SHIPPING AND MAILROOM

A.  MAILING AND SHIPPING GUIDELINES

     Generally, the process of scheduling and tracking international shipments involves a very limited number of individuals. Requesters will normally only      need to work with the FM Shipping Manager - Qatar who will be your advocate for coordinating all international shipping requests. This individual can be      reached at the following central email account in order to start the process: shipping-cmuq@lists.qatar.cmu.edu

     1.  Carnegie Mellon University Rights and Restrictions

          International Finance reserves the right to refrain from shipping personal items to Qatar based upon excessive size or weight and/or based upon the inappropriateness of package contents. In the event that a package is not shipped, International Finance will notify the employee that their personal package could not be sent. Employees who are to receive packages that violate these mailing and shipping guidelines will also receive a warning letter from the International Finance office to notify them of such violation. If the employee continues to receive inappropriate items and packages for shipment after receiving a warning letter, their rights to receive personal packages in Qatar will potentially be revoked. Also, please remember that UPS and Qatar Customs regulations are ever changing. Therefore, the Prohibited and Restricted items listings below are not all inclusive and should be researched by the employee on a periodic basis. The International Finance staff will also do their best to communicate any changes in shipping regulations and restrictions in a timely fashion; however, it is the responsibility of the sender and recipient to ensure that only appropriate items are being shipped to Qatar.

     2.  Guidelines for Sending Mail and Personal Packages from the U.S. to Employees Located at the CMU-Q Campus

          For purposes of this document, “Mail” is defined as: Business and/or personal letters, documents, publications, etc., and Personal items and gifts such as clothing, electronics, toys, books, etc.

          There is also a brief general process and guideline section within this document which can be referenced by employees who wish to send mail from the Qatar campus to the United States. Mailing address - personal and business items sent from the U.S. to the Qatar Campus Employees have the option to have their US residence mail forwarded to their temporary address in Qatar as long as the proper paperwork has been completed at the US Postal Service (USPS).

          In order for mail to be delivered to Qatar the employee can either:

               a. Go to their local post office and submit a change of address form, or

               b. Complete a USPS change of address form online using the following web address: https://moversguide.usps.com/icoa/icoa-main-flow.do?execution=e1s1

          When completing the change of address form, the employee must identify their new mailing address as follows:  

               First and Last Name (Lines 5a and 5b)

               Carnegie Mellon University – Qatar Office (Line 6)

               5032 Forbes Avenue SMC 1070 (Line 8a)

               Pittsburgh, PA 15289-1070 (Lines 8c, 8d, 8e)

          ^{Note - The 1070 extension as part of the zip code may not fit on the change of address form. If so, please be sure to include the 1070 code in the street address section on Line 8a.}

          The above address will serve as the delivery address for both personal and business shipments.

     3. Waivers and Inspection of Packages

          Employees who expect to receive personal and/or business packages in Qatar must provide the Pittsburgh International Finance Office permission to open all packages for inspection prior to shipping. Please see the attached form which is the University’s required waiver document granting this authority. This document MUST be signed by individuals shipping items to Qatar prior to any of their personal packages being shipped.

          The International Finance staff will maintain the integrity of all packages to the best of their ability; however, the contents of each package will be examined to ensure the contents are within the stated shipping guidelines. Also, please inform senders to refrain from gift-wrapping any items being sent to Qatar since any package that is wrapped or boxed will be opened and examined by our staff as well as by Qatar Customs agents. On a final note, any package that contains any restricted items listed within the table below will not be shipped to Qatar and will either be returned to the sender’s US address (postage due) or held in International Finance until we are able to obtain return instructions from the identified package recipient.

     4. Personal Shipment Allowances

          Each employee will be allotted a maximum personal shipment weight of five pounds per week. If a personal package or shipment exceeds this weekly weight limit the excess weight will be charged against future shipment entitlements (i.e. if a package weighing 20 lbs. is sent to one individual in Qatar, this will be counted as four weeks’ worth of shipments and the individual receiving the shipment will not be entitled to have another personal shipment sent until the 5th week). No individual personal item should exceed 20 pounds. Also, any employee package exceeding 20 lbs., inclusive of packaging materials will be shipped at the employee’s expense.

     5. Business Shipment Allowances

          International Finance will continue to ship all business items relating to university class/research activities as there is currently no weight limit for shipment of these items. However, International Finance cannot accept freight shipments. If shipments of 10 boxes or more are expected, please contact International Finance and the vendor to authorize and coordinate such a delivery.

