MAIL MANAGEMENT
Sections
4.07.06 Designation of Mail Stops
4.07.07 Employee Mail Addresses
4.07.08 NIST Internal Mail Service
4.07.10 Redirection of Incoming Mail
4.07.11 Unwanted Incoming Mail
4.07.01
PURPOSE
The purpose of this subchapter is to state NIST responsibilities, rules,
and procedures for the handling of official mail at NIST.
4.07.02
SCOPE
The provisions of this subchapter apply to all NIST employees.
4.07.03
POLICY
It is NIST policy to process, distribute, and deliver all mail in a
proficient, professional, and timely manner.
4.07.04
AUTHORITIES
a. General rules for the preparation of material for mailing,
format, and the placing of addresses, envelope size, etc., are prescribed
by the United States Postal Service and the General Services Administration:
--GSA Bulletin, FPMR for U.S. Postal Service, "Guidelines for Preparing U.S. Government Mail"
b. Department Administrative Order (DAO) 214-2, Stationery Specifications
and Standards, describes the envelopes and postcards which are to be used
by agencies of the Department of Commerce. Special envelopes and
postcards can be ordered only after permission is requested by the NIST
Director and granted by the Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary
for Administration.
4.07.05
RESPONSIBILITIES
a. Mail and Distribution (at Boulder, the MASC Mail Room) is
responsible for processing incoming and outgoing mail (U.S. Postal Service,
interagency, and intra-NIST mail). This includes any mailing accomplished
by contractors.
b. Mail and Distribution is responsible for determining the NIST postage paid to the U.S. Postal Service, for keeping an accurate record of the postage, and for negotiating with the Postal Service when any discrepancies occur. NIST employees may not enter into any purchase order/contract or in any other way obligate NIST for the payment of postage unless written approval is obtained from Mail and Distribution. (At Boulder, the approval of the MASC Mail Room is required.)
c. Personal mail is not to be addressed to employees at their NIST address. Employees should have personal mail sent to their home addresses.
d. Envelopes with the NIST return address are to be used only for official business.
e. Administrative officers are responsible for designating mail delivery and pickup points (see Section 4.07.06); ensuring that NIST mail addresses of employees, guest researchers, and research associates are kept up to date (see Section 4.07.07); and keeping mailing lists and distribution lists up to date.
f. The NIST Forms Management Officer is responsible for preparing requests for the signature of the NIST Director to the Department of Commerce for permission to obtain special mailing envelopes.
g. Mail and Distribution is responsible for ordering specially printed envelopes, brochures, mailing labels, self-mailers, etc.
h. Employees are responsible for following government regulations
on mailing practices.
4.07.06
DESIGNATION OF MAIL STOPS
Mail stops (at Boulder, mail codes) are designated mail delivery and
pickup points requested by a memorandum approved by the administrative
officer, to Mail and Distribution. Requests for the establishment
of mail stops are subject to the final approval of Mail and Distribution.
Mail stops must be kept to a minimum.
4.07.07
EMPLOYEE MAIL ADDRESSES
a. All official mail must have the Official Return Address in
the upper left corner of the envelope or address label if official postage
is to be affixed. The official return address must include the statements
"OFFICIAL BUSINESS, PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE, $300, SERVICE REQUESTED."
In addition, the appropriate four-digit mail stop must be included under
the return address. To avoid delay or possible return of mail, the
following is an example of the complete return address format:
U.S. Department of Commerce
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899-3531
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use, $300
Return Service Requested 20899-3531
or
Public and Business Affairs Division 20899-3460
b. To notify service organizational units of a current, changed, or new NIST mail delivery address for an employee, utilize the following website: telephone.nist.gov. The information received is electronically entered into a Computerized Telephone Directory System. From this system Mail and Distribution obtains current mail addresses. (At Boulder, changes are made by utilizing the following website: telecom.boulder.nist.gov for Telecommunications Service Request and Directory Information.)
b. Name and mail stop are used for internal mail. Example:
Dr. James Jones -- STOP 3333
(At Boulder, the mail code is used.)
4.07.08
NIST INTERNAL MAIL SERVICE
a. Mail is delivered to and collected at NIST mail stops twice
each day. Under normal conditions, mail collected on any pickup is
delivered anywhere at NIST-Gaithersburg on the next scheduled delivery.
The schedule is:
Group I - 9:00-10:00 a.m. and 1:00-2:00 p.m.
Buildings 101, 220, 222, 224, and 225
Group II - 10:30-11:30 a.m. and 2:30-3:30 p.m.
Buildings 221 and 223
Group III - 9:30-10:30 a.m. and 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Buildings 202, 205, 226, 227, 230, 231, 233, 235, 236, 245, 301, 303,
304, 308, 411, and 820
(At Boulder, mail is delivered to and collected at mail stops twice each day: 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.)
b. Additional delivery service is available for interoffice mail originating in Building 101. Interoffice mail originating in Building 101 that is not picked up by the messenger during the regular trip may be placed in a plain (no return address) letter-sized envelope, 9-1/2" x 4-1/8" maximum, and dropped down the mail chute. This mail is picked up at 12:30 p.m. for delivery that afternoon and at 4:00 p.m. for delivery the following morning. No more than five sheets of 8-1/2" x 11" paper should be folded and placed in the envelope.
c. Special messengers are sometimes available upon request from
Mail and Distribution.
