240j Quick Service Guide

Commercial Parcels—Standard Mail

Enhanced Carrier Route Marketing Parcels

Physical Standards (201)

Maximum weight: less than 16 ounces.

For an overview of the physical standards for commercial parcels, see Quick Service Guide 201e.

Prices and Fees (243.1.0)

For a complete listing of commercial Standard Mail prices, see Notice 123–Price List.

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

Annual presort mailing fee applies.

Content (243.2.0)

Pieces are eligible if not required to be mailed at First-Class Mail prices or not authorized for Periodicals prices. Nonprofit prices require specific authorization (703.1.0).

Eligibility Standards (243.3.0)

Mailings of 200 or more addressed pieces (or 50 pounds of addressed pieces), sorted and marked as described below. Pieces must be part of a group of 10 or more to one carrier route, prepared in line-of-travel or walk-sequence order, as required. All pieces must meet the physical standards for irregular parcels.

Each piece must include a complete delivery address with correct ZIP Code or ZIP+4 code, as appropriate, and must use an alternative addressing format (602.3.0).

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

Detached address labels required for merchandise samples (602.4.0) and when mailed at Enhanced Carrier Route saturation prices.

Addresses on all pieces must be updated within 95 days before mailing through a USPS-approved address update method (e.g., ACS, NCOALink, or the appropriate ancillary service endorsement (except Forwarding Service Requested) under 507.1.5.3). For an overview of the Move Update standards, see Quick Service Guide 602a.

Postage and Payment Documentation (244)

Meter (604.4.0), or permit imprint (604.5.0).

Documentation:

Additional standards apply to mailings of nonidentical-weight pieces.

Mail Preparation (245)

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

Basic price mail must be in line-of-travel (LOT) or in walk sequence (245.12.0).

High-density (WSH) and saturation (WSS) price mail must be in walk sequence (245.12.0).

Palletization is preferred, see Quick Service Guide 705b, Standard Mail Bundles on Pallets.

Use standard sack label (245.4.0).

Enter and Deposit (246)

Mailing entered at an acceptance point designated by USPS.

Preparation

 

Bundling and Sacking Sequence

Bundle Preparation (245.12.4)

Saturation 1

Bundles: 10 or more addressed pieces to same carrier route (city route, rural route, highway contract route, post office box section, or general delivery unit) must be prepared in bundles; fewer than 10 pieces allowed only if route has fewer than 10 delivery stops. Mail must be presented in walk-sequence (243.8.5) and meet density standards.

Labels: Use optional endorsement line (OEL) (708.7.0) with carrier route description prefix and route number.

Price: Saturation

High Density 2

Bundles: 10 or more addressed pieces to same carrier route (city route, rural route, highway contract route, post office box section, or general delivery unit) must be prepared in bundles. Mail must be presented in walk-sequence (243.8.4) and meet density standards.

Labels: Use OEL with carrier route description prefix and route number (708.7.0).

Price: High density

Basic

Bundles: 10 or more addressed pieces to same carrier route (city route, rural route, highway contract route, post office box section, or general delivery unit) must be prepared in bundles. Mail must be presented in line-of-travel or walk- sequence (243.8.3).

Labels: Use OEL with carrier route description prefix and route number (708.7.0).

Price: Basic

Bundling and sacking sequence for enhanced carrier route marketing parcels.

Sack Preparation (245.12.5)

Carrier Route

Sacks: Required at 125 pieces or 15 pounds.

Labels: For Line 1, use city, state and 5–digit ZIP Code of destination. For Line 2, use “STD MKTG” and “WSS,” “WSH,” or “LOT,” as applicable, followed by route type and number.

5-Digit Carrier Routes

Sacks: Required, no minimum.

Labels: For Line 1, use city, state, and 5–digit ZIP Code of destination. For Line 2, use “STD MKTG CR-RTS.”

 

Sack preparation for enhanced carrier route marketing parcels.

1. Minimum 90% total active residential or 75% total active deliveries per route (100% if simplified address) (243.8.5).

2. Minimum 125 pieces per route unless route has fewer than 125 deliveries.

3. Use “WSS” for saturation, “WSH” for high density, and “LOT” for basic.