acquisition mail lodgement business letter services

Acquisition Mail LodgementBusiness Letter Services

IntroductionAcquisition Mail is an Australia Post service for the delivery of addressed (non - personalised) bulk mail. It allows customers to geographically target addressed mail campaigns to residential addresses in specific postcodes, suburbs (localities) or Census Collection Districts (CCDs) for the purpose of acquiring them as customers.

In this module

This module introduces you to Australia Post’s requirements for Acquisition Mail sorting and lodgement.

Learning outcomesAt the end of this module you will be able to:

• identify the sort categories for Acquisition Mail articles

• identify and prepare the correct tray labels for Acquisition Mail articles

• identify the necessary steps to prepare an Acquisition Mail lodgement

• identify and complete the correct lodgement documentation for Acquisition Mail

• specify the Acquisition Mail ‘return mail’ process

Acquisition Mail at a glance

What qualifies for Acquisition Mail?

To qualify:

• a minimum of 30,000 articles must be lodged in total

• a minimum saturation of 60% is required (ie at least 60% of the addresses supplied for your target area must be mailed to)

• the maximum number of progressive lodgements is three (3). These can be made over a maximum period of six (6) weeks, and must be made within 3 months of data supply date.

• the content of the article must be acquisition in nature, and more specifically meet the conditions of the Acquisition Mail service.

• Australia Post’s return address must be used on all articles.

• a PDF or physical sample of the intended article must be provided to Australia Post for approval prior to lodgement.

Acquisition Mail at a glance

More information

More detailed information is available in the Acquisition Mail fact sheet and Acquisition Mail service guide (8839559).

Prices for Acquisition Mail can be found in the Post Charges booklet and at the Australia Post website (auspost.com.au).

These guides are also available at any Australia Post outlet.

Acquisition Mail lodgement To qualify for Acquisition Mail prices, customers need to meet Australia Post’s sorting and lodgement requirements. Each requirement is covered in more detail on the following pages.

Acquisition Mail lodgement

Registration requirements

You need to register to use the Acquisition Mail service before Australia Post can provide the addresses for your nominated target regions.

Registration is online via: auspost.com.au/acquisitionmail

Within two business days of completing the registration, Australia Post will email you your Acquisition Mail address file with all information needed to prepare and lodge your articles.

More information about the Acquisition Mail address file can be located in the Acquisition Mail preparation module.


Sorting Acquisition Mail articles

Introduction

It is recommended that you submit sample articles to Australia Post for testing of barcode accuracy and readability, prior to lodging Acquisition Mail for the first time. Information relating to the Barcode Quality Program is available on the Australia Post website at auspost.com.au/bqp

To qualify for cost savings, you need to perform some of the sorting work Australia Post would normally do.

For Acquisition Mail lodgements, you need to:

• choose a sort category

• prepare letter trays

• prepare and affix tray labels for each letter tray

• sort articles into trays

These requirements are explained in more detail on the following pages.

Acquisition Mail lodgement Sorting Acquisition Mail articles

Sort categories

To ensure Acquisition Mail articles can be delivered correctly, you need to follow Australia Post’s bulk mail requirements for sorting Acquisition Mail. Articles can be sorted into three categories:


Sorting Acquisition Mail articles

Barcode Sort Plan (BSP)

The Barcode Sort Plan (BSP) allocates every Australian postcode into a specific range, allowing Australia Post to efficiently provide articles to their point of delivery, and is regularly updated (refer table). To ensure the current sort plan is used, download it from the Australia Post website auspost.com.au/sortplans

Upon lodgement, Australia Post staff perform a check to determine if articles have been sorted correctly. Australia Post reserves the right to reject a lodgement if an unacceptable number of articles are incorrectly sorted. Australia Post provides a service for customers and vendors wanting to verify the accuracy of software developed to sort articles according to the Barcode Sort Plan. Further information on this service is available from the Technical Support Centre on 03 9106 8098.

