Office of Materials & Property Management

University of Connecticut Health Center

U.C.H.C. Mail & Shipping Center MANUAL

I. INTRODUCTION TO THE MAIL & SHIPPING CENTER

A. Reporting Responsibilities

The Mail & Shipping Center is under the direction of the Office of  Materials and Property Management.

Office of Property and Logistics Management

Administration:

Jack Ferraro, University Director & Operations Manager

Jeff Boyko, Assistant Director, Business and Finance

Mail & Shipping Center Operations:

Thimmayya Billava
Phone:  679-1960

Coordinators:

Tom Saccoccia
Phone:  679-2858

II. Scope of Service Provided

B. Mail Distribution

Mail delivery and collection is provided on U.S. Postal Domestic and Foreign Mail,
InterOffice and State Courier Mail.

Hours of operation are:

• Mail & Shipping Center Customer Service: West Dock Help Desk - Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  All business must be completed by 3:30 p.m. daily.
• Department Caller Boxes: West Dock Help Desk - Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Informational Resource Area: West Dock Help Desk - Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Mail service delivery and pick up encompasses the Main Building. Munson Road, Administrative Services Building, Lower Campus, Dowling Complex, The Exchange, 10 Talcott Notch, Newington Veterans Administration Medical Center, UMG Partners Practices, Burgdorf Health Center, Family Medicine, Clinton Street Clinic, State Comptroller's Office, the Children's Hospital in Hartford, and other locations stated in Appendix D.

C. Holiday Schedule

Since the UCH Mail & Shipping Center follows the same schedule as the U.S. Post Office, normal distribution services during National Holidays will be effected, as the flow of incoming mail from the Post Office will be substantially reduced.  The Mail & Shipping Center customer services will be open should you need assistance or need to pick-up your department's mail. Perishable items, health care products, special and priority parcels from the Warehouse and Central Distribution will be delivered as always. There will be no mail or distribution services during major holidays (e.g. Fourth of July, Christmas, Thanksgiving , Labor Day and Memorial Day).

III. Excluded Classes of Mail

A. Personal or Non Health Center Business Related Deliveries

Absolutely no personal or non Health Center business related deliveries should go through the UCH Distribution System.  The Health Center is not responsible for lost or stolen personal items that are sent through the system.

Examples:

• parcels, products, orders, clothing, etc.

• chain letters

• personal bills

• clothing magazines

• travel magazines

• non-business bulk mailings  (etc.)

Outside institutions or Health Center departments/employees wishing to utilize the Mail & Shipping Center for certain mailings that "may" be considered business related, must get authorization from the Human Resource Office or the Office of the Assistant Vice President for Communication.

B. 3rd Class "Junk" Mail

"Junk" mail refers to mail which is sent to you but does not pertain to Health Center business operation (e.g. personal clothing magazines, personal travel magazines etc.).

The Mail & Shipping Center has instructions not to deliver this type of mail. The Mail & Shipping Center Supervisor and/or his/her designee must approve any disposals of "Junk" mail. Periodic checks by the Mail & Shipping Center Manager will be made to ensure that only "Junk" mail is disposed of.

C. Catalogs

Catalogs (e.g. Chemical Supply Catalogs, Office Supply Catalogs, Lab Supply Catalogs, etc.) should be requested through the Purchasing Department. Catalogs received in bulk quantities by the Mail & Shipping Center will be placed in the Mail & Shipping Center Resource Area. Larger unsolicited deliveries will be staged at the West Dock's Customer Pick-up Station for an announced period of time. Communications will be sent out to all departments via e-mail.

IV. Related services provided by the UCH Mail & Shipping Center

A. United Parcel Service (UPS)

United Parcel Service (UPS) is provided at the West Dock, located on the basement level of F Building., Monday through Friday.

B. Priority Service (i.e. overnight delivery service)

Mail going Priority (e.g. Federal Express) can be dropped off either at the West Dock for daily pick-up at 3 p.m., or in the boxes located at the Academic entrance, the Administrative Services Building, Munson Road, Lower Research Complex, 10 Talcott Notch and the Exchange for daily pick-up at 5:00 p.m.

C. Mass Mailings

Try to reduce mass mailing (e.g. Deans, Directors and Department Heads memorandums, Faculty memorandums, etc.) by:

• Using NEWSLINE or Broadcast Mail, you can announce new faculty appointments,
  honors received, etc. by calling the Office of Public Information at 679-2444
• Sending one copy of the memorandum to a designated individual in each Department for
  departmental routing.
• Using E-Mail
• Posting announcements on bulletin boards, etc.
• Post announcements to your own Web Site. 

Internal mailings of 25 or more pieces should be bundled in mail code order. Internal mailings of 500 or more pieces should be brought directly to the Mail & Shipping Center.

