ARCHIVED QSG - MAY 14, 2007
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Quick Service Guide 240d

Discount Letters and Cards

Standard Mail Enhanced Carrier Route Letters

May 2007
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Related QSG

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703, Standard Mail Nonprofit Eligibility

Physical Standards (201)

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Maximum weight: 3.5 ounces.

Heavy letter mail weighing more than 3 ounces must have a barcode in the address block and be prepared in a sealed envelope in 201.3.13.4.

For an overview of the physical standards for discount letters and cards, see Quick Service Guide 201.

Rates and Fees (243.1.0)

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For pieces weighing 3.3 ounces (0.2063 pound) or less:
Regular
Nonprofit
Saturation
$0.177
$0.108
High Density
0.186
0.117
Basic
0.226
0.157

For pieces that weigh more than 3.3 but not more than 3.5 ounces, see 243.1.0. For pieces that are not automation compatible, or not barcoded, or for pieces weighing more than 3.3 ounces, see 243.1.3 (Regular) or 243.1.4 (Nonprofit).

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

Destination discounts (243.1.0) apply to mail prepared as prescribed by USPS and addressed for delivery within service area of destination BMC/ASF or SCF (246.2.0).

Annual $175.00 presort mailing fee.

Content (243.2.0)

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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 (703.1.0).

Eligibility Standards (243.6.0)

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Mailings of 200 or more addressed pieces (or 50 pounds of addressed pieces), sorted and marked as described below. Pieces are eligible if not required to be mailed at First-Class Mail rates or not eligible for Periodicals rates. Nonprofit rates require specific authorization (703.1.0). Pieces must be part of a group of 10 or more to one carrier route, prepared in line-of-travel or walk sequence. All letter-rate pieces must be automation compatible (201.3.0) and have a delivery point or Intelligent Mail barcode (708.4.0). Pieces not meeting these standards are mailable at the corresponding flat-size carrier-route rates (DDU discount not available for letter-size pieces). Exceptions apply to pieces with simplified addresses.

Carrier route information updated using CASS-certified process within 90 days before mailing.

High-density and saturation letter-rate mail subject to address standards in 243.7.4, barcode quality standards in 708.4.0, and CASS/MASS standards in 708.3.0.

Mailers can apply Repositionable Notes for an additional charge of $0.015. See 709.5.0.

Postage Payment and Documentation (244)

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Precanceled stamp (604.3.0), meter (604.4.0), or permit imprint (604.5.0).

Additional standards apply to mailings of nonidentical-weight pieces.

Documentation:

  • Postage statement:
  • Regular: Form 3602-R, or approved facsimile.
  • Nonprofit: Form 3602-N, 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).
  • Additional documentation to support density standards (245.6.9).

Mail Preparation (245.6.0)

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Marking on each piece in the postage area (202.3.0):

  • Regular: "Presorted Standard" or "PRSRT STD."
  • Nonprofit: "Nonprofit Organization" or "NONPROFIT ORG." or "NONPROFIT."
  • Basic, high-density, and saturation rate pieces must also be marked "ECRLOT," "ECRWSH," or "ECRWSS," respectively, in the correct optional endorsement line under 708.2.0 or in correct carrier route information line under 708.8.0, or postage area. Mailings consisting of bundles claimed at more than one enhanced carrier route rate must bear appropriate marking for rate claimed. Pieces not claimed at corresponding rate must not be included in mailing and must not bear the "ECRLOT," "ECRWSH," or "ECRWSS" marking. For additional marking standards for carrier route pieces, see 708.8.0.

Basic rate mail must be in line-of-travel (LOT) or in walk sequence (245.6.8).

High-density (WSH) and saturation (WSS) rate mail must be in walk sequence (245.6.8).

See page two and three for preparation and labeling.

Letter-size pieces that are claimed at nonletter rates must be marked, sorted, and trayed as letters.

Barcoded tray labels required (245.4.9). Use 2-inch tray labels for all other letter-size pieces (245.4.2).

The mailer must retain required documentation in 708.3.5.2 for 1 year.

Trays must be sleeved and strapped (245.3.4). See 243.3.5 for exceptions to strapping for mailings that originate and destinate in delivery area of same SCF and for trays not processed at a BMC.

Enter and Deposit (246)

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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.

Preparation for Barcoded Automation-Compatible Letters 3 Ounces or Less (245.6.7)
Required for Saturation, High Density, and Basic barcoded and automation-compatible letter-size mail weighing up to 3 ounces. For all other mail, use the preparation on page three.
At least 10 or more pieces to same carrier route (city route, rural route, highway contract route, post office box section, or general delivery unit); fewer than 10 pieces per route not permitted. Use an optional endorsement line or carrier route information line.

This graphic shows the package preparation for Standard Mail Enhanced Carrier Route Letters 3 ounces or less as described in the text.

