Lewis & Clark
Mail Services
Resource Guide
Call us: 503-768-7868
Email us: [email protected]
Visit our webpage: http://www.lclark.edu/offices/mail_services/
OR Come and see us in the Templeton Campus Center
1
About This Guide
The following information is provided to assist Lewis & Clark staff and
faculty members in becoming familiar with the various services provided
by the Mail Services Department, and to assist in understanding how these
services can be utilized.
As you read through this information you will notice there are no prices
listed, since most fees are dependent on the weight of the parcel and the
region to which it is to be delivered, they have been left out.
Check out our website: http://www.lclark.edu/offices/mail_ services/ to
calculate postage and where we have direct links to a number of postal
websites.
As always, the staff of Mail Services will be happy to answer your
questions and assist you in sending your mail in an efficient and timely
manner. Please feel free to stop by the window or give us a call if we can
be of assistance to you.
Your Mail Services Staff
Templeton Campus Center
[email protected]
Ext: 7868
2
Table of Contents
Pg. 1: About This Guide
Pg. 2: Table of Contents
Pg. 3: Business Hours
Mail Room Daily Schedule
Pg. 4: Mail Services
Addressing
USPS Packaging Use
Pg. 5: United Parcel Service & UPS Form
Pg. 6: UPS Ground Time in Transit Map
Pg. 7:Federal Express Guidelines /FedEx Ground
Pg. 8: FedEx International Air Waybill (example of)
Pg. 9: FedEx International Commercial Invoice
Pg. 10: First Class Mail
Postcard rates
Letter rates
Pg. 11: Minimum Acceptable Layout for 4.25x5.5 postcards
Pg. 12: Media Mail (Formerly Book Rate)
Parcel Post (Domestic)
Library Mail
Pg. 13: Presort Mail
Ordering Your Mail Piece from Publications
List Cleansing
Pg. 14: Standard Mail
Preparations for Standard Permit Mailings
Pg. 15: Endorsements
Explanations of what RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED and RETURN SERVICE
REQUESTED mean
Pg. 16: Priority Mail
Pg. 17: Delivery Conformation
Pg. 18: Example of a Click-N-Ship USPS Priority Mail label (online source)
Pg. 19: Certified Mail
Pg. 20: Return Receipt
Pg. 21: Express Mail
Pg. 22: Personal Mail Services Using the Campus Mail System
Department Postage
Pg. 23: Campus Parcel Delivery
Pg. 24: Changes in USPS Collection Prohibitions (7/30/2007)
Pg. 25: Foreign Mail
Pg. 26: Global Express
Pg. 27: International Priority (formerly Global Priority)
Flat Rate Envelopes
Pg. 28: Custom Forms
Pg. 29: Custom Forms (Continued)
3
Mail Services
Lewis & Clark Mail Services Department processes all incoming mail for the undergraduate College and the
Graduate School. Mail Services also processes the outgoing mail for the entire institution, including the Law
School.
Addressing Mail to Lewis & Clark College
Departments, Faculty & Staff
Students
Lewis & Clark College
Name
Department (important)
0615 SW Palatine Hill Rd.
Portland, OR 97219
Lewis & Clark College
Name
MSC (**not PO Box)
0615 SW Palatine Hill Rd.
Portland, OR 97219
**Addresses on all incoming mail should now include "MSC" (Mail Stop Code) instead of "LC BOX." This
will assure that the mail will come directly to Lewis & Clark College and will prevent any mail from mistakenly
being sent to the downtown post office.
Helpful Links
USPS New Prices Effective May 11, 2009
USPS Package Use
Calculate Postage
Find a Post Office
Click2Mail Online
State Abbreviations
Street Suffixes
USPS Track & Confirm
Zip Code Lookup
FedEx Tracking
UPS Tracking
Cancel Unwanted Catalogs
Forms
* Download For Business Envelopes (DOC)
* Download For Large Envelopes (PDF)
4
Business Hours
Regular business hours for Mail Services are Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The mailroom is
staffed on Saturdays during the academic year to sort incoming mail and stuff student mailboxes, but it is not
open for sales or the processing of outgoing mail. Window service hours for package and letter pick up on
Saturdays are 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Monday—Friday
Mail Center Staff Hours
Saturday package (pick up only)
8:30 am - 4:00 pm
8:00 am - 4:00 pm
9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Monday – Friday Mail & Package Schedule
8:30 a.m.
