1. A. Statewide Uniform Consolidated Mailroom. The Office of Technology Services shall establish a uniform, consolidated mailroom operation to provide messenger, mail processing, and presorting services for the benefit of public agencies statewide.

2. B. Powers and Duties of the State Chief Information Officer

   1. 1. The state chief information officer, or the state chief information officer’s designee, shall establish a set of specifications for mailed matter, to be used by all state agencies, including:

      1. a. type of envelopes;
      2. b. sizes of envelopes; and
      3. c. address print requirements.
   2. 2. The state chief information officer is authorized to adopt all necessary standards and guidelines to implement a uniform consolidated mailroom operation and is authorized to promulgate all rules and regulations necessary and proper toward that end, pursuant to the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act.

3. C. Production Support Services Mailroom

   1. 1. All departments, agencies, officials, employees, and other entities of state government shall source all requirements for mail and mailing services from the uniform, consolidated mailroom operation provided by the Office of Technology Services, Production Support Services section.
   2. 2. The provisions of this Section shall not apply to colleges and universities, their management boards, and the Board of Regents, unless it can be verified that inclusion would result in a savings to the respective college, university, or board.
   3. 3. Subject to the requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act, the state chief information officer may establish a procedure for verification that inclusion of a college, university, or board would result in a savings to that respective college, university, or board.

4. D. Appointment of Mail Coordinators

   1. 1. The head of each department, agency, board, commission, or other public entity subject to this Section shall identify and designate to the Office of Technology Services specific persons with responsibility for coordinating requests for mailing services on behalf of the public entity.

   2. 2. At least one full-time employee of the public entity must be designated the primary mail coordinator, with authority on behalf of the agency:

      1. a. to receive and possess mail items both inbound and outbound;
      2. b. to request mailing services from the Office of Technology Services, and to encumber funds for the same;
      3. c. to prepare and submit to the Office of Technology Services outbound mail items for processing;
      4. d. to administer the agency’s mailing account with the Office of Technology Services; and
      5. e. to designate additional persons to serve as secondary mail coordinator.

   3. 3. At least one other person shall be designated as secondary mail coordinator with authority on behalf of the agency:

      1. a. to receive and possess mail items both inbound and outbound;
      2. b. to request mailing services from the Office of Technology Services, and to encumber funds for the same;
      3. c. to prepare and submit to the Office of Technology Services outbound mail items for processing; and
      4. d. at the election of the primary mail coordinator, to act with full authority on behalf on the primary mail coordinator.
5. E. Mailing Standard. Items submitted to the Office of Technology Services shall be suitable for mailing in accordance with the provisions of this Section and with the United States Postal Service® Domestic Mail Manual, hereafter referred to as the DMM. The Office of Technology Services may reject for processing any items not prepared in accordance with the DMM or not consistent with the standards for state mailings established by the state chief information officer.
6. F. Standard Form DA-300, Request for Mail Service. All public entities requesting mailing services shall submit to the Office of Technology Services a completed Form DA-300 (request for mail service) for each such request, unless otherwise instructed by the Office of Technology Services.

7. G. Messenger Mail. The Office of Technology Services shall provide interdepartmental messenger services for the benefit of participating public agencies.

   1. 1. Items submitted for mailing via messenger mail shall be enclosed in an approved courier envelope, with the recipient’s name and service location plainly indicated and legible, and shall make use of any service labels as the Office of Technology Services might require.
   2. 2. The Office of Technology Services shall create and make available for use by public agencies one or more approved types of courier envelopes for use with messenger mail services.
   3. 3. Public agencies shall not mark, imprint, damage, or otherwise impair the circulation of courier envelopes provided by the Office of Technology Services, unless otherwise directed by the Office of Technology Services.
   4. 4. Parcel matter submitted for mailing via messenger mail shall be sealed in a rigid container, such as a corrugated paperboard box, suitable for shipping and with the recipient’s name and service location plainly indicated and legible on a label provided by the Office of Technology Services. The maximum weight of a parcel of such matter, including all shipping materials, shall be 40 pounds, unless otherwise exempted by the Office of Technology Services.
   5. 5. The Division of Administration, the Office of Technology Services, and all employees, contractors, agents, and assigns of the same shall be fully indemnified and held harmless from, and shall not be liable for, any service delays, lost or damaged matter, or other damages arising from the use by agencies of messenger mail services.

8. H. Content Standards for Messenger Mail

   1. 1. Public agencies may utilize messenger mail for delivery services among participating public agencies for any general correspondence, bills or statements of accounts, checks or negotiable instrument, or other matter, including supplies, goods, and property, which serve a specific public purpose, and which would be otherwise suitable for mailing by the United States Postal Service.
   2. 2. The right is at all times reserved for the Office of Technology Services to return, halt, and open with cause for inspection messenger mail items, such as to ascertain the intended recipient when the outer packaging is unlabeled or the labeling illegible, and in the case of suspicious matter. The Office of Technology Services shall establish a policy for the appropriate handling by employees of the Office of Technology Services of Messenger Mail matter.

