A mail stop is a designated location where the Division of Mail Management Services (DMMS) “stops” to deliver and collect mail on a daily basis. DMMS assigns a unique 4-digit number to identify each official mail stop. The first number in the series identifies the building where mail is delivered.
Over time, employees and/or offices may move to a new building or break off operationally from their current mail stop. Either of these actions can trigger the need to open and/or close a mail stop.
A request for a new mail stop should be sent to the Mail Customer Service Branch (MCSB) at mcsbcs@mail.nih.gov. The request should include the following:
- The reason for the request
- If all current staff will be included
- A list of staff that will receive mail at the new mail stop
- The building number for the new mail stop
- The primary room number for the new mail stop
- Contact information for the person who will be working with MCSB to transition mail delivery to the new location
Upon receipt of the request, an MCSB representative will contact the requestor within 24 hours. The requestor will be provided with a new mail stop code and will be assigned a cluster box and keys for mail receipt, if applicable.
To close an existing mail stop, the NIH employee(s) directly affected should contact MCSB at mcsbcs@mail.nih.gov as soon as the date the mail stop will not be needed is known. The e-mail should include the following:
- The existing building number
- The existing room number
- The mail stop code number
- Point-of-contact information
- The date that mail is to be stopped
An MCSB representative will contact the sender within 24 hours to arrange mail stop closure, surrender of box keys (if applicable), and receive instructions for future dissemination of mail addressed to the closing mail stop. NIH offices closing mail stops should advise their personnel to immediately notify all correspondents of the new forwarding address.
For more information, please contact DMMS at (301) 496-3586.