9:30 a.m.
10 a.m.
10:30
a.m.
11:00
a.m.
11:30
a.m.
12 p.m.
1 p.m.
2 p.m.
2 p.m.
3 p.m.
4:00 p.m.
Open Mailroom Window
Law School Delivery and Pick Up of Campus Mail and Mail to be Metered
United Parcel Service (UPS) Delivery
Federal Express Delivery
USPS Mail Delivery to Law School
USPS Mail Delivery to Mailroom and Pick Up of Outgoing Mail
Student Mailboxes Stuffed
Presort service pickup of outgoing mail
Main Campus, South Campus and Law School Delivery and Pick Up of
Departmental Mail
United Parcel Service (UPS) Pick Up
Federal Express Pick Up
Close Mailroom
Saturday
Academic Year Only: 9:00 am. – 1:00 pm
Sunday No mail service.
5
United Parcel Service (UPS)
Address must contain a street address
No Post Office boxes
Need to fill out form provided by Mail Services
Must arrive at Mail Services no later than 2pm
Saturday delivery is $10.00 extra
Trackable at UPS.com, click on tracking
Email notification available, informs sender when item was sent, tracking number, type
of service and weight
Next day, 2nd day, 3 day, and ground service available
International addresses must have phone number
6
UPS Ground provides next day delivery to all of Oregon, most of Washington and a small part of
Idaho. The cost is 1/2 to 1/3 of the cost of Federal Express or Express Mail.
UPS Ground Time in Transit Map Below
Our UPS system now has the capability of emailing you the tracking information, so when you send your
package to the Mailroom, remember to include your email address.
Business days in transit from: PORTLAND, OR 97219
7
Federal Express
IN-HOUSE FEDERAL EXPRESS FORMS
The forms you will need – DOMESTIC OR INTERNATIONAL - are located in the business
office. They will come preprinted with the college account number.
PERSONAL FEDERAL EXPRESS FORMS and ENVELOPES
Federal Express forms and envelopes for personal use are available in the mail-room.
FEDERAL EXPRESS GUIDELINES
*Address must contain a street address
*No Post Office boxes
*Must arrive at Mail Services no later than 2:30pm
*Saturday delivery is $10.00 extra
*Trackable at www.FedEx.com (click on ‗tracking‘)
*Parcels sent to foreign countries must include an international
telephone number and a Commercial Invoice form (available in the
mailroom).
* Next day, 2nd day or ground service available
UPS Ground provides next day delivery to all of Oregon, most of Washington, and a small part of
Idaho. The cost is ½ to 1/3 of the cost of Federal Express or Express Mail.
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9
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First Class Mail
First Class rates apply to mail weighing 13 ounces or less
Mail over 13 ounces, up to the maximum of 70 lbs at priority rates
Maximum weight is 70 lbs
Maximum size is 108 inches length and girth combined
First Class Mail (Postcard Rate)
Minimum size is 3 ½ x 5 inches
Maximum size is 4 ¼ x 6 inches
Must be rectangular and uniform thickness
Postcards over maximum size are sent at the first class letter rate
Postcards under minimum size or not rectangular are subject to a surcharge
First Class Mail (Letter Rate)
Minimum size is 3 ½ inches high by 5 inches long
Maximum size is 6 1/8 inches high by 11 ½ inches long
Maximum thickness is ¼ inch
Letters weighing one ounce or less that exceeds any of the size limits is
subject to a surcharge
11
This is minimum acceptable layout for 4.25‖ x 5.5‖ postcards. Inside shaded boxes are for
permit info and addressing. Size for address block is 1.5‖ high by 3.75‖ wide and permit block
size is approximately 1.25‖ square. Address block must be white or very light shade with no
graphics or bleeds.
Name
Address
City State Zip
12
Media Mail
Media Rate is the new name for Book Rate
 No minimum weight
 70 lbs maximum weight
 Used for books, printed music, sound recordings, video recordings, playscripts,
manuscripts and computer-readable media (tapes, discs)
 Takes longer than first class
 Costs less than first class
It is now allowed to enclose a First Class greeting or correspondence with media idem.
