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MSC 24
Speare 201
Phone: (603)535-2276
Fax: (603)535-2275
About Publications
Plan EarlyThe Intake MeetingBid SpecificatonsContentThe Design StageThe Proofing StagePaymentDistributionDeliveryFollow-up MeetingHelpful Hints for Mailing
Don't let this happen to you!
Scenario: Invitations are going out for an important event. The invitations are at the printer and scheduled to be mailed tomorrow. OPR gets a call from the printer's mailhouse. They don't have your mailing list.Without the list, they haven't been able to do a postage estimate for you. They can't mail the invitations without a postage check and you can't request the check without the estimate. Then it will be two weeks before the check can be issued.
Your job will be mailed more than two weeks late. That's too late to provide adequate notice for your event.
How could this problem have been avoided? By planning ahead!
Working with an Outside Mailhouse
For a job that requires mailing more than 10,000 pieces, OPR will work only with printers with an affiliated mailhouse. This eases the mailing process considerably. OPR will provide you with the winning bid and contact information.
Communicate Mail Dates
Know your "mail-by" dates and communicate them to anyone who will be involved with the project: your project manager, the person responsible for your address list, PSU Bulk Mail Center or the outside mailhouse. If you need labels from the alumni office, please remember that they require two weeks notice to prepare the labels AND approval from OPR to release them.
Know Your Quantities
The mailhouse needs to know how many pieces will be mailed in order to estimate postage for your job. You may wish to have some pieces mailed and others delivered to you. You must let OPR know if only a portion of the print order will be mailed.
Mail Prep/Postage Charges
Mail prep (handling, labeling, bagging, etc.) charges will be gathered with the RFB (request for bid) that OPR sends out to printers. These are typically combined with printing charges on one invoice for payment. However, mail prep charges and postage charges are two entirely separate items. Postage charges are typically paid to the post office that is doing the mailing. The post office must be an established vendor. OPR will make sure that the post office is on our vendor list and that they have been registered to use our non-profit indicia. Many of the printers we work with accept a P-card for payment of printing and mail prep. The post office will not accept a P-card for the postage estimate. Be sure to allow two weeks to obtain a check.
Address List
- Be sure your address list is prepared well in advance.
- If your labels come from the alumni office, they require two weeks notice and OPR approval.
- Work with your mailhouse to be sure that you
- Send the list in the right format
- Send the list far enough in advance for them to give you a postage estimate (this is generated from your address list).
- Remember that Thursday noon is the cutoff for accounts payable to generate a check by the following Tuesday.
PSU Bulk Mail Center
For a job to be mailed from our Bulk Mail Center on campus, you are responsible for working out all mailing details with Dave Megin. Contact him (535-2393) at the beginning of your publication process—don't wait until your mailing is ready to go! OPR will arrange for the printing job to be delivered to your attention and you will need to make arrangements for it to be delivered to Dave.