Version number Release date Active date Expiry date

VYYYY1 1 February 1 March 31 August

VYYYY2 1 August 1 September 28/29 February

Acquisition Mail lodgement Sorting Acquisition Mail articles How to prepare trays

Obtain letter trays at no cost from your lodgement facility.

The process for preparing and sorting Barcode Direct Trays, Barcode Residue Trays and Unbarcoded Residue Trays is as follows:

• face all articles in the same direction

• sort the articles in ascending postcode order (preferred but not mandatory)

• do not bundle or tie the articles

• place the articles into small letter trays, with the addresses facing the front (label end) of the tray.

The maximum acceptable weight for a tray is 16kg (including the weight of the tray).

Overflow Barcode Direct Trays can be lodged. An overflow tray is a less-than-full tray that contains all articles remaining after the preparation of full trays for the same sort plan BSP number. A maximum of one overflow tray for each sort plan BSP number is permitted.

Acquisition Mail lodgement Sorting Acquisition Mail articlesState separation of Residue and Unbarcoded trays

Where there are 2,000 or more Barcoded Residue articles, or 2,000 or more Unbarcoded Residue articles, then separate the articles into state based trays as follows:

For volumes of: Then:

Less than 2,000 articles

• Prepare national trays

• Use the tray label for the state where the lodgement is occurring

2,000 or more articles

• Separate articles for state based trays

• Use tray labels for the following 8 states as defined in the Barcode Sort Plan: NSW, ACT, VIC, QLD, SA, WA, TAS and NT

Acquisition Mail lodgement Completing tray labels Preprinted tray labels

You must ensure that correctly completed tray labels are affixed to each tray.

Australia Post provides preprinted tray labels at no cost. Acquisition Mail uses the range of tray labels available for the PreSort Letter service.

You can order or obtain these labels from your local lodgement facility. Order forms may also be printed or downloaded from the Australia Post website auspost.com.au/traylabels and forwarded electronically to lodgement centres.

Acquisition Mail lodgement Completing tray labels Labelling software

Australia Post recommends the use of Print On Demand Labelling Systems for preparing lodgements. Print on Demand Systems are available either free of charge from Australia Post (VISA Labelling) or may be purchased from third party suppliers.

These labels must conform to specifications, which are subject to periodic review.

Specifications may be obtained by contacting the Technical Support Centre on 03 9106 8098 or by downloading documentation from the Internet auspost.com.au/traylabels. Third party software must be approved by Australia Post prior to use.

Blank label stock is also provided free of charge by Australia Post. This label stock is heat sensitive, and is suitable for use only in direct thermal label printers.


Completing tray labels

Write name and address (or name and telephone including area code) of the mailer in the Sender space.

Write the Acquisition Mail Job Number in the Job No. space (this is the number that is created when registering for Acquisition Mail).

Place a tick in the Off Peak space.

Write the date of lodgement in the Date space.

Acquisition Mail lodgementCompleting tray labels

How to affix tray labels to letter trays• Label pockets are affixed to all letter trays.

• Remove any old tray labels on trays prior to lodgement.

• Place a completed tray label in the label pocket with the printed side visible.

Acquisition Mail lodgementSorting Acquisition Mail articles

Summary

Sorting Acquisition Mail articles involves:

• choosing a sort category

• preparing letter trays

• completing and affixing tray labels for each letter tray

• sorting articles into trays

Acquisition Mail lodgementLodging Acquisition Mail articles

Introduction

Once an Acquisition Mail lodgement is prepared, sorted and ready for bulk mailing, you need to:

• complete documentation

• lodge the Acquisition articles

These requirements are explained in more detail on the following pages.


Lodgement documents

Once a lodgement is prepared, sorted and ready for bulk mailing, you are required to complete a lodgement document and your articles.

Each lodgement must be supported with documentation.

