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HomeMy Public PortalAbout2600.3 - Business and Financial Services - Real Estate Management - City Mail ServicesOffice of Business and Financial Services Real Estate Management Section 2600.3 Policies and Procedures Manual Page 1 2600.3 SUBJECT: CITY MAIL SERVICES :1 OBJECTIVE: To provide policy and procedures for the operation of the City’s Mail Services. :2 AUTHORITY: This procedure adopted by City Council January 28, 2013, Item A-3. :3 DIRECTION: The Chief Financial Officer, as an appointed official, serves at the pleasure of, and receives direction from the Mayor. :4 FUNCTIONS: A. Introduction City government, as an institution, has multiple partners including citizens, taxpayers, businesses, visitors, employees, and other governments. As a major institutional, economic, and service force in the region, it is important that the City strengthen relationships with its partners by adopting a clear and comprehensive set of policies and procedures. Furthermore the integrity of the City of Orlando is of utmost importance, and adopting a set of policies is a key element to maintain this integrity. The purpose of this policy is to provide policy direction related to the operation of the City Mail Services. B. General 1. City Mail Services must adhere to United States Postal Service (USPS) Regulations, and the terms and conditions of the City's meter license. 2. City Mail Services is the liaison with the Postal Service for the City. All requests for mail and related services must be coordinated through City Mail Services. 3. City Mail Services provides Interoffice Mail service to City Offices/Departments/Divisions. The collection and distribution of Interoffice Mail is scheduled and coordinated through City Mail Services. 4. City Mail Service will meter all outgoing U.S. Mail for the City and will charge the appropriate program for that use. Office of Business and Financial Services Real Estate Management Section 2600.3 Policies and Procedures Manual Page 2 5. City Mail Services holds permits for First Class Pre-sort and Standard/Bulk mail. Additionally, City Mail Services holds a Business Reply Mail permit and a postage due account for use by the City. 6. City Mail Services will hold accounts with other delivery services as needed, and will charge the appropriate program for its usage of that service. 7. Envelopes printed for official use by the City of Orlando must meet the requirements for mechanical insertion in the appropriate postal machine. All requests for printed envelopes should be coordinated through City Mail Services to avoid unnecessary cost and delay. 8. City Mail Services will only process mail and packages in the conduct of official City business. Additionally, City Mail Services cannot sell postage (stamps or meter) for non-City purposes. C. Interoffice Mail 1. Interoffice mail routes and schedules shall be established to serve the City as effectively as possible. The pickup and delivery schedule shall be published in a manner accessible by all departments and divisions. 2. Interoffice mail service will be provided to offices outside of City Hall at a secure location identified by City Mail Services. 3. City Hall mail service shall be as follows: a. Mail will be delivered and collected in the mailroom on each floor by City Mail Services. b. Offices/Departments/Divisions will be responsible for disseminating mail from the mailroom on their floor to the appropriate recipient. 4. Interoffice mail, which is defined as a written communication between City employees that is transmitted through City Mail Services, shall be governed by the following:. a. All Interoffice mail must be placed in Interoffice envelope and addressed in a legible manner. The address must contain the recipient’s name and office/department/division name. Office of Business and Financial Services Real Estate Management Section 2600.3 Policies and Procedures Manual Page 3 b. The Interoffice mail system is to be used for official City business only. 6. City Mail Services is responsible for providing Interoffice envelopes for the City's use. Only City of Orlando Interoffice envelopes may be used. Excess envelopes should be returned to the Mail center for reuse. D. Incoming U.S. Mail 1. All incoming mail addressed to the City is considered City of Orlando mail. 2. All incoming mail addressed to former employees will be delivered to the employee’s former office. 3. The use of City of Orlando resources for the receipt of personal mail or packages is prohibited. E. Outgoing U.S. Mail 1. Letter size mail should be prepared in accordance with current USPS guidelines for automation compatibility. Mail Services can provide assistance with ensuring compliance with those guidelines. 