January Postal Update

Move Update

One of the big changes for January was the implementation of the Move Update assessment charge of $0.07 per piece that went into effect January 4, 2010. This charge is applied to mailings that fail the Performance-Based Verification for Move Update. Any presorted mailings (First-Class or Standard, including Nonprofits) are required to process their list via an approved Move Update method or use exceptional addressing (ie: “or Current Resident” below a name in the address block). Any mailings found noncompliant will receive a $0.07 per piece charge to all pieces in the mailing. The Move Update compliance went into effect in November 2008 but the noncompliance charge was delayed until this January to give mailers a chance to get accustomed to the new requirement.

DMM Update

The Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) is available on the USPS RIBBS website. For any questions about mail qualifications, standards, Move Update, Intelligent Mail barcodes and more can be found on this site. One of the recent updates concerned stamped mail weighing over 13 ounces. Express Mail weighing more than 13 ounces bearing only postage stamps as postage may not be deposited into a collection box, Postal Service lobby drop, Automated Postal Center (APC) drop, Postal Service dock, customer mailbox, or other unattended location. These mailpieces are also precluded from pickup service. The sender must present such items to a retail service counter in a Postal Service facility. A new update to the RIBBS site is you can now subscribe to certain pages on the site and an email will be sent to you when that page is updated. You can also do word/phrase searches on the site which was never available before!

USPS Mobile^TM App

Do you use an iPhone or iPod Touch? Ever wish you knew where the closest post office was? Well, there’s an app for that! Just do a search for “USPS” and you’ll see the free USPS Mobile app available for download. It can help you find the closest post office, you’ll be able to look up contact information for a post office as well as track Express Mail packages!

NCOA Processing Acknowledgement Form (PAF)

One of the methods for meeting the USPS Move Update Requirements is processing your list through NCOALink. NCOA compares your database to the National Change of Address database that is maintained by the US Postal Service.

The NCOA database is made up of people requesting the USPS forward their mail (either permanently or temporarily) by filling out a change of address card as well as people who have moved and left no forwarding address (these records are added to the USPS file by other means, such as carrier reporting). In order to have your mailing list compared to the USPS database, an NCOALink Processing Acknowledgement Form (PAF) must be completed and returned first. The collection of information on the PAF is required by the Privacy Act of 1974. The document is valid for one year.

NCOA PAF Components

List Owner
The first section on the PAF is for the List Owner to complete. A List Owner is defined as a person/company for whom processing will be done, usually the owner of the mail created from this list and is the beneficiary of the NCOALink processing. This means, if your customer owns the list/mail piece, then it is their contact information that needs to be filled out (not a marketing agency, printer or other third-party). The required fields in the first section are:

• Company name (there is also a field for “Parent Company” and “Marketing/DBA” if needed)
• Address
• Telephone Number
• NAICS Code (This is a government assigned number for the type of business a company is in – you can look up your NAICS code by keyword on the US Census Bureau website.)
• Email Address
• Contact Name
• Contact Title
• Signature and Date signed

Licensee
An NCOA Licensee is the company licensed by the USPS to process the NCOA service. Many NCOA Licensees are software companies as the investment in software for processing and licensing from the USPS can be very expensive ($25,000 to $175,000.00 per year).

Broker/Agent or List Administrator
The last section on the PAF is for the Broker/Agent or List Administrator. This is typically the mailing house that is handling the NCOA processing for the List Owner (in section one).

For more information on PAF requirements and rules, the USPS has provided a PAF guide which can be downloaded from their website (PDF format).

If The Mailing Department will be processing your (or your client’s) lists, please download a blank PAF from our website and submit the completed document to us via email (scanned PDF) or via fax (847-776-9033). We offer two versions of our PAF – one with the Broker/Agent information blank and one with it complete with our information. We also have an information packet, provided by our Licensee vendor, which explains more about the NCOA process.

• NCOA PAF – Blank (PDF)
• NCOA PAF - TMD as Broker/Agent (PDF)
• NCOA InfoPacket (PDF)

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about completing the NCOA PAF document. In a future blog we will explain more about how NCOA works and what type of results you can expect. If you have questions, feel free to contact us at data@themailingdepartment.com.

NCOA – Things to consider

I’m sure you’ve all heard it before: NCOA is a GOOD thing. It gives you valuable feedback on the quality of your list. It helps to eliminate UAA mail (Undeliverable As Addressed). It allows you to update and remove records…saving you money (on printing and postage). However, it never ceases to amaze me when some customers get upset that we are updating their database with more accurate records.

When comparing your database to the National Change of Address file, records will be deleted that do not have a forwarding address. These are those same records that, if sent First-Class or have an ancillary endorsement, will come back to you with that big yellow sticker on them. The one that says “Forwarding Order Expired”.

NCOA will also update the address to a new one (if there is one on file). Without NCOA, those are the pieces that come back with a big yellow sticker with a new address. So why pay for the postage for pieces that will come back – using NCOA means you can update your list BEFORE you send out the mail (and we don’t charge extra for it either!).

