When addressing mail to employees or departments at UAMS, please follow this format:
FORMAT
EXAMPLE
Individual or Department Name
Patient Billing Services
UAMS Mail Stop Number
UAMS, Slot 614
Street Address
4301 W. Markham St.
City, State Zip
Little Rock, AR 72205
Please list the Employee Name or Department Name along with the Mail Stop number. Also, when possible, list the complete employee name.
Any of these pieces of information can help to insure proper and quick delivery.
Prepare the mail just as you would any personal mail. Outgoing mail shipments are delivered to the US Postal Service and postmarked the same day.
The final delivery of outgoing mail leaves UAMS between 4:30 and 5:00 PM Monday-Friday.
Postage stamps are available for sale at the Mail Processing Center between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM Monday-Friday. Please be sure you have the necessary postage on any mail that requires it.
Employees and Patients sending International and Overseas Mail
When sending packages to foreign countries, be aware that any mail piece sent from UAMS will require a customs declaration form to be attached.
We can provide and help complete the form for you along with any questions you may have.
For mail to qualify as standard (bulk) mail it must have these qualifications:
A minimum of 200 pieces of mail
All pieces must be addressed to locations within the United States
All pieces must be the same weight
The content of the mail must be generic in nature
The Mail must be placed entirely in ZIP CODE order
A Return Address (necessary for Non-Profit discounted rates)
Submit an Online Job Request.
The Online Job Request MUST be submitted before the Mail Processing Center can process your Bulk Mail Job request.
Return Mail Endorsement (-optional-)
"Return Service Requested" - mail piece will be returned showing forwarding address even if a forwarding order is on file. (Return Mail postage applies)
"Address Service Requested" - mail piece will be forwarded if forwarding order is one file, a photocopy showing the new address will be returned to you. (A service charge of $0.60 applies)
- if no forwarding order is on file, mail piece will be returned. (Return Mail postage applies)
Without any endorsement the mail will not be forwarded or returned.
Permit Imprint Indicia (-optional-)
An Indicia printed on the mail piece helps speed processing of outgoing bulk mailing
This feature is Optional, but if included it must have the following applicable Markings ( "Non Profit Organization", "Standard Mail", or "First-Class Mail" )
"US Postage Paid"
Permit Number (Contact Mail Processing if unsure of the permit number)
City and State
If your mail does not meet all of the above conditions you will likely be contacted and presented with the option of correcting the problem or having the mail sent out as
first-class mail (if possible).
Postcard Mail Qualifications
STANDARD POST CARD DIMENSIONS
Minimum of 3 ½” height by 5” length
Maximum of 4 ¼” by 6” (Larger sizes are considered oversized – see below)
Minimum length 30% greater than its height
No less than .007 inches thick (Approximately 40 lb. bond or 55 lb. cover)
OVERSIZED POST CARD DIMENSIONS
Maximum of 6” height by 11 ½” length
Minimum length 30% greater than its height
Maximum length 150% greater than its height
Minimum of .009 inches thick (Approximately 48 lb. bond or 80 lb. cover)
If a postcard mailing consists of pieces that do not meet the requirements as detailed above, it may be assessed an
additional $0.17 per piece surcharge or declined bulk mail rates and be sent out at regular first-class postage rate.
Common Mistakes or Problems with Bulk Mail
The mail is sorted by zip code only in each tray, rather than sorted from beginning to end
Out of state mail not sorted by zip code
Less than 200 pieces of mail in the Bulk
Mail addressed to locations outside of the United States
Difficulties with Gloss Paper or Card Stock
Although high gloss card stock or paper has some desirable qualities, it does present problems when used for bulk mailings. The UAMS Mail Processing Center prefers that gloss paper
not be used for these mailings. If your department plans to use a gloss finish paper, please be aware of the following.
Printing: Very high gloss materials do not hold the ink very well. In these situations, the Mail Processing Center may be unable to address the mail pieces at all.
Barcodes: Because the ink used to print barcodes easily smears or smudges on gloss paper, the UAMS Mail Processing Center can not ensure printing of readable barcodes
with the addresses element on all mail peices.