The example below is three years old. The postage rates have changed but the concept is the
same
Example: In mid-October one department planned to send 69 packages all over the U.S. The
First Class rate would have been #3.95 to $5.75, depending on the destination. Since First Class
packages are charged by zip code and weight, most of them would have cost $5.75. Each
package had a greeting or a message inside, making the department think they could not go
Media Rate. Luckily, I learned recently that certain greetings included with a product,
publication or a parcel would be allowed. The packages went for $1.84 each, saving $145.59.
Parcel Post (Domestic)





Used for package services only
No minimum weight
70lb maximum weight
Costs less than first class
Takes longer than first class
Library Mail
Library mail can only be sent to a Library from a Library. This includes Institutional Library‘s
to Institutional Library‘s.
Library costs are less than media mail.
13
Presort Mail
All of the College‘s outgoing #10 domestic envelopes are going Presort. By presorting and bar
coding College mail before it goes to the post office, departments realize both a postage savings
and a faster delivery time. Nationwide testing has proven time savings of up to 3 days if mail is
presorted and bar coded before USPS processing. The coded mail is expedited, because it can
bypass so much of the internal processing at the post office.
Remember to send your #10 envelopes to us with flaps down; our new meter will not seal them
with the flaps up. We can only seal top-loading envelopes, not the side-loading type.
Remember to separate Domestic and International mail.
Remember to identify your department by budget code when sending your mail to the
Mailroom.
ORDERING YOUR MAIL PIECE FROM PUBLICATIONS:
TEMPLATE
When ordering your mail piece from Publications, be sure to understand the cost for mailing per
piece. When it is sized outside of the dimensional standards, the mailing costs can increase
significantly.
LIST CLEANSING:
Effective November 23, 2008, the United States Postal Service (USPS) requires customers to
cleanse their address lists every 95 days. This cleansing of data is required on all classes of
mail: first class, non-profit and standard (bulk) mail. If you use lists to send out large mailings,
this service will identify addresses on your list that do not match the address located in the
National Change of Address (NCOA) system. Please stay in compliance with the USPS
regulations.
Mail houses can run up to 10,000 addresses through the National Change of Address (NCOA)
service for about $200.00. The program reads and corrects any address changes that have
occurred on your list according to the Post Office database. To make this more affordable,
Oregon Data will perform this service for you by merging your smaller lists with other
department lists, processing them, and then sending them back separately at no extra cost. This
allows a number of departments to share the cost of the list cleaning.
(DO NOT COMBINE LISTS)
14
Standard Mail
(Standard Mail is the new name for Bulk)
Standard mail offers a lower per-piece rate on postage. Lewis & Clark is a nonprofit organization and
non-profits save even more. When it is possible we encourage our departments to use Standard Mail.
PREPARATION OF BULK/STANDARD PERMIT MAILINGS
1. Bulk mailings must pertain only to Lewis & Clark sponsored initiatives.
2. A 200 piece minimum is required.
3. All pieces must be IDENTICAL in content, size and weight. No personal messages can
be added.
4. The department name and return address must be on the envelope or brochure.
5. The weight per piece cannot be over 15-1/2 ounces.
6. A nonprofit permit imprint must be in the upper right hand corner and must be legible. It
can be preprinted or you can use the rubber stamp available in the Mail Room.
7. Envelopes must be in zip code order, all 5 digits, lowest number in front to highest in
back.
8. Bulk mail is for domestic use only. Foreign mail cannot be included; Mexico and Canada
are considered foreign.
9. An GL account number and piece count must accompany the mailing to the Mail Room.
10.The Mail Room equipment will seal Size #10 letter envelopes if the flaps are down.
Larger envelopes must be pre-sealed.
11.Folded brochures can be mailed with the bulk permit. The same rules as above apply. If
copy paper is used, it must be at least 3 sheets thick to be machinable. The
nonmachinable surcharge for Regular Standard mail LETTERS is an additional 4 cents
per piece. The nonmachinable surcharge for Nonprofit Standard mail LETTERS is 2
cents.
