Unaddressed Admail

Amendment/Revision

Customers should ensure they are using the most current version of the Mail Preparation and Presortation Guide, including all amendments and other applicable documents, which are posted on the Canada Post website. See in particular, www.canadapost.ca/postalservices for key documents.

Significant changes appear in red in the electronic version.

In addition, when there is an amendment or a revision to the document, the version number will be modified as follows:

• an amendment increases the first digit in the version (e.g., version 2.0, 3.0).
• a revision increases the second digit in the version (e.g., version 1.1, 1.2, 1.3).
• the version number restarts at 1.0 every January.

Table of Contents

Customers should ensure they are using the most current version of the Mail Preparation and Presortation Guide and other applicable documents, which are posted on the Canada Post website. See in particular, www.canadapost.ca/postalservices for key documents.

It is the Customer’s obligation to meet all the requirements outlined in the Agreement.

1

Overview

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1.1	Who Should Use This Guide?

This Guide has been designed to explain what is required to prepare an Unaddressed Admail mailing for deposit to Canada Post.

1.2	What Is Mail Preparation for Unaddressed Admail?

Mail preparation is the process of bundling mail items securely, placing them in Canada Post supplied mailbags or Customer-supplied boxes pre-approved by Canada Post and labelling the containers with the urban or rural delivery facility where the containers will be delivered.

1.3	Requirements for Unaddressed Admail

To qualify as Unaddressed Admail:

• the mail items must be mailed in Canada for delivery in Canada
• the mail items must meet all Canada Post requirements outlined in the Unaddressed Admail Agreement. Consult the Unaddressed Admail Customer Guide and other applicable documents outlined in the Unaddressed Admail Agreement (see section 1.4 “Information Sources”).

1.4	Information Sources

This Mail Preparation and Presortation Guide forms part of the Agreement, and all references to this Agreement shall be deemed to include the documents referenced in section 13 “Entire Agreement and Alterations”of the General Terms and Conditions.

2

What You Need to Know Before You Start

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This section explains basic information on postal codes, householder counts, maps, the National Presortation Schematic (NPS), Delivery Modes, Electronic Shipping Tools (EST), and mailing and distribution plans that are required to prepare Unaddressed Admail mailings.

2.1	The Postal Code

The postal code is a six-character, alphanumeric code in the form of ANA NAN in which “A” represents a letter of the alphabet and “N” represents a number.

For example, the postal code M4B 1G5 is made up of two segments (as shown in Figure 1).

The first segment (the first three characters) represents a Forward Sortation Area (FSA). The first letter indicates a major geographical region (as shown in Table 3).

The second segment represents a Local Delivery Unit (LDU). It identifies the smallest delivery unit within an FSA. In urban areas, the LDU may indicate a specific city block (one side of a street between two intersecting streets), a single building or, in some cases, a large-volume mail receiver. In rural areas (as indicated by the zero in the FSA), the LDU combines with the FSA to identify a specific rural community.

For more information on postal codes, visit www.canadapost.ca/postalguide under Addressing Guidelines.

2.2	Householder Counts

Information about the delivery areas served by Canada Post’s delivery offices is segmented into the number of houses, apartments, farms and business points of call that help Customers determine the number of items needed for their mailing.

The national database of Householder Counts is available on CD-ROM or by download from a secured Canada Post FTP site on a 12-month subscription basis, which includes monthly updates. Visit www.canadapost.ca/postalservices for Individual Householder Counts, which are available free of charge.

For information on Data Products, visit the Canada Post Address Management Tools web page at www.canadapost.ca/am or send an email to data.product@canadapost.ca or contact a Canada Post Representative at 1-800-363-3459.

2.3

Maps

2.3.1

FSA Maps

An FSA (Forward Sortation Area) is the first three characters of a postal code and represents a specific geographic area.

The FSA Maps identify the specific geographic boundaries for every FSA in Canada. This information is invaluable for anyone trying to determine sales territories, plan coverage for a direct mail campaign, or study new locations for a retail store or business. Visit www.canadapost.ca/postalservices to view FSA Maps online.

2.3.2

Letter Carrier Walk Maps

Letter Carrier Walk Maps provide the actual routes, or walks, covered by the Letter Carriers. This is particularly useful for targeting local neighbourhoods. This information can be easily transferred to the Unaddressed Admail Delivery Slip to provide delivery instructions for Canada Post, to ensure items are delivered to the specific target audience. Visit www.canadapost.ca/postalservices to view the Letter Carrier Walk Maps online.

2.4	National Presortation Schematic (Non-Lettermail)

The National Presortation Schematic (NPS) is a set of tables that indicates how to consolidate mail through Canada Post’s mail distribution network, beginning with the FSA.

The Non-Lettermail NPS is used as a consolidation tool for all Canada Post Communication products. The NPS has four levels of access:

• Level 1 – Delivery Facility
• Level 2 – City
• Level 3 – Distribution Consolidation Facility (DCF), and
• Level 4 – Forward Consolidation Schematic (FCP).

Following the NPS levels of access is key to consolidation of Unaddressed Admail (as shown in Figure 3).