2. International mail must be separated from domestic mail. The country of delivery must be spelled out fully in English. 3. Flats must be sealed or clasped prior to presentation for processing. 4. All mail whether letter or flat must be faced the same direction to facilitate metering. 5. All mail that is prepared for presentation to the USPS must have a "City" return address including Office/Department/Bureau. 6. The correct format for the return address is available from City Mail Services. 7. All mail received for metering must have a valid Program/Project number written just above the return address. Mail cannot be processed without a Program/Project number. If there are several pieces of mail from the same program, they may be bundled with the Program/Project number noted on the first piece of mail. F. Accountable Mail Office of Business and Financial Services Real Estate Management Section 2600.3 Policies and Procedures Manual Page 4 1. Accountable Mail is any mail that is being tracked by City Mail Services such as Air, Express, Registered, Certified and/or Insured. City Mail Services receives all incoming air packages from various carriers. Items are scanned upon receipt and delivered with the next scheduled mail delivery. However, in no case will an air package be left in City Mail Services overnight. Signature of receiving clerk is required. Tracking and receipt information is available from City Mail Services. 2. City Mail Services processes the shipment of packages/parcels for both air and ground shipments. Packages should be delivered to City Mail Services with the address, delivery requirements and a Program/Project number included. Senders are responsible for providing their own boxes, packing material and for packing their boxes on ground shipments. Supplies such as envelopes, boxes and tubes for air shipments are provided by City Mail Services. 3. Outgoing mail deadlines shall be set, posted, and disseminated by City Mail Services. G. Production Mail Production mail is a service provided by City Mail Services. Production mail requires coordination prior to printing. Failure to adhere to Postal Service requirements could result in additional printing and/or postage costs which will be charged to the Office/Department/Division. Depending upon quantity and level of service needed, a minimum of two working days is required for completion of production mail. 1. Presorted First Class mail is a service provided by City Mail Services when mail is sent First Class but at a reduced rate because it is presorted by zip code. 2. Presorted Standard Mail (Bulk Mail) is a service provided by City Mail Services and requires a minimum of two hundred pieces. The content of the mail piece must be identical and impersonal. Presorted Standard Mail is sent at a reduced rate because it is presorted by zip code. While this type of mail saves money, it requires additional time for delivery. USPS guidelines estimate that Presorted Standard Mail is delivered within two to nine days. 3. Folding and/or inserting is a service provided by City Mail Services at no cost. Up to five unstapled, collated letter size sheets can be folded and inserted into a #10 envelope. Additionally, a #9 reply envelope may be inserted. 4. Addressing is a service provided by City Mail Services when a sender provides City Mail Services an electronic file of a Office of Business and Financial Services Real Estate Management Section 2600.3 Policies and Procedures Manual Page 5 minimum of two hundred addresses. It is not intended to replace addressing of small quantities of everyday mail. The address printer will print the address directly on the envelope. City Mail Services will provide the file format to the sender to utilize this service. H. Other Services City Mail Services will provide other services (i.e. Business Reply Mail, Meter Reply Mail, and Courtesy Reply Mail) when such services are required. Use of these services must conform to the requirements of the USPS. Senders should consult with City Mail Services before initiating printing or ordering envelopes to ensure compliance with those requirements. :5 FORMS: None :6 COMMITTEE RESPONSIBILITIES: None. :7 REFERENCE: Procedure adopted by City Council July 18, 1988, Item 14, A-1; amended July 26, 1993; amended April 17, 2000, Item 3-D; amended October 14, 2002, Item B23; amended September 15, 2003; policy section # changed from 191.17, April 2004; Procedure 1000.17 repealed December 17, 2012, Item A-3; Procedure 2600.3 adopted January 28, 2013, Item A-3. :8 EFFECTIVE DATE: This procedure effective January 28, 2013, Item A-3.