12.Plan ahead. Bulk mailings take several days longer to get into the system.
13.Let the Mail Room know about the mailing ahead of time, so sufficient funds will be
available in our USPS account. Call extension 7869.
14.Mailings over 5,000 pieces may be sent to off-campus mailing services for processing.
Be sure to contact the Mail Room if you plan to do this, as the Mail Room controls the
funds for all bulk mailings.
New zip codes and major zip code changes for the past year.
New Address Standards for Flat size Mail- Effective March 29, 2009
If you have any questions, please call the Mail Room at extension 7867.
15
Endorsements
MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE CHARGES ATTACHED TO THE
ENDORSEMENTS.
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED instructs the USPS to forward a piece of First Class mail
to the new address, and the sender receives a copy and a 50 cent charge. If printed on a Standard
(Bulk) mail piece over 1 ounce, you could actually receive charges for the new address with a
weighted fee. This can get expensive, so don‘t use this unless you have a very clean list.
When RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED is printed on a First Class mail piece and that piece
is undeliverable, it will be returned to the College at no charge. On Standard (Bulk) mail, you
may be charged up to 2½ times the cost of a First Class letter rate postage for the return.
The example below is four years old. The postage rates have charged but the concept is the
same.
In January 2005, a 6,895 piece postcard mailing was sent out Standard (Bulk) for
$865.17. Because the list was old and the department wanted to update the list, they
printed RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED on the piece. 1839 pieces came back at 37
cents each. The cost to update the list was $680.43. Notice they charged the First Class
letter rate for the return, not postcard rate. If the department would have run the list
through the NCOA, it would have cost a maximum of $200. If you have any questions
call the Mail Room, and we will be glad to research the costs for your mailing: outgoing
and return.
Effective November 23, 2008, the United States Postal Service (USPS) requires customers to
cleanse their address lists every 95 days. This cleansing of data is required on all classes of
mail: first class, non-profit and standard (bulk) mail. If you use lists to send out large mailings,
this service will identify addresses on your list that do not match the address located in the
National Change of Address (NCOA) system. Please stay in compliance with the USPS
regulations.
Advancement Services prepares and sends the list for Raiser's Edge out to be screened every 95
days. This list is cleaned through the NCOA database. Advancement Services then imports any
changes back into our database. If you are using a mail house to process your mailing for you,
and you are pulling your data from Raiser's Edge, your list has already been cleaned and is in
compliance with the NCOA requirement. You should inform your mail house each time you do
a mailing that we are in compliance with the NCOA requirement, so you aren‘t charged
needlessly.
Remember, this is just for Raiser's Edge data, there would need to be a separate cleansing
process if the data is pulled from Colleague.
16
Priority Mail
Mail over 13.5 ounces becomes Priority Mail and the cost is determined by size, zip
code and weight. For pieces over 1 pound we recommend using the flat rate
envelopes when possible.
Example: A package over 1 pound sent to New York goes Priority for $7.10 versus a
Flat Rate Priority envelope at $4.95---a savings of $2.15 per package.
Example: A 3 pound 15.5 ounce package sent Priority to New York costs $ 14.70
versus a Flat Rate Priority mail envelope at $ 4.95 a savings of $9.75 per package.
The Law School Admissions saved $3,550 each year for the last several years by
using Flat Rate Priority envelopes. That‘s a total of $17,750 over five years.
Maximum weight is 70 lbs
Maximum size is 108 inches and girth combined
Can be certified
2-3 day delivery, NOT GUARANTEED
Domestic mail only
Not trackable
17
Delivery Confirmation
If you want to send something with delivery confirmation, you can
use a form like the one pictured below. These are available in the
mail room for .70 cents plus the cost of postage. If you don‘t want
to pay for the form, you can turn to the next page and print out
your own delivery confirmation form at no cost, except postage.