9. G. Transmission by Messenger Mail of Federal Taxpayer Information

   1. 1. Public agencies may transmit by messenger mail matter containing restricted data, including Federal Taxpayer Information (FTI), provided that all FTI is transmitted in accordance with the provisions of IRS Publication 1075, Tax Information Security Guidelines for Federal, State, and Local Agencies, with the State of Louisiana Information Security Policy, and with all applicable laws, rules, and agency procedures for the handling of FTI.
   2. 2. Requests for shipment by messenger mail of paper or electronic FTI, including without limitation printed, type-written, written, or other physical matter, compact disks (CD), digital video disks (DVD), thumb drives, hard drives, tapes, microfilm, or any other media, shall be made only via written application by a duly authorized public official. All such matter shall be plainly and fully documented on a Form DA-300, or using a transmittal approved by the state chief information officer, or the state chief officer’s designee; and delivery of such matter shall be made only upon signature of a designated and duly authorized recipient.
   3. 3. All FTI matter transported through messenger mail shall be double-sealed; that is, one envelope within another envelope. The innermost envelope containing the FTI must be marked “confidential,” with some indication that only the designated official or delegate is authorized to receive and open its contents. The outermost envelope should not be labeled as FTI, or otherwise provide any indication that the contents contain FTI. Using appropriately sealed boxes serves the same purpose as double-sealing and prevents anyone from viewing the contents thereof.
10. H. First-Class Mail. Items submitted for mailing at first-class postage rates shall meet the minimum requirements for mail pieces designated in the DMM.

11. I. Content Standards for First-Class Letters

    1. 1. Public agencies shall utilize first-class letter mail for all general correspondence, bills and statements of accounts, checks and negotiable instruments, material containing information specific to the addressee, and material containing information derived from any database or mailing list owned, leased, rented, or otherwise used by a state agency covered by this Chapter, unless otherwise provided for in federal or state law.
    2. 2. All matter containing FTI, all matter containing information subject to the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and all personally identifiable information (PII), with the exception of information like name and address information necessary for mailing, must be transmitted via first-class mail, unless otherwise provided for by federal or state law.
    3. 3. Items submitted for mailing as first-class letters shall bear a return address or other marking that readily and clearly identifies the public entity submitting the matter. Items submitted for mailing as first-class letters must bear a legible recipient address that includes a correct ZIP Code or ZIP+4 Code. The mailing address block shall not include any barcodes or other graphics, unless approved by the Office of Technology Services.
    4. 4. Items submitted for mailing at first-class automation postage rates shall additionally adhere to the standards for such matter established in DMM 201.3.0
    5. 5. Matter submitted in accordance with this subparagraph shall be processed by the Office of Technology Services using automation postage rates whenever possible, and the discounts derived therefrom shall be applied equally to the benefit of all public agencies covered by this Subchapter.
    6. 6. First-class letters shall be mailed with the return service requested postal ancillary endorsement, unless otherwise required by the requesting public agency.
    7. 7. The Office of Technology Services may provide for available other ancillary services, including endorsement of outbound matter, at as close to the actual cost of such service as can be determined.
    8. 8. The use of registered and certified mail optional services shall be restricted to such matter as required by federal or state law; and the state chief information officer may require public agencies to submit written justification for the use of registered or certified mail services. Such justification shall identify the applicable federal or state law that requires the matter be mailed with registered or certified mail.
    9. 9. Public agencies should minimize or eliminate wherever practicable any use of hand-written addressing methods for mailed matter.
    10. 10. The state chief information officer may establish a procedure for the identification and minimization of inaccurate and undeliverable addresses to which public agencies transmit First-Class Letters. Upon request by a public agency, the Office of Technology Services may obtain from the United States Postal Service, or a duly authorized designee thereof, corrected address records on behalf of the mailing agency; and upon authorization by a public agency, the Office of Technology Services may forward first-class lettersto addresses corrected using USPS-approved methods.
    11. 11. All first-class matter not suitable for mailing at card or letter rates may be mailed as first-class flats.
    12. 12. Flats-sized matter submitted for mailing at first-class postage rates shall adhere to the standards for mail pieces described in DMM 200.4.0.
    13. 13. Presortation of First-Class Flats. Wherever practicable, when mailing flats, public agencies should utilize printed address labels using opaque, white stock. Addresses should be imprinted in a type no smaller than 14 point and only in black or blue ink.
    14. 14. Public agencies mailing flats should minimize the use of hand-written addressing methods.

    15. 15. Public agencies may request priority mail or priority mail express service for any qualified matter, in the following circumstances:

        1. a. as required by federal or state law, or when first-class service parameters are unsuitable for a particular item presented for mailing;
        2. b. via shipping services furnished by PSS in lieu of third-party carriers, provided such matter adheres to the standards for priority mail specified in DMM 123.1.4.2;
        3. c. as needed for a specific, urgent public purpose;
        4. d. by special exemption from the state chief information officer, of the state chief information officer’s designee, when the best interests of the state are served thereby
12. J. Standards for Other Mail Classes. The state chief information officer, or the state chief information officer’s designee, may establish a set of standards for matter mailed using other USPS mail classes, pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act.
13. K. Mail Information Notices. The state chief information officer may promulgate mail information notices to all public agencies, their secretaries, undersecretaries, primary and secondary mail coordinators, and other interested parties, to apprise public mailers of important information affecting mailing services. Such notices shall also be retained and made available for public inspection on the website of the Office of Technology Services.

Authority Note

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 39:245, R.S. 43:1, R.S. 43:29, and R.S. 43:31 et seq.

Historical Note

HISTORICAL NOTE: Promulgated by the Office of the Governor, Division of Administration, LR 48:2530 (October 2022).