Some customers are reluctant to have their database updated because they are positive that they have the most up-to-date correct data. For them, we just remove any record that has a change and return the list to them so they can be mailed out full rate (or whatever the customer wants to do with them).

If you (or your customer) is reluctant to have records updated, consider these three reasons why a record might be updated and needs attention (note: this doesn’t mean NCOA has the correct data, but it’s a reason why updating is a useful tool for data hygiene):

• A temporary change was filed and the form was filled out incorrectly – this would result in all of your customer’s mail being forwarded!
• Someone else in the home made a move request and has a similar name – this may also result in the wrong mail being forwarded!
• Identity theft – someone else claiming to be the homeowner made a change request.

So even if the NCOA data is not correct – it’s important to look at those removed/updated records and ensure your data is clean. If you do find an error in the NCOA file, then the address owner needs to make this correction. To correct NCOA errors, an addressee should call, email or write to USPS Address Management Services (I recommend a phone call!):

Phone: (800) 238-3150
   between 7:00 am and 5:00 pm CT

Email: incsc@email.usps.gov

Address:
PRODUCT AND SERVICE INFORMATION
NATIONAL CUSTOMER SUPPORT CENTER
UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
6060 PRIMACY PKWY STE 101
MEMPHIS TN 38188-0001

Preventing Undeliverable Mail

In fiscal year 2004, the Postal Service handled 9.7 billion pieces of undeliverable-as-addressed (UAA) mail at a cost of $1.85 billion. The Postal Service and direct mailers have been working together to reduce the number of UAA mail to save cost all around. Less UAA means less work for the post office and less postage for mailers.

Effective Nov. 23, 2008, the Postal Service is increasing its effort to improve the percentage of deliverable mail by revising the Move Update standards. The Move Update standards provide ways for mailers to reduce the number of mailpieces that require forwarding or return by the periodic matching of a mailer’s address records with customer-filed change-of-address orders. The final rule published Sept. 23, 2007, included the following changes related to Move Update processing:

• Increase the minimum frequency of Move Update processing from 185 calendar days to 95 days prior to the date of mailing.
• Extend the revised Move Update standards to include all Standard Mail (letters, flats, parcels and Not Flat-Machinables), as well as automation-rate and presort-rate First-Class Mail.

There are currently four approved methods for meeting Move Update requirements: Address Change Service (ACS), National Change of Address Linkage System (NCOALink), FASTforward, and ancillary service endorsements except for Forwarding Service Requested. Alternative methods that require separate approval also are offered for First-Class Mail mailings. Mailers must use one of the preapproved or alternative methods to meet the Move Update standard.

ACS

Address Change Service (ACS) is an electronic enhancement to traditional, manual methods of providing change-of-address (COA) information to mailers. There are individual electronic fees for this process. This service is post-mailing and needs to be used in advance of mailings wishing to meet Move Update requirements.

NCOALink

National Change of Address Linkage System (NCOALink) is an address correction service provided to mailers through companies licensed by the Postal Service. This service is performed on an entire mailing list prior to sending out a mailing. A Processing Acknowledgement Form (PAF) is required to be completed by the mailing list owner prior to the service being provided.

FASTforward System

The FASTforward system consists of a Postal Service-owned and user-licensed computer system containing FASTforward name-and address-matching software and a change-of-address database. The FASTforward database is updated weekly.

Ancillary Service Endorsements

Any mailer may use one of the four ancillary service endorsements listed on the USPS Move Update website to request a printed notification of the addressee’s new address and provide the Postal Service with instruction on how to handle undeliverable-as-addressed mail. The most commonly used endorsement is Return Service Requested. When used with First-Class Mail the mailpiece is returned with the new address information affixed. No forwarding service is provided. This service is provided with First-Class Mail at no charge. The mailer then updates the address information in the file and may mail a new piece to the new address.

For an address to meet the Move Update requirement using ancillary endorsements, the mailer must send at least one letter or card to the address with an approved ancillary service endorsement within 185 days before reuse of the address in a First-Class discounted mailing. To complete the Move Update process, the mailer must make the address changes received as a result of the use of the approved ancillary service endorsement. It is recommended that mailers retain address correction records for up to two years.

Keep in mind, to complete the Move Update process, mailers who rely on ACS or on-piece ancillary service endorsements without ACS, must incorporate the address changes received prior to subsequent mailings. Also, if an address used on a mailpiece in a mailing at one class of mail is updated with an approved method, the same address may be used during the following 95 days in another mailing as well as another class of mail, and meets the Move Update standard.

Mailpieces using an alternative addressing format such as “John Doe or Current Resident,” “Occupant” or “Postal Customer,” are not subject to the Move Update standards. Alternative address formats, however, may not be used on mailpieces with any extra service, such as Delivery Confirmation, with any ancillary service endorsement, or mail addressed to an overseas military post office.

For more information, please visit the Move Update information on the USPS website or contact your TMD representative.

USPS Website information: http://pe.usps.com/cpim/ftp/manuals/qsg300/q230a.pdf