Gives information about date and time item was delivered
upon inquiry
Not trackable
Available for Priority mail and package services
18
19
Certified Mail
Provides proof of mailing
Provides proof of delivery
Not available for foreign mail
Return receipt available
Available for first class and priority mail
Not trackable
20
Return Receipt
Extra cost
Used with Certified and Express Mail
Shows to whom the mail was delivered, date delivered, and signature of
addressee
21
Express Mail
Fastest service available but also the most expensive
Guaranteed delivery 365 days a year, including weekends and holidays
Automatically insured for $100 at no extra charge
Merchandise insurance liability up to $5,000
Money back guarantee if not delivered on time
Trackable. Go to USPS.com, click on package tracking
Next day or second day deliver (does not apply to some Post Offices)
Maximum weight 70 lbs
Maximum size 108 inches length and girth combined
22
Personal Services
Mail Services is a distribution center for U.S. Postal Service, UPS, DHL, and Federal Express.
Faculty and staff are welcome to use our services for personal use. We sell first class stamps
and calculate prices and meter amounts for letters, flats, and parcels.
Please remember that personal mail sent from departments through the campus mail
system must have the appropriate postage affixed or it will be returned to the sender.
Department Postage
Rolls of stamps are available for purchase by departments and employees. Departmental charge
forms are available at Mail Services.
23
Campus Parcel Delivery
Mail Services tracks all on-campus parcel deliveries. In order for us to determine that you have
received your parcel, we ask that you sign the Red Card that is taped to your package or letter
and Return the card in your department mail bag. You may also pick up your packages at the
Mail Service window where we will have you sign our tracking book.
24
Changes to handling stamped mail over 13 ounces take
effect July 30
Notice something different on your collection box? A new
decal prohibiting stamped mail weighing more than 13
ounces from being deposited in collection boxes began
appearing this month.
Effective July 30, 2007, all parcels weighing more than 13
ounces and bearing only postage stamps must be
presented by the customer to an employee at a retail
service counter.
Customers using collection boxes are greeted by a familiar
label instructing them to take stamped mail weighing 16 ounces or more to a retail service
counter at a Post Office. Starting July 30, that weight limit changes from ―16 ounces and over‖
to ―over 13 ounces.‖
The new decal also reminds customers that any mail placed in the collection box that weighs
more than 13 ounces and bears only postage stamps as postage will be returned to the sender.
The change was made to reflect the threshold between First-Class Mail and Priority Mail as
well as for heightened security reasons.
The Postal Service also is eliminating the ―Known Customer‖ designation. That means carriers
will no longer be allowed to accept stamped mail weighing more than 13 ounces from a
customer or a customer’s mailbox.
For Customers who does not have a postage meter machine when mailing packages and
envelopes that weigh more than 13 ounces can use a convenient online postage application,
such as Click-N-Ship or any PC postage from an authorized USPS vendor. They are available
24 hours a day, seven days a week. Customers then can leave packages and envelopes in Postal
Service collection boxes or Post Office lobby mail slots. Customers can even leave items for
pickup by their letter carriers. Take this link for more detailed information:
https://sss-web.usps.com/cns/landing.do
Business Customers who use postage meters may continue to use meter postage of any
weight and mailing method as is.
Should you need additional information, please feel free to contact Mail Services.
25
International
Mail
26
Global Express








Not available to all countries
Trackable
Delivery in 3-5 days
Insured for $100 against loss, damage or rifling at no additional cost
36 inch maximum length
79 inch maximum length and girth combined
70 lbs maximum weight
Customs forms needed
*Envelopes and Labels are available in the mail room.
27
International Priority
New name for Global Priority
International Priority is as fast as Global Express
Not available to all countries
3-5 day delivery—NOT GUARANTEED—NOT TRACKABLE
Receives priority handling in USA and in destination countries
Maximum weight not over 4 lbs
Maximum length, height, and thickness combined is 36 inches
Minimum length and height is 5 ½ x 3 ½ inches
Needs a customs if over 1 lb
Flat Rate Envelopes
Can save you money depending on the weight
Not available to all countries
3-5 day delivery—NOT GUARANTEED—NOT TRACKABLE
Maximum weight 4 lbs
Envelope size 12 ½ x 9 ½ inches
Envelopes available in mailroom
28
Customs Forms
Custom forms are required on all foreign mail weighing over 1 lb
May be required on foreign mail weighing under 1 lb depending on shape and
size of article
Two different forms
Form 2976 used for mail under 4 lbs
Form 2976-A used for mail over 4 lbs
29
Customs Forms (Continued)