To avoid delays and extra handling charges, the current version of the National Presortation Schematic must be used. It is available at www.canadapost.ca/nps on the Canada Post website.

2.5	Delivery Modes

A Delivery Mode refers to the methods of delivery. Examples of Delivery Modes are:

• Letter Carrier Route (LC)
• Call For (CF)
• Direct (DIR)
• General Delivery (GD)
• Rural Route (RR)
• Lock Boxes (PO Box)
• Suburban Services (SS)
• Motorized Route (MR)

2.6	Electronic Shipping Tools

Electronic Shipping Tools (EST) is a free, fast and flexible way to prepare Orders (Statements of Mailing). Two user platforms have been developed: the Online and the Desktop versions.

Electronic Shipping Tools (EST) is an application designed to eliminate the need for manual paperwork and save valuable time for Customers who are using Canada Post’s shipping and/or mailing services.

Sign up for EST free of charge at www.canadapost.ca/obc by registering for a user ID and password. Visit www.canadapost.ca/offerings/eship_tools/can/default-e.asp to learn more about the different Electronic Shipping solutions offered to suit the needs of their business.

For technical enquiries regarding EST, please call the EST Help Desk at 1-866-511-0546.

Unaddressed Admail mailings prepared using the “Fully Featured” or “Express Order Entry” versions of the Electronic Shipping Tools will have access to Track a Mailing. To view a demo of its capabilities, visit www.canadapost.ca/uasupportdocuments and click on the icon with the bar code for Track a Mailing.

2.7	Mailing and Distribution Plans

Before preparing the mailing, a distribution plan is needed (if EST is used) or a mailing plan [for manual Orders (Statements of Mailing)]. These plans will guide the number of containers for each delivery facility and the labelling.

If the Electronic Shipping Tools (EST) is used, it will generate a distribution plan, regardless of the number of destinations for the mailing.

When preparing Orders (Statements of Mailing) manually, a mailing plan must be prepared. Any format can be used as long as the following information is included:

• Customer name
• Customer account number
• Order (Statement of Mailing) serial number
• control number(s) of each Unaddressed Admail Delivery Slip (ADS) in the mailing (there may be more than one Unaddressed ADS for a Delivery Facility, depending on the nature of the mailing, see section 3.3 “Complete the Unaddressed Admail Delivery Slip (ADS) (Step 3)” for more information)
• postal code of the Delivery Facility listed on each Unaddressed ADS
• volumes forwarded to each Delivery Facility.

If mailing to ten (10) or fewer destinations, the mailing plan information should be placed on the Order (Statement of Mailing); if mailing to more than ten (10) destinations, a Manifest with the mailing plan information must be produced.

3

Steps for Preparing Unaddressed Admail

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Mail that has met all the requirements for Unaddressed Admail (see section 1.3 “Requirements for Unaddressed Admail”) goes through up to five steps for mail preparation:

1. Place the Mail Items in Equivalent-sized Bundles (Step 1).
2. Place the Bundles in Containers (Step 2).
3. Complete the Unaddressed Admail Delivery Slip (ADS) (Step 3).
4. Label the Containers (Step 4) – Correct labelling ensures that mail is expedited to the Canada Post Delivery Facility.
5. Make Up Monotainers and Pallets (Step 5) – Monotainers and pallets make it much easier to move the mail because it reduces the amount of handling and ensures the complete mailing arrives simultaneously at any one destination.

3.1	Place the Mail Items in Equivalent-sized Bundles (Step 1)

3.1.1

Bundling

A “bundle” describes a number of mail items secured together by double strapping (using elastic bands, string or plastic straps). Shrink wrapping is not permitted for Unaddressed Admail.

The maximum thickness of a bundle is shown in Table 4.

Placing the mail in bundles in the following manner assists in distributing the mail to the appropriate Delivery Facility.

The mailing must be bundled in equal amounts of not more than 200 items in each bundle, not to exceed the thicknesses specified in Table 4. All bundles should contain equal quantities, except the last bundle of a mailing for each Delivery Facility, which may be smaller and is referred to as the Residue bundle.

For example:

3.1.2

Double-Strapping

Each bundle must be securely tied or banded (double-strapped) to prevent breaking open during handling or while in transit (as shown in Figure 4).

3.2	Place the Bundles in Containers (Step 2)

All items in a single mailing must be deposited in bags, or in Customer-supplied containers pre-approved by Canada Post.

Unaddressed Admail must be placed in one or more containers for each Delivery Facility.

The weight of each container (the container plus the mailing) must not exceed 25 kg (55 lbs.).

3.2.1

Types of Containers

Two (2) types of containers can be used for the movement of Unaddressed Admail through Canada Post’s mail distribution network: Canada Post mailbags or Customer-supplied containers pre-approved by Canada Post.

The same type of container must be used for the entire deposit.

3.2.1.1

Canada Post Mailbags

Two types of bags are used for the movement of mail (as shown in Figure 5):

• small mailbags A-6
• large mailbags A-3

The supply of bags is dependent on availability by Canada Post. In instances where bags are not available, Canada Post pre-approved Customer-supplied containers must be used. Table 5 lists the specifications for each type.

