Bulk Mail

Bulk Mail is the least expensive method of sending mail non-profit machinable letters of 3.5 oz. or less range in price from $0.234 to $0.236. The following regulations must be met to constitute Bulk Mail.

Bulk Mail is:

  • Minimum of 200 pieces of mail or minimum of 50 pounds total weight
  • Each piece of mail must be identical in:
    • Size
    • Shape
    • Weight
    • Contents
    • Address labels or imprint
  • Each piece of mail must face in the same direction in preparation for postage
  • Each piece of mail must contain ZIP code in address

Also, when sending a bulk mailing through the Suffolk University Mail Services, the following regulations must be met in advance:

  • Notify mail services that you are preparing a bulk mailing
  • Zip code sorting:
    • Step 1 - Sort pieces of mail containing identical five-digit ZIP codes into separate piles (each pile must have at least 10 pieces); secure with a rubber band
    • Step 2 - Sort remaining pieces of mail containing identical first-three-digit ZIP codes into separate piles; secure with a rubber band
    • Step 3 - Combine any leftover pieces, secure with a rubber band and attach a note labeled "MIXED"

It is each departments' responsibility to bring their bulk mail to their respective mail services location.

NOTE: The U.S. Postal Service takes up to two weeks to deliver bulk mail after it has entered their system. Because this type of mailing requires a large amount of labor before it is ready to go to the Postal Service, Mail Services may take up to a week to get the mailing into the U.S. Postal Service system. At the present time we can process mailings of as many as 5,000 pieces in-house. Arrangements can be made to have your larger bulk mailings handled by a local community service agency. This would bring the cost per piece up to about $0.24, but would save several days of processing time (actual cost depends on specific tasks required to get your mailing ready to enter the USPS).

Mail houses can handle many of the tasks that are too labor intensive for Suffolk personnel to perform, such as:

  • Affixing labels
  • Inserting materials into envelopes
  • Bulk sorting of ZIP-coded mail
  • Customer pick-up
  • Post Office delivery

Third-class bulk mail processed through such a service agency is inexpensive, but requires extensive advance planning. It is an excellent way of sending out general notices and promotional literature.