D. Bulk Mail

Please coordinate all Bulk, Standard, Third Class Mailings (100+ pieces)  with our Mail Center
Coordinator at 679-1960.  Bulk Mailings received at the Mail Center without proper notification, will be returned.

Please use the attached service request form:  MAIL SERVICE REQUEST

What Is Bulk Mail (Provided by the USPS): 

 E-Mail:  Jeff Boyko or Thimmayya Billava

E.  BRM Mail

BRM Quick Guide (Provided by the USPS):  USPS  BRM GUIDE

Please contact our Business Office at 679-1955 for further information regarding BRM, or
 E-Mail:  Jeff Boyko or Thimmayya Billava

F. Business Mail 101 - Not Sure How to Send Your Mail?

Check out this information from the USPS:

Business Mail 101

Decision Tree    Go to Decision Tree

Getting Started

Rates

Classes of Mail

Mail Characteristics

Addressing

Paying Postage

Sorting Your Mail

To the Post Office

Checklist

Resources

Glossary

V. Mail Routes

Main Building:

Heavy volume customers: two deliveries per day. Lighter volume customer: one delivery in morning, self pick up at Mail & Shipping Center between 2 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. Drop-off of outgoing mail accepted at Mail & Shipping Center until 2:30 p.m. Self-Help areas are open 24 Hours per day, 365 days per week. Our distribution staff will be happy to deliver your small parcels to the West Dock during your normal pick-up and delivery time.

Munson Road Facility: Two deliveries per day.

Lower Campus: One delivery per day.

Off-site locations: One delivery per day.

Caller fee depts.: Two deliveries per day.

VI. CATEGORIES OF MAIL (U.S. MAIL

• First Class - single piece letter weighing 6 oz. or less
• Third Class - applicable for both domestic and foreign surface mail for delivery at a reduced postage rate 9
  (e.g. small packets, catalogs, etc.)
• Parcel Post - Third Class mail weighing between 16 oz and 70 lb.

Additional (Fee) Services:

• Registered - insurance of First Class mail
• Certified - service rendered for domestic First Class only, providing the sender with a receipt of mailing and a post record of delivery
• Returned Receipt Req. - postal card used only in conjunction with postal recorded mail such as express, registered, certified, insured, COD and return merchandise..

VII. ZIP CODE INFORMATION

The use of zip codes is imperative for more reliable and timely mail service and, in addition, compensates the Health Center with postal discounts.

A. UCH Zip Code:

• 06030 - Five digit zip code assigned for exclusive use of UCH departments
• 06030 - XXXX- nine digit zip code ("zip plus four"),used by departments as return address on outgoing U.S. mail and in standard address block on incoming mail. The XXXX "plus four suffix" identifies the proper mail stop associated with a Health Center employee, faculty member, student or resident. It is also used in conjunction with the prefix MC (Mail Code) to identify proper sorting for InterOffice mail. (See Appendix A for department specific zip plus four suffix.)
• 06032 - Five digit zip code assigned for priority mail (e.g. Airborne or Federal Express) delivered directly to the Health Center.

B. Connecticut Zip Code Directory

To ensure that your outgoing Connecticut mail reaches its destination in a reasonable time frame, correct zip codes must be included in the address. The Yellow Pages provides a list of these zip codes or check out the U.S. Postal Service
Web Site:  

C. U.S. Zip Code Directory

To ensure that your outgoing U.S. mail reaches its destination in a reasonable time frame, correct zip codes must be included in the address. National Zip Code Information Number:
860-524-6004 (Hartford Exchange)
                    U.S. Postal Service Web Site:  

VIII. POSTAL AND UCH ADDRESSING STANDARDS

The USPS has instituted a barcode system. All First Class letters carry a machine-readable barcode. To reduce the volume of mail that the USPS must barcode, they are offering substantial discounts to postal customers who barcode their mail. The Health Center contracts with a vendor to pre-barcode and presort our outgoing letter mail in zip sequence.

To obtain a low rate for this service, a high percentage of out outgoing mail must be machine-readable. To "qualify" our mail for the deepest discount, we must conform to some simple addressing standards.

A standardized address is one that contains all delivery address elements as matched against the zip plus four file and contains the correct city name, state, and zip plus four code.