     6. Insurance Coverage / Risk– Personal and Business Related

          In order to provide adequate insurance coverage on international shipments, all packages should contain a packing slip identifying each item and the related/estimated dollar value. If the packing slip is not provided, one will be requested of the sender/recipient prior to shipping. Additionally, if a packing slip cannot be obtained and the recipient still wants the package shipped, International Finance will not attempt to estimate the value of packaged items and the package contents will not be insured. Therefore, any costs related to damaged or lost items will be the responsibility of the original sender and not the responsibility of the University or International Finance.

     7. Shipping Restriction Guidelines

          All packages ready to ship to Qatar must adhere to the following:

         A.  Prohibited Commodities:  All items offensive to the Muslim culture, insensitive to the Middle East security situation, or designated as restricted by UPS and/or CMU are prohibited from shipment into the country.  These items include: Pork products Religious publications, figures, materials Imitation firearms, paraphernalia and/or military uniforms Weapons: guns, knives, swords, blades, daggers, arrows, ammunition, explosives, etc. Antiques Pets or other animals Gambling devices and/or playing cards Rated R movies and/or pornographic materials Furs Plant products and soils Precious metals, stones or items containing ivory Tobacco and/or alcoholic beverages Cash & currency Expensive jewelry (exceeding $500) Prescription drugs, narcotics or over-the-counter medicine Hazardous or Dangerous Goods (acidic, caustic, combustible communicable, compressed gas, corrosive, explosive, flammable, infectious, inflammable, poison, radioactive, refrigerated, toxic, volatile).      

               Note: The University reserves the right to deny any shipment if questionable. Please feel free to contact International Finance and/or check the UPS Web site for additional shipping information prior to making any purchases that you intend to ship to Qatar or for shipping any other items.

         B.  Restricted Items:  The Qatari government allows for the shipment and import of the following items which may require additional clearances from Customs, The Qatar Foundation or from one of the Qatar Ministries. The CMU International Finance Office is not responsible for any items shipped and subsequently confiscated by Qatar Customs or by one of the Qatar Ministries. As additional screening and clearance processes are performed some items may ultimately be released which may require the recipient to show ID and/or personally report to the Ministry.

                   i. Pet Food (Dog/Cat/etc. Food/Treats/etc.): Please be advised that ALL types of pet food are considered to be restricted import commodities by the Qatar Customs Authority. This restricted import commodity designation requires a special clearance process in order to facilitate country clearance and delivery. It is also possible that the purchaser of this imported product may be required to personally procure a release with the Qatar Ministry of Animal Resources, which is located next to the UPS offices at the Doha Airport. Unlike most other commodities, the shipper is prohibited from obtaining these waivers on your behalf. Therefore, please consider this information prior to ordering and importing pet food into Qatar.  If there is a need to import pet food into Qatar, it is best to arrange for approval from the Ministry of Animal Resources prior to purchase and shipment. The Ministry of Animal Resources will need a product detail sheet, the amount that is planned to be purchased and the final cost in U.S. dollars in order to ascertain that the purpose is for personal use only. Upon approval, they will issue an authorization letter to the buyer that CMU-Q can submit to UPS Qatar for approval authorization prior to the shipment being sent.

                    ii. Energy/Health Drinks and Supplements: Please be advised that Customs and the Ministry of Health have recently begun requiring an extra clearance process for supplements and health-related items, such as 5-Hour Energy Drinks, herbal and dietary supplements. These items may require the receiver to personally procure a release with the Qatar Ministry of Health, which may include presenting proper identification and providing a special letter for clearance. In the event Customs decides to confiscate these items permanently the International Finance Office will not be held responsible for any shipping costs or loss of shipment value. Please consider this information prior to ordering and importing these items. When items of this nature are received at International Finance, prior to shipping we will ask the recipient if they still wish for us to send them to Qatar.

                    iii. Items Subject to Additional Screening: While the below items are not restricted or prohibited, please be aware that due to extra screening measures these items’ arrival at the Qatar campus may be delayed. 1. Audio, video, radio and other communications equipment 2. Computers, compact discs, USB Flash or Memory drives and other Intercompany data on CD-Rom/Disk 3. Films 4. Medical Items 5. Publications

     8. Package Preparation

          When packaging your personal and business belongings for shipment to Qatar, it is essential to adhere to the UPS requirements, which will help to ensure that your package arrives safely and on time. The following items should be considered during the packaging process:

• Use a rigid box with flaps intact; UPS shipping boxes are preferred

• Remove any labels, hazardous materials indicators and other previous shipping markings that are no longer applicable

• Wrap all items separately

• Use adequate cushioning material – Styrofoam peanuts, bubble wrap, etc.

