keep a supply of postage stamps on hand. This will help cut down on our Mail Processing Clerks having to set up the mail processing equipment to process only one or two pieces of mail so they can concentrate on processing larger quantities of mail to be metered.
Failure to properly prepare your mail could result in your Mail Delivery Clerk not picking your mail up, having your mail delayed, or having your mail returned to you for proper preparation. Contact a Mail Operations Shift Leader if you have any questions on how to properly prepare your outgoing USPS Mail.