After registering an Acquisition Mail campaign you will be emailed a pre-populated lodgement document that is generated from the information provided at time of registration. If you are performing progressive lodgements you will be provided with multiple lodgement documents.

You can lodge your mailing using this pre-populated lodgement document or you can use the document to input information directly into the Electronic Lodgement Mailing Statement (eLMS).


Lodgement documents

When registering a campaign you will be asked how you intend to pay for the service – via Australia Post Charge Account or postage meter. This will be marked on the lodgement document and you will be required to pay by the specified method.

If any campaign details change after a campaign is registered, you must advise the AM Administrator of these changes so that the pre-populated lodgement documents can be updated and reissued to you. These may include requests for additional data, changes to Australia Post Charge Account number, number of progressive lodgements and estimated lodgement date.

A Lodgement Document is to be completed for each lodgement in the same price and weight category.

Most of the lodgement document details are pre-populated. However, you are required to indicate the number of articles in each sort category, the name of the facility where lodging, letter classification, and the name, date and signature of the person lodging the campaign.

Acquisition Mail LodgementLodging Acquisition Mail articles

AMAS Declaration

The lodgement document includes a mandatory customer declaration certifying that current AMAS approved software is in use and that the DPIDs contained within address records used to produce the mailing are valid against the latest version of the PAF.

Should you repeatedly present articles that are subsequently rejected due to incorrect assignment of DPIDs, Australia Post reserves the right to request subsequent lodgements be supported with documentary evidence that the addresses have been processed against the latest version of the PAF. To assist in this regard, it is mandatory for AMAS approved batch software to generate an Address Matching Processing Summary Report.

The report format and content is indicative of the type of information to be produced by AMAS Address Matching Processing batch software on each execution of a matching submission so that users have the appropriate evidence to support lodgements when requested to do so.

Acquisition Mail lodgementLodging Acquisition Mail articlesSupporting Document (Manifest)Each lodgement requires an Acquisition Mail Supporting Document. There is no standard form provided by Australia Post, so customers create their own supporting document. A simple Word (or equivalent) document suffices.A sample supporting document can be downloaded from auspost.com.au/presort and the minimum description requirements are provided below:Sort category List the number of articles and traysBarcode Direct Trays for each Sort Plan Number

for each state and territory the total for Barcode Direct Trays

Barcode Residue Trays for each state and territory the total for Barcode Residue Trays

Unbarcoded Residue for each state and territory Trays the total for Unbarcoded Residue Trays


Where to lodgeArticles must be presented during business hours at an approved lodgement facility, or designated facility in the case of articles linehauled interstate by carriers other than Australia Post. (See Interconnect option.)

Advance notification of large lodgements at mail centres

Limited spare capacity at some lodgement points means customers are requested to provide advance notice to the Officer-In-Charge of the facility for lodgements over 50,000 articles, no later than Friday of the week prior to lodgement.

Failure to do so could lead to a delay in delivery of the articles.

If you make regular lodgements at the same facility you can enter into standing arrangements and avoid the need for notification.

‘Linehaul’ is the transport, usually by truck, of heavy loads of freight for long distances or between cities.’


Interconnect optionYou have the option to arrange your own interstate transport to interconnect with Australia Post’s letters service network at designated facilities in the state of destination and benefit from cheaper Same State prices.

You are required to complete an application form – PreSort Letters – Lodgement Document (8835117) nominating the facility/s where the articles are to be presented for lodgement and forward the application to the Australia Post contact (as listed on the inside front cover of the Acquisition Mail service guide) in the state in which your business is located.

Supporting lodgement documentation is required at the time of mailing.


Lodgement in ULD’sSteel cage containers known as Unit Loading Devices (ULDs) can be obtained from Australia Post, subject to availability and in instances where large mail volumes are to be lodged. Customers should contact their mail facility for further information.

ULDs remain the property of Australia Post and all other rules and regulations pertaining to the use of the ULD are applicable. Australia Post reserves the right to charge customers for any ULD lost or damaged by the customer.

