Bulk Mail

Bulk Mail Guidelines

1. Minimum Quantity - Bulk mail must contain a minimum of 200 pieces with identical contents.
2. Identical Pieces - All pieces must be identical in weight and size. Paper weight and envelope or other mailer must be uniform throughout the mailing.
3. USA Only - Bulk mail is limited to delivery within the U.S.A. Bulk mail can not be sent outside the U.S.A.
4. Consistent Addressing - All addresses must face the same direction and be legibly typed or printed.
5. All Bulk Mail must be processed through an Address Verification System no more than 95 days prior to the mailing and a Process Acknowledgment Form (PAF) must be completed and submitted to Central Services. Contact Central Services for more information.
6. Meet Non-Profit Requirements - Requirements for mailing at the non-profit bulk rate are stringent and are established by the U. S. Postal Service. Mail Services can assist you with this determination. ALL MAILINGS MUST HAVE A COMPLETE RETURN ADDRESS, INCLUDING " AUGUSTA STATE UNIVERSITY ", IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THE NON-PROFIT BULK RATE.
7. Sorted by Zip Code - All mail must be sorted by zip code. Individual bundles must have at least ten pieces and may not be more than 4" in thickness. If the items are thick, there may be as few as seven or eight pieces per bundle. Books or other printed matter may be bundled in packets of five. Prepare a bundle that is easy to handle and manage.
8. Banding of bundles - Rubber band each bundle separately, length first, then width. If the bundles are small, and this kind of banding makes them bunch up, use smaller rubber bands and put one around each end.
9. Identifying Stickers - Identify each bundle with the appropriate colored self-stick label. Affix the label on the top piece of each bundle in the lower left-hand corner. Stickers are available from Mail Services.
   DO NOT PLACE STICKERS ON EACH PIECE IN THE BUNDLE.
   The stickers are identified as follows:
• Red, D : -- bundle containing pieces with the same five-digit zip code.
• Green, 3 -- bundle containing pieces with the same first three digits of the zip code.
• Pink, S -- bundle containing pieces belonging to the same state.
• Brown, Area -- bundle containing pieces for several different states.
10. USPS Acceptance - Bulk mailings must be entered into the system at a designated U. S. Postal facility and must be accompanied by Postal Service Form #3602. An employee of Mail Services will take the mailing to a postal facility.

Bulk Mail Tips

• Begin early to receive assistance from Mail Services on minimizing postage and processing costs. Contact Mail Services to verify that the return address and indicia on your mail piece meet USPS requirements. Allow a minimum of two weeks in advance of the mailing date to include handling by the Mail Center and the USPS.
• Often, you bulk mail may need to be approved by the USPS prior to mailing.

Supplies - Obtain supplies from Mail Services. These include:

• bulk mail stamp, unless you have the bulk imprint affixed at the time of printing
• self-stick routing labels

Outside Preparation Services - Departments may occasionally choose to use outside vendors to prepare bulk mail. If you work with an outside vendor, it is extremely important that you contact Mail Services prior to any work being started. Please share the date of the mailing, number of pieces, and the company you are using. Frequently, the billing for Outside Bulk Mailing services end up in Central Services, this will assist us with routing the billing to the appropriate department.

Alonzo "Al"Gray
Office Location:
Augusta State Univeristy
Warehouse # 204
2500 Walton Way
Augusta, GA 30904
706-737-1479
e-mail