A. OUTGOING MAIL

MR JOHN DOE - Attention Line

ABC MOVERS - Recipient Line

SUITE 2222 - Secondary Information Line

1500 E MAIN BLVD  # 72 APT C - Delivery Address Line

SPRINGFIELD VA 22152-1010 - Last Line

Below are guidelines that must be followed when addressing outgoing mail:

• All lines of the address must be formatted with a uniform left margins.
• Uppercase letters must be used on all lines of the address block.
• If all delivery address line information cannot be continued in a single line above the city,
  state and ZIP Code, then place secondary address information on the line immediately
  above the delivery address line.
• When the pound sign is used, a space must be inserted between the sign and the secondary number.
• Dual addresses (e.g. PO BOX 4033, 263 FARMINGTON AVE) should be avoided. If dual
  addresses must be used, however, place the delivery address above the last line and the
  other address on a separate line above the delivery address line. (Note: Addresses are
  machine read from the bottom line up.)
• Do not hand write addresses, stamp, or use dot-matrix printers ( with the exception of near
  letter quality printers). (Each 1 oz. letter that is not machine readable costs the Health
  Center 5.1 cents.) Type or machine print address information.
• Pre-printed labels must be put on envelopes straight.
• Print must be sharp and clear.
• Address characters must not touch or overlap.
• Black ink on white background is required.
• Return address must include department and mail code identification.
• All periods and commas must be omitted.
• Standard two-letter state abbreviations and other abbreviations should be used where
  appropriate (see Appendix B and C).
• Two spaces must be left between state abbreviation and zip code or zip plus four.
• When using window envelopes, the complete address must always be visible, especially if
  the insert can shift inside the envelope.
• Non-address related printing should not show through s window envelope.
• Logos or "Attention Ms. Smith" should appear above the standard address block and not in
  the lower left-hand corner of the envelope.
  • Notations such as Personal, Confidential, etc. must go below the return address (about three
    lines down).
  • If a special mailing procedure is used, type the appropriate notation (such as SPECIAL
    DELIVERY OR REGISTERED) in all-capital letters in the upper right corner of the
    envelope, beginning on line 9. The notation should end about 5 spaces from the right margin.

Note: Return addresses must also conform to these guidelines.

B. INTEROFFICE MAIL

InterOffice mail should include the individual's name, department, room- and mail code number.

Example:

Unit and Address Information can also be found in the UCH Telephone Directory.

If here is a constant flow of mail back and forth to one department, contact the Warehouse to order a zippered pouch with a reversible TO/FROM tag that you can "trade" back and forth with that department.

C. INCOMING MAIL

Regular Departments:

MR JACK FERRARO - Attention Line

Logistics Management MC 6170 -Department and Mail Code Number

UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT HEALTH CENTER -Recipient Line

263 FARMINGTON AVENUE - Delivery Address Line

FARMINGTON CT 06030-6170 - Last Line

Note: Two spaces should be left between the department and mail code number.

Caller Fee Departments:

MR JEFFREY BOYKO -Attention Line

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT -Department Line

UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT HEALTH CENTER -Recipient Line

PO BOX 4000 -Delivery Address Line

FARMINGTON CT 06034-4000 - Last Line

Note: Caller fee mail is sorted at the Farmington Post Office instead of in the Mail & Shipping Center. Departments with heavy volume mail use these called fee boxes. Zip codes and plus four suffixes are controlled by the Farmington Post Office. Departments are charged a fee for this service.

IX. PREPARATION OF OUTGOING MAIL

A. State Courier

The State Courier Service provides additional mail pick-up and delivery to the Health Center and other State Agencies. Pick-Up at the Health Center is daily ( Monday through Friday).

B. International

The Health Center utilizes an International Mail Service. This change ensures that the Health Center Community receives a quality service, that is complimentary to operations while at the same time a cost effective tool for the Institution. This service is handled by a private courier. The service has been in effect since 1994 and has been operating trouble free. If any department experiences a problem with the International Airmail service, please contact Mail Operations immediately. Pick-ups are daily (Monday through Friday) by 3 p.m. in the Mail & Shipping Center. After addressing the envelop, place it in a large manila envelope and mark "FOREIGN MAIL" across it.

Tips on getting your International Mail to its destination on-time:

• Make sure that your International Mail is at the Mail & Shipping Center by 2:30 p.m. daily (Monday through Friday).
• Make sure that the address portion of your envelope is clearly written.
• Allow ample time for delivery during the holiday seasons, especially Christmas. International Mail like Domestic Mail encounters delays during the holiday season.

C. InterOffice

Addressed as per Section VIII, Subsection B. Should be placed in tray at Mail Station, with
address facing forward.

X. BUNDLING BY DEPARTMENTS

• Mail must be separated and bundled by type ( letter or flat envelope) and class (First Class,
  Third Class or InterOffice) when you bring it to the Mail & Shipping Center. Order separate
  outgoing
  mail trays from the Warehouse if your mail is picked up.
• First Class letter-size envelopes needing to be sealed must have the flaps overlapping each
  other.
• All mail going to a common destination (e.g. Accounts Payable) should be combined.
• Mail should always be faced in the same direction so it is "ready" for posting.

XI. ORDERING OF MAILING MATERIALS

A. Trays, InterOffice Envelopes, Pouches, etc.

Refer to Warehouse Catalog

B. Stationery, Envelopes and Business Cards

When ordering stationery, envelopes, or business cards, be sure to include the mail code identifier and zip plus four suffix. Any questions regarding this should be directed to the appropriate Purchasing Officer at x-2408.