The maximum weight for a loaded ULD is 600kg (including the weight of the ULD which weigh around 100kg). This means that 500kg is available for the contents. In order to maximise transportation efficiency and ULD utilisation, mailers should ensure that each ULD is used as efficiently as possible.

It is recommended that when a customer has prepared a ULD for collection by Australia Post that the weight (actual or deemed) is declared by affixing a label with the lodging customer’s name and the weight to the ULD.


ULD labellingIt is a requirement that you affix a label to each ULD, containing the following information:

the name of the Mailing Agent

the lodgement date (optional, but must be the correct if shown)

the number of ULDs in the lodgement (eg 1 of 8, 2 of 8, etc)

the gross weight (actual or deemed) of the ULD and its contents

the AM Job Number and customer name for each individual job contained in the ULD

the number of trays for each individual job contained in the ULD (optional, but must

be the correct if shown).


Use of palletsWhere pallets are used to transport articles to the lodgement point, the dimensions of these pallets should conform with the Australian standards (1,165mm x 1,165mm) and the total load must weigh less than 600kg.

Pallets can only be used to transport articles to mail centres.

Australia Post does not accept responsibility for the pallets and will not accept any transfer of hiring charges.


Summary

Lodging Acquisition Mail articles involves:

Completing required documentation

• Acquisition Mail lodgement document• Supporting document (Manifest)• Address Matching Process Summary Report

Lodging the articles at an approved lodgement facility

For more information about lodging Acquisition Mail articles, refer to the Acquisition Mail service guide and the Australia Post website (auspost.com.au/acquisitionmail).

Acquisition Mail LodgementOther considerations

Returned mail rebate

Australia Post will count all articles returned to the mandatory return address. Return mail includes undeliverable articles and any recipient initiated return.

If the returns exceed 10% of the total lodgement volume within two months of the final lodgement date, Australia Post will provide a postage rebate for those articles over the 10%. The rebate will paid at the same state postage rate for the specific article size and does not include any production costs including print, creative or any other associated costs. The rebate will be credited to the Australia Post Business Credit Account provided at time of registration.

Australia Post will advise of the return mail rate for your campaign within two months of the final lodgement date.

Any campaign that does not meet all of the terms and conditions of the service will not be eligible for a return mail rebate.

All returned mail articles will be recycled after counting. Address details for returned articles will not be provided.

Acquisition Mail lodgementCost• Prices for Acquisition Mail are available in the Acquisition Mail service guide and the Post Charges Guide (MS11) both of which are available on the Australia Post website (auspost.com.au).

• Acquisition Mail items are charged as “Same State” when they are to be delivered in the same state as they were lodged.

• Acquisition Mail items are charged as “Other State” when they are to be delivered to a different state to where they were lodged.

• Customers may only use an Australia Post Business Credit Account or a postage meter, for payment.

• Where a customer is having their mailing registered by a representative, (ie: mail house or agency) and does not have their own Australia Post Business Credit Account, they may organise to use the representative’s Business Credit Account number.

Note: For payment using an Australia Post Business Credit Account customers will need to lodge their Acquisition Mail at the office at which they hold the account. Otherwise they will need to arrange with their account manager or Australia Post credit management for their account to be made available at the selected lodgement office.

Acquisition Mail lodgementSummary

The key points covered were:

• register the campaign and provide target regions via the website

• sort the articles according to sort plan numbers (postcode ranges) in the Barcode Sort Plan (BSP)

• prepare the letter trays by placing the articles correctly in each tray

• complete and affix tray labels correctly

• complete lodgement documentation

• complete and affix Mail Identification Labels to ULDs

• lodge articles at an approved lodgement facility.

You now need to complete a short assessment to check your understanding of the information covered in this module. This assessment consists of 10 multiple-choice questions and should take you approximately 10 minutes to complete. To pass the assessment, you need to answer at least eight of these questions correctly.Attempt this assessment as many times as you need to. If you do not pass, it is recommended that you review this module again.

