Often, numerous pieces of AACS mail go to the same address in the same week. A procedure needs to be employed to combine non-priority mail and forward it in a more cost-effective (saving) manner. Therefore, please designate your mail and forward it to the mail room as follows:
- PRIORITY MAIL. (Please seal if confidential.)
This mail will be mailed on the day received in the mail center,
if by 4:00 p.m. This consists of urgent correspondence where
time and prompt mailing is important to program operations. If a piece of mail
is addressed to a party for whom it is highly unlikely there will
be other pieces of mail from the agency in the next few days,
it may be designated as priority mail since its
delay would not result in any cost savings.
- NON-PRIORITY MAIL. (Do not seal unless confidential.)
This mail consists of those items not covered above for which
a slight time delay (two or three days) will pose no real problem
to program operations, and for which there is a reasonable likelihood that
other pieces will be issued for the addressee or to the same address
in two or three days. Many pieces of inter-office correspondence
fit this category. he mail will be forwarded in two to three
days or at such time as a number of pieces to the address have accumulated, even if within the same (one) day. The logic behind not sealing the envelopes is so that the mail handler
can combine pieces to the same addressee and save weight. The
excess envelopes will be returned for later use. Sealed envelopes
will not be opened. Envelopes to multiple addressees at the same address will not be combined.
- ROUTINE MAIL. (Non-confidential, non-priority). This mail would include mail which would not be justifiable in either of the above categories. General staff memos and other pieces of correspondence or information which serve notice or provide general communication within the organization, but for which time is not a key concern would fit in this group. If time is a relatively important concern in the communique, probably a number code would be better, or in certain rare instances. Mail marked as "routine" may be held until Friday of each week, combined as described in the paragraph immediately above, and mailed with the regular Friday mailing. All mail, including any non-priority or routine mail held back from previous days in the week will be mailed on Fridays and the next week will start a new cycle.
(A) Organize your own mail within any given day to prevent multiple first class letters from being mailed to the same address or addressee, unless that is unavoidable and/or necessary.
(B) Codify your mail before forwarding it to the mail center. Place one of the following three code numbers in the lower left hand corner of each envelope:
(C) This procedure does not replace the routing envelope procedure. THE USE OF ROUTING ENVELOPES EXCHANGED THROUGH STAFF TRAVEL WILL ABSOLUTELY BE USED PRIOR TO ANY MAILING THROUGH THE POSTAL SYSTEM. In addition to checking the bulletin board for routing envelopes to be delivered, please be so kind as to check with the Purchasing/Property Officer (and mail coordinator) to see if she has any correspondence being held under non-priority and routine codes which she could also send by you and avoid postage!
(D) Continue to designate your mail by project so that the mail can properly be charged to the respective AACS project.
This directive simply builds on the previous memorandum, "Mailing and Routing Procedures/Postage Cost Containment and Internal Controls Procedures." This memorandum does not alter the previous memo except that you are now requested not to seal non-confidential codes non-priority and routine mail in order to accommodate the new procedure.
Just a word on Bulk Rate Permit mailing. If you have 200 pieces or more of the same matter, you can send it on our bulk rate permit for $.8.4 each rather than the usual first-class rate, currently $ .25. (These rates were effective 8/1/88 -- check for current rates.) It does involve sorting by zip codes, wrapping each zip code bundle with a rubber band, affixing color coded tags, preparing a bulk rate mailing form and delivery to Owensboro's West 4th Street Post Office, but it's well worth the trouble in terms of the money we can save. Keep this in mind and use this alternative when it can save us money.
Every project, but particularly those whose postage is paid out of indirect costs, can and must employ every means available to economize. If you have any questions concerning this directive or any ideas for improvement and/or clarification, please contact me. Thank you.
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Last updated on November 30, 1996 || E-mail Ron Logsdon, AACS executive director