• Use strong tape designed for shipping

• Do not use string or paper overwrap to seal boxes

• Use a single address label that has clear, complete delivery and return information

• Place a duplicate address label inside the package

• Make a complete packing list to include the value of each shipped item The following link to the UPS Web site offers some helpful advice on preparing a package for international shipment: http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/ship/packaging/guidelines.html  

     9. Claims Information

          If you receive any items damaged or broken, it is very important for you to contact FMHotline@qatar.cmu.edu immediately. Please keep the original packaging and packaging materials and know that pictures will need to be taken of the box and damaged item(s) since claims cannot be approved and submitted for reimbursement without these materials. Please refer to the “Filing a Claim with UPS For Pittsburgh-based Shipments to Qatar” for more information.

     10. Qatar-based Shipments to the U.S. Pittsburgh Campus – Business and Personal

          A mail bin has been set up at the Qatar Campus Receptionist desk for all outgoing personal and business mail requiring shipment to the United States. All outgoing mail should be placed in this bin no later than 12 noon on Sundays and Wednesdays in order to be included with the standard FedEx pick up by 2:00pm Qatar local time on these same days. The FedEx package will then be sent to the International Finance office in Pittsburgh every Sunday and Wednesday. All U.S. Postal Mail must have the appropriate postage in order to be circulated into the University’s outgoing mail. U.S. stamps for business related mail can be obtained in the Qatar campus Business Manager’s office which includes a U.S. postal scale for calculation of exact postage requirements. University Mail, once received, will be circulated using normal inter-office mailing procedures. Any personal mail with the proper U.S. stamps, once received, will be taken to the main post office.  

          The CMU-Q campus has a special business rate that can be used for any personal FedEx needs. FedEx also has a convenient office located at TAMUQ which is open from 9:00am to 5:00pm Sunday through Friday Qatar local time.

          To arrange for any personal shipments, contact FedEx directly at 6605-6818 / 44230095 OR e-mail FedEx at:

               rami.zeitawi@falcongroup.bz                                    john.clarence@falcongroup.bz

               Rami .W. Zeitawi                                                     John Clarence

               Sales Executive                                                      Customer Service Agent

               Falcon Express Inc.                                                Falcon Express Qatar

               Licensee of Federal Express Corporation                   Licensee of Federal Express Corporation

                P.O. Box: 4803                                                      P.O. Box: 4803

               Doha – Qatar                                                          Doha - Qatar

               Tel:+974 55218283                                                  Mob: +974-66056818

          FedEx requires the following information in order to ship any package(s):

               a. Local address from sender/shipper

               b. Recipient name and full address,

               c. Recipient street number or name,

               d. Recipient country, county, postal code/zip code, and

               e. Recipient telephone/mobile number (with area code)

     11. Contact information

          Please contact the following individuals with any questions regarding mailing and shipping:

                    Sara Bailey                                                               Otto R. Chacon

                    International Finance – Qatar (Pgh)                           Qatar Finance (Qatar)

                    baileys@andrew.cmu.edu                                        ottoc@qatar.cmu.edu     

                    Phone: 412-268-6641                                                Phone: +974 4454 8483

          On a final note, your satisfaction with the mailing and shipping processes outlined above is the University’s primary concern when coordinating your international shipping needs. Therefore, if you have any questions or comments as a result of this process, please do not hesitate to contact the Facilities Director, Ray Corcoran, at telephone numbers 4454 8484 or rayc@qatar.cmu.edu for additional assistance.

B. INBOUND MAIL DISTRIBUTION PROCEDURE  

1. Purpose

To provide a central mail distribution facility that can process large amounts of mail even in a limited amount of time and to provide an internal correspondence system that effectively moves interdepartmental envelopes from one location to another.

2. Overview

The volume of inbound mails received by Carnegie Mellon Qatar has tremendously increased in number since the move of Carnegie Mellon Qatar community to a larger facility and with the growth also of the population of Carnegie Mellon work force. With this, the distribution of mails has required more than the usual effort and time frame before it could reach the recipient. Given the circumstance, the Facilities Management has come up with a Distribution Procedure that will improve the effectiveness of the mail delivery and to meet the general logistics needs of its rapidly expanding stature and environment.

