UK Postal Services: Bulk Mail
A bulk mail job order request is needed in order to initiate any mailings over 200 pieces processed at the same time. Bulk Mail Job Order forms can be found at http://www.uky.edu/eForms/alphaindex.php?startswith=B
Permit 51 is the indicia used to cover these services. The University of Kentucky Post Office Bulk Mail department is the governing body that oversees ALL use of permit 51. (A second permit, Permit 18, is available for use with business reply mail only.)
Departments planning to use Permit 51 on mailings should contact UK Postal Services to ensure all paperwork and procedures are being followed.
A short meeting or phone call can save departments' time, money and frustration. We're happy to meet with you in person, over the phone or through Email.
If setting up meetings please use Microsoft Outlook meeting invitations or send an email to Mary Strong at mbstro2@email.uky.edu.
Permit51 Job Alert Form (PDF) is available for download.
The following services are available through Bulk Mail:
Data Processing: Customers often submit a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet for Bulk Mail to use to extract addresses for mailings. Should this spreadsheet need editing, customers may submit their forms for review and change. Fees are assessed accordingly and estimates for manipulation of spreadsheets may be obtained.
List Brokerage: The Bulk Mail office has a contract with a vendor to purchase mailing labels based on geographical, economic and age. Lists such as Deans and Departments heads or all faculty and staff are frequently lists are frequently obtained. However, diverse lists such as a request for all females living in Fayette County with an income base of $30,000 and within the age group of 25 to 45 years of age may be obtained. For more information regarding this service, please Email at mbstro2@email.uky.edu.
Personalized Laser Printing: Customers can submit an excel spreadsheet along with publications and/or letters to be addressed.
Computer Service:
- National Change of Address (NCOA): This service is available to customers who are moving and want their database to be accurately updated. Customers wanting to verify a correct address can submit a request for the database to be researched. If a match is made, NCOA can correct the address before its printed on a mail piece.
- Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS): This service improves accuracy of addresses by verifying delivery point codes such as zip+4, 5-digit zip codes, and carrier route codes on mail pieces. CASS provides a common platform to obtain and measure the quality of address using a software system.
- Merge/Purge and Conversion:
Merge is the process of combining two or more lists to make a single list.
Purge is a process that can take out any unnecessary data. Example: duplicate names, addresses, names of the deceased, or any information in the file that is no longer needed - Digitize Signatures: The process of scanning a signature and taking it though a process that creates a digital form for mailing purposes.
- FASTforward (Move up to Date): A USPS licenses automated system that updates addresses by matching names and addresses with current change of addresses orders on file. A piece updated with FAST forward can be delivered directly to the new address rather than forwarded from the old address.
Folds: Before you begin your publication design, give us a call or visit the USPS.com web site and do a search on folds. You'll be surprised at the many varieties and ways in which you can creatively wrap your publication for mail. While there is much variety to pick from, there are as many rules and regulations that you must follow to ensure timely delivery.
For instance the following are just a few of the many ways you can choose to fold your publication:
Single: Fold in half
Multiple: Tri-fold (letter style)
Trimming: Process were the edges of postcards or publications must be trimmed in order to meet specifications
Tabs: Keep in mind that when publications are folded for mail purposes, many times tabs must be used in order to secure the piece. There are rules and regulations regarding placement of these tabs and you can also find all the rules on this at USPS.com web site.
UK Bulk Mail offers three types of tabs, opaque (regular), clear and frost. Departments should understand that mail pieces must be secured with these tabs and not tape or over the counter dots.
Sort: Most departments send excel spreadsheets that include the names and the addresses of those individuals that they need mailings delivered to. Be sure when setting up your excel spreadsheet that names and addresses are separated by columns. Each item needs to be separated so the equipment can run the address. For example:
| Name | Company | Address 1 | City, State | Zip Code |
Keep in mind that even if you send your mailings to us presorted by zip code, there is still much work to do. The post office has software that separates mail to the finest extent required for the standards set for the paid rate.
Inserting: The post office can hand insert your mailings or we have equipment that will insert up to six pieces at a time as long as the piece is folded to fit in a #10 envelope.
Meter: The post office requires a returned address on all mailings. We can hand meter or machine meter the postage on your mail pieces.
Should a customer have rolls of stamps they prefer to bring with their mail pieces, we can apply the stamps here at the post office.
Stamp Affixing: The post office generates the indicia affixed to a mail piece as evidence of prepayment of postage. This method of postage payment may be used on any class of mail except periodicals.
Indicia (Permit 51): The University has been issued a permit 51 that identifies mail as outgoing from the University of Kentucky. Any classification can be mailed with a permit 51 indicia. However, the style of the indicia changes with the classification. For more information and designs, please visit the USPS.com and search on indicia to see the options available.
The USPS holds the provider (the University of Kentucky) responsible for the control and operation. No one other than the University of Kentucky may use a postage meter or indicia without a valid USPS postage license agreement with the provider.
IMPORTANT: Postage with the indicia MUST be mailed through the University of Kentucky Post Office.
Should the customer have any leftover pieces with the indicia, the indicia must be crossed out before handing out or distributing. However, the preferred method would be to only print the indicia on the pieces going in the mail. For example, if you need to mail out 1,500 pieces but want to print 2,000 because you want to hand out the extra, only order 1,500 with the indicia printed and leave the other 500 blank.
Addressing: The post office can ink jet your addresses directly on your mail pieces in multiple fonts in black ink. Should you need a colored ink, please make the request and we can do what we can to see if we can contract this service out for you.
The post office can apply by hand pressure sensitized labels (30 to a page).
Campus Addresses: Addresses can be ordered through the post office with 48 hour notice. Groups of addresses can be chosen in many varieties of campus entities. For example, you can order addresses by department, deans and department heads and/or all faculty and staff or a combination there of.
In order to generate addresses you must complete a bulk mail job order request found on our Web site or at http://www.uky.edu/eForms/alphaindex.php?startswith=B
Final note about addressing: Keep in mind that mail that is not properly addressed because of insufficient or old data will come back to you. In order to ensure that this doesn't happen there are two ways to approach mailings. One, you can ask the post office to run your addresses through software to clean your data, or you can ask for an ancillary service endorsement which will put the obligation on the recipient to give you the proper address. For more information about ancillary endorsements, visit USPS.com.
Special Handling: Folding, addressing, inserting and metering required by hand are examples of services that can be ordered through the post office. For more information about what these special services, please call 257-4047.
Identification Requirement: All matter mailed at the Nonprofit Standard Mail rates must identify the authorized nonprofit organization. The name and return address of the authorized nonprofit organization must be outside of the mail piece material being mailed. Pseudonyms or bogus names of persons or organizations may not be used. If the piece bears any name and return address, it must be that of the authorized nonprofit organization.
For example:
ODYSSEY
222 Bowman Hall
University of Kentucky
Lexington KY 40506-0059
University of Kentucky
College of Dentistry
D-142 UK Medical Center
Lexington KY 40536-0297