Quick Service Guide 240a
Discount Letters and Cards Standard Mail
Presorted Letters—Nonmachinable

January 2006
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Related QSG

703, Standard Mail Nonprofit Eligibility

Physical Standards (201.2)

Maximum weight: less than 16 ounces.
For an overview of the physical standards for discount letters and cards, see Quick Service Guide 201.

Rates and Fees (243.1)

Pieces exceeding 3.3 ounces pay piece/pound postage; see 243.1.3.

A nonmachinable surcharge (Regular $0.042, Nonprofit $0.021) applies to letter-size pieces (including cards) that weigh 3.3 ounces or less and meet any of the nonmachinable characteristics in 201.2.1. The surcharge also applies to pieces under the "manual only" option in 201.2.2.2b.

There are no Standard Mail card rates; cards may be mailed at letter rates.

Destination discounts apply to mail prepared as prescribed by USPS and addressed for delivery within service area of destination BMC/ASF or SCF (246.2).

Annual $160.00 presort mailing fee (243.3.2).

Content (243.2)

Letters containing mailable items not required to be sent using First-Class Mail can be sent using Standard Mail. Standard Mail is typically used for advertisements and flyers. Additional content restrictions must be met for authorized nonprofit mailers (703.1).

Eligibility Standards (243.5)

Mailings of 200 or more addressed pieces (or 50 pounds of addressed pieces), sorted and marked as described below. All pieces must meet one of the nonmachinable criteria in 201.2. Pieces are eligible if not required to be mailed at First-Class rates or not eligible for Periodicals rates. Nonprofit rates require specific authorization (703.1).

Each piece must include a complete delivery address with correct ZIP Code or ZIP+4 code.

A certified process must be used at least once a year to ensure accuracy of 5-digit ZIP Codes.

Mailers can apply Repositionable Notes ("sticky notes") for an additional charge of $0.015. See 709.7.

Postage Payment and Documentation (244)

Precanceled stamp (604.3), meter (604.4), or permit imprint (604.5).

Additional standards apply to mailings of nonidentical-weight pieces.

Documentation:

• Postage statement:
  Regular: Form 3602-R or Form 3602-EZ or approved facsimile.
  Nonprofit: Form 3602-N or Form 3602-NZ or approved facsimile.
• Supporting documentation: required unless correct rate is affixed to each piece or unless each piece is of identical weight and separated by rate when presented for acceptance; documentation generated by PAVE-certified software (or printed in standardized format).

Mail Preparation (245)

Marking on each piece in the postage area (202.3):

• Regular: "Presorted Standard" or "PRSRT STD."
• Nonprofit: "Nonprofit Organization" or "NONPROFIT ORG." or "NONPROFIT."

1-foot or 2-foot trays used (245.3.3) where appropriate (e.g., when there is enough mail to fill a 2-foot tray, a 2-foot tray must be used).

See reverse for preparation and labeling.

Use 2-inch tray label (245.4).

Trays on pallets (705.8.5) are permitted and preferred.

Trays sleeved and strapped (245.3.4). See 245.3.5 for exceptions to strapping for mailings that originate and destinate in delivery area of same SCF. Strapping not required on trays placed on 5-digit, 3-digit, and SCF pallets that are secured with stretchwrap.

Enter and Deposit (246)

Mailing entered at an acceptance point designated by USPS.

For the specific DMM standards applicable to this category of mail, consult the DMM sections referenced above and the general sections within each DMM module.

Bundling and Traying Sequence (245.5.5) 5-Digit (Required)1 Bundles: Bundling not required if sufficient quantity to fill a 5-digit tray. Pieces must be bundled if 10 or more pieces to same 5-digit ZIP Code; fewer than 10 pieces in a bundle not permitted. Labels: Red Label 5 or optional endorsement line (OEL) (708.7). 3-Digit (Required)1 Bundles: Pieces must be bundled if 10 or more pieces to same 3-digit ZIP Code prefix; fewer than 10 pieces in a bundle not permitted.2 Labels: Green Label 3 or OEL. ADC (Required) Bundles: Pieces must be bundled if 10 or more pieces to same ADC (see L004); fewer than 10 pieces in a bundle not permitted.2 Labels: Pink Label A or OEL. Mixed ADC (Required) Bundles: Any remaining pieces must be bundled in mixed ADC bundles. Labels: Tan Label X or OEL. Trays: Required, full trays only for pieces to same 5-digit ZIP Code; bundling not required; less-than-full trays not permitted. Labels: For Line 1, use city, state, and 5-digit ZIP Code on mail. Rate:3/51 Trays: Required for any remaining bundles for same 3-digit ZIP Code prefix placed in 3-digit trays; only one less-than-full or overflow tray permitted per destination. (Exception: One less-than-full tray must be prepared for any remaining bundles for each origin 3-digit ZIP Code prefix.) Labels: For Line 1, use L002, Column A, for destination facility. Rate: 3/5 or Basic1 Trays: Required, full trays only for bundles to same ADC (see L004); no overflow trays permitted. Labels: For Line 1, use L004, Column B, for destination facility. Rate: Basic Trays: Required for any remaining bundles placed in mixed ADC trays. Labels: For Line 1, use "MXD" followed by city, state, and ZIP Code of origin ADC facility in L004. Rate: Basic

Rates based on tray in which bundle is placed.

Use this option when selecting the "manual only" preparation option.

1. Only pieces in 5-digit and 3-digit bundles meeting eligibility standards (150 or more pieces bundled to a 3-digit area) may be prepared in 5-digit or 3-digit trays and be eligible for the 3/5 rate. Basic rate for any 3-digit tray for origin SCF not meeting 150-piece minimum.

2. Bundling not required if sufficient quantity to fill a tray and none of the mail in the tray would have been more finely sorted if bundled (245.2.4).

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