Move Update Training Understanding Current MERLIN Process vs

Move Update Training Understanding Current MERLIN Process vs Census Method Process

Agenda • • • Move Update Overview Move Update Requirements Move Update Methods Move Update 99% Accuracy and Legal Restraint Move Update Exceptions Current MERLIN Sampling Address Quality Census Measurement Move Update Status Questions

Move Update Overview Nearly 40+ million people change their address each year By keeping mailing address lists current mailers can… • Continue to reach their customers after they move • Significantly reduce the loss of time, effort and money due to undeliverable mail Source: Melissa. Data. com 3

Move Update Overview Move Update Standard Used to reduce number of mailpieces that require forwarding or return by periodically match mailer's address records with COA orders maintained by USPS

Move Update Requirements • First-Class Mail presorted or automation prices • First-Class Package Service presorted parcel prices • Parcel Select® Lightweight Prices • All USPS Marketing Mailers who present mixed mailings that pertain to at least one of these categories are still subjected to the Move Update standard Mailers must reconcile their mailing address list within 95 days prior to the postage statement finalization date with one of the Postal Service-approved methods or a surcharge is assessed

Move Update Methods To meet the Move Update standard, mailers must use at least one of the USPS approved methods NCOALink National Change of Address Link PRE MAILING: updating mailing address list before you mail NCOALink MPE National Change of Address Link Mail Processing Equipment Uses Mail Processing Equipment (MPE) technologies to match the printed address from a mailpiece against the NCOA Database ASE Allows mailers to receive COA information via hardcopy notice provided by USPS Mailer must print an endorsement on a mailpiece ACS Allows mailers to receive COA information and other reasons for non-delivery electronically Ancillary Service Endorsements POST MAILING: updating mailing address list after you mail Verifies a mailer submitted mailing address list against the USPS NCOA database Address Change Service

NCOALink • USPS approved pre-mailing address correction service that verifies a mailer submitted mailing address list against the USPS NCOA database Before NCOALink After NCOALink

NCOALink MPE • Subset of NCOALink that uses Mail Processing Equipment technologies to match the printed address from a mailpiece against the NCOA Database Before NCOALink MPE Sprays new barcode onto the physical mailpiece After NCOALink MPE

Ancillary Service Endorsement (ASE) • Post-mailing service that allows mailers to receive COA information via hardcopy notice provided by USPS • Mailer must print an endorsement on a mailpiece Mailpiece disposition depends on the following endorsement options: 1) Address Service Requested 2) Return Service Requested 3) Change Service Requested • For First Class Mail, this endorsement cannot be used as a stand-alone method to comply with Move Update 4) Temp-Return Service Requested • For Standard Mail, this endorsement is not available

Address Correction Service (ACS) • Post-mailing address correction service that allows mailers to receive COA information and other reasons for non-delivery electronically Four service options: 1) 2) 3) 4) Traditional One. Code Full-Service** Intelligent Mail Package Barcode (IMpb) **FREE Service for Full-Service Mailers

Move Update 99% Accuracy and Legal Restraint 99% Accuracy Available to mailers who can demonstrate they have a highly effective method of keeping their addresses current **Note: Mailers must obtain an approval letter from the NCSC to be eligible for an alternative method Legal Restraint When a legal restriction prevents mailers from updating their customer’s address without direct contact from the customer, they can be authorized to use the Legal Restraint Method Two alternatives for meeting the USPS move update standard 11

Move Update Exceptions Two exceptions to Move Update methods Mailpieces that use an alternative address format, which have the recipient listed as: EXCEPTION 1 Simplified addresses “Postal Customer”, “Residential Customer”, “Business Customer” Occupant Addresses “Occupant”, “Householder”, “Resident” Mailers may directly acquire current addresses from their customers EXCEPTION 2 Example Address Jane Doe 2711 ORDWAY ST NW APT 204 WASHINGTON DC 20008 -5036 Exceptional Addresses “Jane Doe or Current Resident”, “Jane Doe or Current Occupant”

Move Update Validation: Current MERLIN Process • Move Update validations are performed based on a sampling at the job level on Mail Evaluation Readability Lookup Instrument (MERLIN) • Mailers are assessed additional postage on pieces not meeting the Move Update requirements above threshold ASSESSMENT PROCESS Step 1: Mailpieces are randomly sampled. Step 2: Sampled mailpieces go through Merlin Machine. Step 3: Merlin assess address list quality with the sampled mailpieces against COA records. NCOA Database Step 4: Merlin generates report based on assessment.

Move Update Validation: Census Process Address Quality Census Measurement and Assessment Process (Census Process) • Assess errors as mail is processed through the mail stream by using data collected from Mail Processing Equipment • Would replace traditional MERLIN Move Update methods for mailers submitting Full-Service volume Census Process and Assessment Process • Move to census-based verification • Results shown in Mailer Scorecard • Applies to ANY e. Doc Submitter w/ FS volume the month after first mailing full-service • Free ACS for basic automation/Non-automation (95% FS volume) PRC Approved! Updated process for monitoring FS volume • Quarterly monitoring of FS volume for mailers receiving free ACS on basic pieces • If FS volume drops < 95% for a given quarter, mailer will be removed from free basic/nonautomation ACS in next billing cycle • Mailer will be reenrolled if 95% threshold is met in subsequent month

Move Update Validation: Census Assessment Process Step 1: Mailpieces go through Mail Processing equipment (MPE) Step 2: MPE scans the address info on a mailpiece and compares against COA records NCOA Database Step 3: Move Update compliance metric is available on Mailer Scorecard

Move Update Census Process: Mailer Scorecard • Mailer Scorecard contains Move Update compliance metric, which the tolerance is currently set to be 0. 5% • Typically, mailers who do not use an USPS approved Move Update method will encounter this error • USPS will begin using the Census Method to assess a charge of $0. 08 per mailpiece in error beyond the 0. 5% threshold starting March 2018 using February 2018 data.

Move Update Census Process: Mailer Scorecard 1. Click on Mailer Name or Mailer CRID 2. Click Move/Update Errors radio button 3. Click on Run Report

Move Update Census Process: Mailer Scorecard 4. Click on Error Type or Error Code link for Job Level Details 5. Click on Error Type or Error Code link to get to Piece Level Detail

Move Update Census Process: Mailer Scorecard 6. Detailed Piece Level Error details populate 7. Error Description/Error Data/ and Resolution Action appear to assist in diagnosing and correcting errors.

Move Update Status • Move Update Census Method – MERLIN verifications no longer performed once Census Method is implemented • Move Update Metric on the Mailer Scorecard – Information Only (Currently) – Ready for Mailers to use and evaluate their Move Update process

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