4.07.09
INCOMING MAIL
a. Incoming mail is delivered by the U.S. Postal Service to Mail
and Distribution at 8:30 a.m.
There is no U.S. Postal Service Special Delivery service. Mail
from Main Commerce is delivered to Mail and Distribution by the NIST shuttle.
(At Boulder, incoming mail is delivered by the U.S. Postal Service at 7:00
a.m. and picked up at the Post Office at 10:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.)
b. Mail (both U.S. Postal Service and intra-NIST) is delivered to the mail stop of the addressee unopened with the following exceptions:
(1) Mail from the White House, the Congress, and the Secretary of Commerce is delivered unopened to the Office of the Director, NIST.
(2) Mail addressed to "The Director" is delivered unopened to the Office of the Director, NIST.
(3) Mail addressed to the "National Institute of Standards and Technology" is opened and routed by Mail and Distribution.
c. At Boulder, mail is delivered unopened to the addressee. Mail with an insufficient address is opened and routed by the Boulder Engineering, Maintenance, Safety, and Support Division. Books and periodicals are delivered to the Library. Employees should report all mail from the Congress to the Office of the Director, NIST/Boulder Laboratories which contacts the Office of the Director, NIST.
d. Certified and Registered Mail - Mail and Distribution prepares a routing slip to be signed by the addressee or someone authorized to handle mail for them. If the addressee receives mail accompanied by Return Receipt (PS Form 3811, Domestic Return Receipt), the addressee signs the receipt when the mail is received and gives the signed receipt to the messenger.
e. Packages not addressed to a specific person and packages with
a NIST purchase order number are sent by Mail and Distribution to Shipping
and Receiving for delivery to the proper organizational unit.
4.07.10
REDIRECTION OF INCOMING MAIL
On occasion, mail may be inadvertently delivered to the wrong mail
stop. When this occurs, immediately redirect the mail to the proper
mail stop, if known, or return to Mail and Distribution for routing with
notation "missaddressed."
4.07.11
UNWANTED INCOMING MAIL
a. Advertisements, books, letters, magazines, and material from
mass mailing lists are often sent to staff members at NIST. If the
addressee does not want this material, write "REFUSED" beside the crossed-out
address and place the material in the outgoing mail tray. The mail
is returned to the sender by the U.S. Postal Service. If the addressee
has left NIST or has died, "NO LONGER AT NIST" or "DECEASED" should be
written on the material in place of "REFUSED."
b. Mail in the following classes addressed to a former employee and not connected with officially assigned work may be forwarded.
(1) First-class mail (including zone-rated Priority Mail) and post and postal cards;
(2) Express mail;
(3) Official mail that is sent as first-class mail;
(4) Second-class mail;
(5) Third-class mail when the sender has guaranteed to pay the forwarding postage; and
(6) Fourth-class mail locally or when the sender has guaranteed to pay forwarding postage.
NOTE: The address (but not the name) may be changed and the mail reforwarded as many times as necessary to reach the addressee.
The proper way to forward mail is to place a line through the address
(but do not obliterate or cover it up). Near the address write "Forward
To" and the new address where the mail should be forwarded. Do not
cover the original address with a label and do not put mail in an envelope
with the NIST return address. Former NIST employees should be asked
to notify their correspondents of their new address.
4.07.12
OUTGOING MAIL
a. Outgoing U.S. Postal Service Mail is picked up from Mail and
Distribution at 4:00 p.m. each workday. (At Boulder, outgoing mail
is dispatched from the MASC Mail Room to the Boulder Post Office at 2:30
p.m.)
b. Mail to Main Commerce is picked up from Mail and Distribution by the NIST shuttle and delivered to the Commerce Mail Room.
c. Express mail to NIST-Boulder is picked up from Mail and Distribution at 4:00 p.m. each workday. For best service, the mail codes for Boulder organizational units should be prominently displayed on envelope return addresses and letterheads.
d. Urgent mail from NIST-Boulder to NIST-Gaithersburg is most
expeditiously handled by attaching a blue dot for identification.
The MASC Mail Room puts all mail with a blue dot in an overnight pouch
and takes it to the Post Office daily at 2:30 p.m.
4.07.13
PACKAGES
a. Mail and Distribution does not have packaging facilities.
If the sender cannot wrap and seal material, prepare Form NIST-386, Shipping
Order, and notify Shipping and Receiving to arrange for pick up, packaging,
and delivering of material to Mail and Distribution for dispatch.
Shipping and Receiving also handles all shipments by commercial carrier
except the GSA contract carrier.
b. Packages, including jiffy bags, etc., to foreign countries, after clearance by the Director of International and Academic Affairs if required, must be referred to Shipping and Receiving for the necessary customs label and declaration. (For a list of those countries requiring clearance by the Director of International and Academic Affairs, access the following website: http://www-nist.gov/oiaa:corresp.htm.) Packages not bearing required information may be delayed, opened, and returned to NIST. (At Boulder, the Shipping Room does wrapping, sealing, and shipping of domestic or foreign packages. The sender should prepare Form BL-50, Shipping Document.)