3.2.1.2

Customer-supplied Containers

Canada Post must pre-approve the use of other containers. Such containers must, at minimum, meet the following guidelines:

• are sturdy, i.e., able to withstand normal handling during processing (sorting with other bags, transporting, opening, emptying, etc.)
• made from non-toxic and environmentally friendly materials
• have a ratio of length, width and height that is reasonable, that is, that the container can easily be handled and transported by Canada Post equipment
• have a maximum weight that does not exceed 25 kg (55 lbs.) for a mailbag, a box or a Customer-supplied container
• must be labelled to Canada Post requirements
• are disposable (since they cannot be returned)
• do not resemble bags or containers that are commonly used for disposal or recycling (e.g., garbage bags, recycling bins).

3.3	Complete the Unaddressed Admail Delivery Slip (ADS) (Step 3)

The Unaddressed Admail Delivery Slip (ADS), (as shown in Figure 6), serves to identify the mailing and is attached to the Residue bundle for each Delivery Facility. It includes the specific delivery instructions, including the selected Forward Sortation Area (FSA) and route numbers.

If the Order (Statement of Mailing) is submitted manually (instead of using EST) or the “Statement of Mailing (SOM) only” version of EST is used, the completed Unaddressed ADS for each Delivery Facility must be back stamped with the RVU stamp by the Receipt Verification Unit (RVU) or the office stamp by the Corporate Retail Counter, before the Customer attaches Part 3 to the Residue Bundle. Part 3 of the Unaddressed ADS is proof of payment by the Delivery Facility.

There are three parts to the Unaddressed ADS:

• Part 1: Mailer copy – The Customer keeps the first page of the Unaddressed ADS for their files.
• Part 2: Attach to the Statement of Mailing – When the mailing is for 10 or fewer Delivery Facilities and EST is not used, the second page of the Unaddressed ADS must be stapled to the back of the SOM (see section 2.7 “Mailing and Distribution Plans” for more information). If a Manifest is used, Part 2 of the Unaddressed ADS for the files may also be kept.
• Part 3: Insert in the last container for each Delivery Facility – Attach the third page of the Unaddressed ADS to the Residue bundle, which is placed in the last container for each Delivery Facility. For example, if 40 bags are being sent to a Delivery Facility, the Residue bundle can be inserted with the Unaddressed ADS attached in the bag labelled as 40 of 40.

3.4	Label the Containers (Step 4)

All containers must be labelled to their destination based on the Householder counts available on CD-ROM or on the Canada Post website at www.canadapost.ca/uasupportdocuments or the Non-Lettermail NPS (Level 1 – Delivery Facility). If EST is used, these are generated automatically. Correct labelling of containers ensures that mail is directed to the correct Delivery Facility.

When Canada Post mailbags are being used, label the mailbags with a vinyl label holder (which are used on their own, without keeper labels) or with tie-on tags and keeper labels. Attach all labels securely.

3.4.1

Tag and Label Information Requirements

Mail bag labels must be in bilingual format and include the service name (Unaddressed Admail). The tag or label serves to identify the Delivery Facility; the mailing; and the service requirements. The following information is required:

• Mailed by: Indicate the name and mailing address of the company preparing the mailing for deposit with Canada Post.
• Mailed on behalf of: The name and mailing address of the company that owns the mail piece.
• Delivery Facility: The name of the Canada Post Delivery Facility as defined in the Canada Post Householder counts information available on CD-ROM or on the Canada Post website at www.canadapost.ca/uasupportdocuments, or the NPS Level 1.
• Number of Containers: Indicate the number of containers going to the same Delivery Facility in the format provided (e.g., 2 of 3 means that the container is the second of three containers for the Delivery Facility).
• Delivery Start Date: Indicate the date that delivery is to begin.

3.4.2

Vinyl Label Holders

For mailbags, a vinyl label holder (as shown in Figure 7) must be securely attached to the corner of the bag by a plastic cable tie or twine (as shown in Figure 8). There is no need to attach a tie-on tag or to produce a bag label (keeper tag). Simply insert a hardsided container label into the vinyl label holder.

If vinyl label holders are not used, use tie-on tags on all mailbags, fastening the tags securely by plastic cable ties or twine to the neck of the bag (as shown in Figure 9) before deposit (see section 3.4.2 “Vinyl Label Holders” for more information).

Bags with tie-on tags must also bear a bag label or keeper tag (as shown in Figure 9). Insert bag label in the label holder. Bag labels must contain the complete NPS routing information for which the bundles are destined, and all the information must show after the label is inserted into the label holder.

3.4.3

Producing Tie-on Tags and Labels

The Customer has three (3) options for producing labels:

• order from Canada Post
• printing labels from Canada Post templates, or
• making custom labels using Canada Post specifications.

To order labels, contact the Canada Post Customer Relationship Network (1-888-550-6333 or 1-800-260-7678) and use the label form number to order labels. The label form numbers are listed in Table 6.