3. Distribution Procedure for Inbound Mails

   A. Types of Incoming Mails

                    i.   Qatar Post Mail:  These are mails from Qatar Post Office. These are collected daily by the CMUQ driver and shall be forwarded the same to CMUQ Mailroom Office to be sorted by the mailroom assistant.

                    ii.  Campus Mail:  These are mails from Carnegie Mellon Pittsburgh Campus. These will arrive every twice or trice a week shipped by their exclusive courier company via UPS.

                    iii.  General Courier:  These are mails from various courier companies addressed to any CMUQ employee. There is no definite schedule of its arrival but the delivery to its recipient will follow the central mail delivery schedule.

   B. Receiving Point

                    i.  All inbound shipments will proceed to the Shipping Station at Room 031 near the CMUQ Loading Bay.

                    ii. Verification will be conducted by the CMUQ Mailroom Assistant.

                    iii. Verification process will cover the checking of the Airway Bill (AWB) details such as sender’s name, recipient’s name and item quantity (in number of boxes or pouches). 2.4

                    iv. Once verification is completed, the mailroom assistant will receive the shipment.

                    v. A copy of an AWB will be produced by the mailroom assistant where the recipient will acknowledge receipt of the item/s once received.

   C. Types of Mail Releasing

                    i. Individual Collection:  The addressee has an option to collect his/her mail/s directly from the mail room located at Room 1214.  The mailroom assistant will always be available at the mail room except for timings during mail delivery (as indicated at Delivery Schedule under 5.2) or during office supplies releasing (schedule to follow).

                    ii. Central Mail Distribution:  All mails will be grouped and will be delivered directly to the addressee as per the identified distribution route and schedule.

   D. Sorting and Distribution of Central Mail

                    i.  Campus Mail & Q-Post Mail:  All shipments coming from the Qatar Post, Campus Mail and General Courier will be included in the central mail delivery, unless specified for collection.  During the preparation of the central mail for distribution, the Mailroom Office will sort the mails according to the designated route.  During the distribution, an assigned security officer will accompany the Mailroom Assistants in order to give entry to offices which are closed at the time of the delivery.  The mail/s will be placed at the wall mounted ‘Mail Box’ in each office.  Distribution will take place as per schedule.

                    ii.  Recorded Mails / Registered Mails:  Any registered mails and parcels will also be delivered directly to the recipient together with the central mail. The recipient will have to acknowledge receipt by affixing his/her name, signature and date received at the copy of the AWB. Only for the registered mails, when the addressee is not available, the assigned Administrative Assistant will be asked to receive the shipment.

   E. Schedule of Delivery

                    Delivery of inbound shipments will take place once daily from Sunday to Thursday. Delivery will start at 2:00 o’clock in the afternoon of each business day. All shipments received after the scheduled round shall be delivered at the next business day’s schedule round.

   F.  Delivery Route

                              1st : Basement

                              2nd : Ground South Hall (curve)

                              3rd : Ground North Hall

                              4th : 1st Floor North Hall

                              5th : 1st Floor South Hall (curve)

   G.  Notification

                    Any CMUQ employee who intends to collect his/her mails and doesn’t want to avail of the central mail distribution service shall send notification via e-mail to FMHotline@qatar.cmu.edu. Any change in delivery schedule will be officially communicated by the Facilities Operations Administrator to the CMUQ Info.

C. Interdepartmental Mail Delivery

1. Definition

Interdepartmental mail delivery means the sending of any item or documents from one department to another within the campus of Carnegie Mellon University Qatar.

2. Eligible User

Any Carnegie Mellon University employee (staff, faculty & visiting faculty) are eligible to avail of the interdepartmental mail service. CMUQ students are not eligible to use this service.

3. Requirement

In order to access the interdepartmental mail service, one must acquire of the campus interdepartmental envelope from the office supplies’ office. Each envelope has space available to provide a complete name of the person that you are addressing the envelope to and space for department. Some interdepartmental mail envelopes also have the space for the sender’s information.

4. Unallowable Items

The following items are not allowed inside the interdepartmental envelope:

• Money

• Jewelry

• Passport

• Anything of high value

5. Distribution

Completed and sealed interdepartmental mail ready for sending out will be placed at the “Out Box” of sender’s office. The assigned service attendant in a certain area will collect the envelope and forward to the addressee provided at an indefinite time of the day. Upon giving the interdepartmental mail to the receiver, no receipt is required.