Without the barcodes, the mail piece can still be sent out, but the U.S. Postal Service will require that an area of the mail piece be
reserved for their own barcoding machines. This area is a strip 5/8” high across the entire bottom edge of the mail piece. Please be sure to leave this area clear
when using gloss finish paper. Failure to do so may result in the mail piece failing to qualify for the discounted rate and incurring up to an additional $0.04
surcharge per piece.
Postcard Thickness: When preparing a postcard bulk mailing, the thickness of the mail piece must meet the minimum requirments for postcard mailings. (.007 inches
for regular postcards or .009 inches thick for oversized postcards) Be sure to request the proper paper thickness when having your cards printed.
If you have any questions regarding preparation of your bulk mail, please contact one of our bulk mail officers at 296-1419.
We also offer other mail services such as folding, tabbing, and addressing of large mail jobs.
In order UAMS to continue qualifying for the US Postal Service's business mail discounts, all Business Reply mail must remain within the qualification guidelines set by the US Postal Service.
The Mail Processing Center is working in cooperation with the UAMS Creative Services department to ensure that all Business Reply Mail pieces used on UAMS meet the proper guidelines. See the
UAMS Business Reply Mail Policy for details.
Most of the mail processed by the U.S. Postal Service is sent through automated machines. There are some pieces that can not be sent through
these machines due to shape, content, or other factors. These are known as 'non-machinable' mail pieces. The non-machinable mail are subject to an additional surcharge per piece.
To help keep the cost of your department's postage down, please avoid the following types of 'non-machinable' mail whenever possible.
Non-Machinable Mail Criteria
If the mail piece has an aspect ratio (length divided by height) of less than 1.3 or more than 2.5 it is considered non-machinable.
This is only for LETTER-SIZE MAIL, (pieces larger than 6 1/8" by 11 1/2" are considered non-letter size).
Polybagged or polywrapped pieces; or mail pieces enclosed in any plastic material are non-machinable.
Mail pieces with clasps, strings, buttons, or similar closure devices, or self-mailers that are stapled shut are all non-machinable. It is preferable that
you use tape or adhesive tabs to close these mail pieces. Envelopes with clasps or similar closure devices are acceptable for campus or interdepartmental mail but not US Mail.
If the mail piece contains items such as pens, pencils, loose keys, or coins that cause the thickness of the mail piece to be
uneven it will be classified as non-machinable.
If the mail piece is too rigid it will be non-machinable. The mail piece is considered too rigid if it does not bend easily when subjected to a transport belt tension of 40 pounds around
an 11-inch diameter turn.
If the mail piece is more than 4 1/4" high or more than 6" long, the thickness is should not be less than 0.009 inch. If it is less than 0.009 inch thick, the mail piece will be
classified as non-machinable.
Postcards & Self Mailers
The maximum permissible size of a postcard is 4 1/4" by 6" and 0.007 inches thick.
If your 'Postcard' mail piece is over the maximum regular postcard size, you will need to use a heavier weight paper 0.009 inches thick.
When using regular 20# paper for a folded self-mailer and the piece is only folded in half, it needs to be 0.007 inches thick. When tri-folding a piece of 20# paper, we recommend
the paper to be 0.009 inches thick.
The use of a heavier weight paper is strongly encouraged as it travels through the USPS's automation equipment better.
If the mail piece has a delivery address parallel to the shorter dimension of the mail piece it is considered non-machinable. The delivery address needs to be parallel to the longer dimension.
This applies only for postcards or letter-size pieces. On flat (non-letter) and parcel mail there is more flexibility.
Folded Self-Mailers: If the folded edge is perpendicular to the address, it is considered non-machinable, regardless of the use of tabs, wafer seals, or other fasteners.
Booklet-Type pieces: If the bound edge (spine) is the shorter dimension of the piece or is located at the top, it is considered non-machinable, regardless of the use of tabs,
wafer seals, or other fasteners.
The UAMS Mail Processing Center provides many mail related services for our customers.
By clicking on any of the options from the menu shown above, you can view the details for each of the services we offer.
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Mail Processing Center, Slot 578
Central Building, Ground Floor, Room # G900
4301 W. Markham St., Little Rock, AR 72205