Assessment

a. Residue, Small Postcode Direct, Large Postcode Direct

b. Barcode Direct Tray, Barcode Residue Tray, Unbarcoded Tray

c. Residue, Office of Delivery, CBD Sort

Assessment

1

Correct answer = BBarcode Direct Tray, Barcode Residue tray and Unbarcoded Tray are the three PreSort sort categories.

You have the choice to sort Acquisition Mail to three categories. These are:

a. 200

b. 300

c. 2000

Assessment

2

Correct answer =B300 Barcoded letters is the minimum volume for a Barcode Direct Tray.

What is the minimum number of barcoded letters required to make up a Barcode Direct Tray.

a. True

b. False

Assessment

3

Correct answer = AWhere the volumes of Barcode Residue or Unbarcoded Residue are 2,000 or more letters then separate the articles into State based trays.

True or False?

Where the volumes of Barcode Residue or Unbarcoded Residue are 2,000 or more then separate the letters into State based trays.

a. An allocation of addresses into a specific range

b. An allocation of Census Collection Districts (CCD’s) into a specific range

c. An allocation of postcodes into a specific range

Assessment

4

Correct answer = CThe Barcode Sort Plan (BSP) is an allocation of postcodes into a specific range allowing Australia Post to efficiently provide articles to their point of delivery.

What is the Barcode Sort Plan (BSP)

a. In an Unbarcoded Residue Tray

b. In a Barcode Residue Tray

c. Place a few in each Barcode Direct tray, so a new tray isn’t needed

Assessment

5

Correct answer = AThese articles should be placed in an Unbarcoded Residue Tray.

Rachel is preparing to lodge her Acquisition Mail campaign. She has sorted her articles into Direct Trays but has 20 unbarcoded articles remaining. How should she present them?

a. From any Post Office

b. From their lodgement facility

c. From the Australia Post web site

d. It will be provided after registration of the campaign.

Assessment

6

Correct answer = DWithin two business days of completing the registration, Australia Post will email the customer their Acquisition Mail data file complete with pre-populated lodgement document/s.

Where can customers obtain a copy of the Acquisition Mail lodgement document?

a. True

b. False

Assessment

7

Correct answer = BCustomers can order or obtain these labels from their local lodgement facility. Order forms may also be printed or downloaded from the Australia Post website www.auspost.com.au/traylabels and forwarded electronically to lodgement centres.

True or False?Customers can download preprinted tray labels for their lodgement directly from the Australia Post website.

a. True

b. False

Assessment

8

Correct answer = AWhen preparing Barcode Direct trays, sequencing of letters in postcode ascending order is preferred but not mandatory.

.

True or False?

When preparing Barcode Direct trays, it is preferable to sequence letters in postcode ascending order.

a. With every lodgement

b. For lodgements over 2,000

c. For lodgements over 50,000

d. Customers are not required to provide advance notice

Assessment

9

Correct answer = CLimited spare capacity at some lodgement points means customers are requested to provide advance notice to the Officer-In-Charge of the facility for lodgements over 50,000 Acquisition Mail articles.

When are customers requested to provide advance notice to the Officer-In-Charge of the facility for lodgements of Acquisition Mail?

a. When the lodgement exceeds 30,000 articles that have not been metered

b. Manifests are not required with Acquisition Mail

c. You should include a Supporting Document (manifest) with every lodgement of Acquisition Mail.

Assessment

10

Correct answer = CA Supporting Document (manifest) is required to support each Acquisition Mail lodgement.

When is a Supporting Document (manifest) required with a lodgement of Acquisition Mail?

acquisition mail lodgement business letter services

Documents

acquisition mail sorting

introduction acquisition

acquisition mail prices

lodging acquisition

acquisition mail service

acquisition mail address

acquisition mail fact

addressed mail campaigns