Carrier Route
Trays: Required, full trays only for pieces to the same carrier route; overflow trays not permitted.
Barcoded Labels: For Line 1, use city, state, and 5-digit ZIP Code on mail. For Line 2, use "STD LTR BC WSS" for saturation, or "STD LTR BC WSH" for high density, or "STD LTR BC LOT" for basic followed by route type and number.
Rate: Saturation, High Density, or Basic
5-Digit Carrier Routes
Trays: Required, full trays only for pieces to the same 5-digit carrier routes; group pieces by carrier route; bundling not permitted. Overflow trays not permitted.
Barcoded Labels: For Line 1, use city, state, and 5-digit ZIP Code on mail. For Line 2, use "STD LTR 5D CR-RT BC."
Rate: Saturation, High Density, or Basic
3-Digit Carrier Routes
Trays: Required, for any remaining pieces, group pieces by carrier route. Bundling required in less than full trays
Barcoded Labels: For Line 1, use city, state, and 3-digit ZIP Code prefix shown in L002, Column A, for 3-digit ZIP Code prefix on mail. For Line 2, use "STD LTR 3D CR-RT BC."
Rate: Saturation, High Density, or Basic
Bundling not permitted except for card-sized pieces.

1. For saturation pieces, use "WSS," for high-density pieces, use "WSH," for basic pieces, use "LOT."

Preparation for Letters Over 3 Ounces and all Nonbarcoded or Nonautomation-Compatible Letters (245.6.6)
Bundle Preparation
Saturation1
Bundles: 10 or more pieces addressed to same carrier route2 must be prepared in bundles (unless placed in full carrier routes trays or placed in full 5-digit carrier routes trays with separator cards); fewer than 10 pieces allowed only if route has fewer than 10 delivery stops. Mail must be in walk-sequence order (245.6.9) and meet density standards.
Labels: Use optional endorsement line (OEL) stating carrier route description prefix and route number (708.7.0).4
Rate: Saturation
High Density3
Bundles: 10 or more pieces addressed to same carrier route4 must be prepared in bundles (unless placed in full carrier routes trays or placed in full 5-digit carrier routes trays with separator cards). Mail must be in walk-sequence order (245.6.9) and meet density standards.
Labels: Use OEL with carrier route description prefix and route number (708.7.0).2
Rate: High Density
Basic
Bundles: 10 or more pieces addressed to same carrier route4 must be prepared in bundles (unless placed in full carrier routes trays or placed in full 5-digit carrier routes trays with separator cards). Mail must be in line-of-travel or walk-sequence order (245.6.9).
Labels: Use OEL with carrier route description prefix and route number (708.7.0).2
Rate: Basic

This graphic shows the bundle preparation for Standard Mail Enhanced Carrier Route Letters over 3 ounces as described in the text.

Tray Preparation
Carrier Route
Trays: Required, full trays only for pieces to same carrier route; smaller quantities not permitted; bundling not required except for card-sized pieces.
Labels: For Line 1, use city, state, and 5-digit ZIP Code of destination. For Line 2, use "STD LTR MACH" and "WSS" for saturation, "WSH" for high density, or "LOT" for basic followed by route type and number.5,6
5-Digit Carrier Routes
Trays: Required if full tray, optional with one 10-piece bundle. No minimum number of carrier route bundles for same 5-digit area.
Labels: For Line 1, use city, state, and 5-digit ZIP Code of destination. For Line 2, use "STD LTR 5D CR-RT MACH."5
3-Digit Carrier Routes
Trays: Carrier route bundles only; optional with minimum one 10-piece carrier route bundle for each of two or more 5-digit areas.
Labels: For Line 1, use city, state, and 3-digit ZIP Code prefix shown in L002, Column A. For Line 2, use "STD LTR 3D CR-RT MACH."5

This graphic shows the tray preparation for Standard Mail Enhanced Carrier Route Letters as described in the text.

1Minimum 90% total active residential or 75% total active deliveries per route (100% if simplified address (243.6.0)).
2Carrier route includes city route, rural route, highway contract route, post office box section, or general delivery unit.
3125-piece minimum per route unless route has fewer than 125 deliveries.
4No facing slip or OEL required if the bundle is placed in a carrier route tray. Bundles in 5-digit carrier routes trays and 3-digit carrier routes trays must have a facing slip unless the pieces in the bundle show a carrier route information line or an OEL (245.6.6).
5Use "BC" for trays containing barcoded, automation-compatible pieces over 3 ounces. Use "MAN" for trays containing nonmachinable pieces and trays containing simplified address pieces.
6For saturation pieces, use "WSS," for high-density pieces, use "WSH," for basic pieces, use "LOT."

 

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ARCHIVED QSG - MAY 14, 2007
ARCHIVED QSG - MAY 14, 2007