[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 127 (Friday, July 1, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43293-43294]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-15648]
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POSTAL SERVICE
Clarification of the Move Update Standard
AGENCY: Postal ServiceTM.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice provides information to clarify Move Update
standards and to assist mailers in their compliance with those
standards.
DATES: Effective: July 1, 2016.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Direct questions or comments to
Charles B. Hunt by email at [email protected] or phone (901) 681-
4651.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Postal Service (USPS[supreg])
receives recurring inquiries from the mailing industry relative to the
standards for Move Update services. This notice is intended to clarify
Move Update requirements in relation to discount mail preparation
prices for all commercial mailers, including those authorized as 99
Percent Accurate and Legal Restraint customers.
Later in this document, inquiries from mailers and USPS responses
are outlined to further clarify this notice.
Overview
Nearly 40 million people (or about 12 percent of the U.S.
population) change their addresses each year. To minimize undeliverable
and discarded mail, it is essential that mailing address lists are kept
up-to-date. USPS Move Update services are designed for this purpose.
Move Update allows mailers to keep their mailing addresses current
and reach their customers after they have moved, which ultimately leads
to customer retention. Move Update is also critically important for
Postal Service operational purposes, because massive amounts of
undeliverable and discarded mail put a strain on the Postal Service,
which translates to needless expenses and inefficiencies. In sum, Move
Update is designed to reduce waste and associated expenses by improving
the quality of mail address lists, which benefits both mailers and the
Postal Service.
The Move Update standard applies to commercial mailings of
presorted and automation First-Class Mail[supreg], presorted First-
Class Package Service[supreg], Parcel Select Lightweight, and all
Standard Mail[supreg] pieces. Mailers who present mixed mailings that
pertain to at least one of the above mentioned categories are subject
to the Move Update standard.
The Move Update standard requires mailers periodically to match
their address records with the customer-filed, change-of-address (COA)
orders maintained by the Postal Service. Mailers are required to
reconcile their mailing address lists within 95 days of the postage
statement finalization date or a surcharge will be assessed.
Move Update Methods
The Postal Service advises mailers to verify their mailing address
lists at least every three months using one of the following USPS-
approved Move Update methods:
[ssquf] National Change-of-Address Link
(NCOALink [supreg]).
[ssquf] National Change-of-Address Link Mail Processing Equipment
(NCOALink MPE).
[ssquf] Ancillary Service Endorsement (ASE).
[ssquf] Address Change Service (ACSTM).
Alternative Move Update Methods
Alternative Move Update methods include the 99 Percent Accurate
Method (also known as Mailer Move Update Process Certification) and
Legal Restraint Method. These two methods apply to First-Class Mail and
First-Class Package Service only. A mailer's use of either method
requires authorization from the National Customer Support Center
(NCSC).
99 Percent Accurate Method
Mailers who can demonstrate that their internal list management
maintains address quality at 99 percent or greater accuracy for COA may
be authorized to comply with the Move Update standard through the 99
Percent Accurate Method.
The 99 Percent Accurate test is a computer-based process that
performs Postal Service ZIP + 4[supreg] coding and COA processing
utilizing the customer's file as input. The 99 Percent Accurate test is
accomplished by submitting the mailer's address file(s) to the Postal
Service for processing.
The purpose of the 99 Percent Accurate test is to determine whether
1 percent or less of the addresses on the mailer's list has a COA on
file, and to identify addresses that do not have ZIP + 4 Codes.
Mailers who wish to use the 99 Percent Accurate Method to comply
with the Move Update standard must submit an application for approval
and adhere to the validation process outlined in the Guide to Move
Update. The verification process takes approximately 7 to 10 business
days.
Legal Restraint Method
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 to comply with the Move
Update standard. To obtain authorization, the mailer must show that a
particular law prohibits the mailer from using a primary method to meet
the Move Update standard.
To use the Legal Restraint method, mailers must follow the
following four-step process:
[ssquf] First, receive Postal Service COA information using one of
the pre-approved methods within 95 days prior to the mailing.
[ssquf] Second, for each address identified as having a COA, adhere
as follows: Contact the addressee within 30 days after receiving the
COA information; request confirmation of the move in a format that will
satisfy your legal requirements; and choose the format with which to
receive confirmation from the addressee--written, telephoned, or
electronic.
[ssquf] Third, incorporate all COA confirmations received in
response to the second step into your system within 30 days of
receiving confirmation from the customer. If any recipients indicate
that the COA information is not to be used, the mailer should instruct
them to
[[Page 43294]]
contact their local post master to correct the COA information that has
been filed with the Postal Service. The mailer may use the current
address for 95 days from the date of address confirmation with the
recipient.
[ssquf] Finally, keep documentation of the process described above
for one year, including dates on which each step was performed, number
of COA orders identified, number of confirmation requests, and evidence
that demonstrates that updates have been incorporated into your system.
Provide documentation to the Postal Service upon request. Be sure to
keep records of all situations where the recipient indicated not to use
the new address as not using the new address may affect your Move
Update verification score during mail acceptance. Move Update
processing must be done 95 days prior to mailing. Should there be any
need to change the procedures outlined in your description, you are
required to inform NCSC prior to making the change to retain
authorization for the Legal Restraint method.
Mailers who are authorized for the Legal Restraint method must use
an exclusive Mailer Identification (MID) or multiple exclusive MIDs for
Legal Restraint mailings. This allows the Postal Service to properly
identify these types of mailings and, where appropriate, exclude the
mailings from the normal Seamless Acceptance Move Update compliance
review. The mailer cannot use these MIDs for other types of mailings
that do not fall under the Legal Restraint authorization. The USPS has
already worked with the Legal Restraint mailers to identify these MIDs.
All current Legal Restraint authorized mailers will be allowed a
one-year transition period to begin use of the exclusive MIDs. The one-
year transition period is calculated starting from the date of their
next annual Legal Restraint renewal, which is authorized by the Postal
Service.
Existing Legal Restraint mailers who are able to implement the
exclusive MIDs are encouraged to do so prior to the end of the one-year
transition period. Any mailer seeking a new authorization for the Legal
Restraint method will be required to use the exclusive MIDs upon
approval.
Authorization for Legal Restraint
To acquire authorization to use the Legal Restraint method, the
mailer must adhere to the following requirements:
[ssquf] Request authorization in writing.
[ssquf] Identify by citation the specific legal restriction.
[ssquf] Include copies of the statutes or regulations that prohibit
the immediate use of COA information from a primary method of Move
Update compliance.
[ssquf] Provide a flowchart and/or process description of the Move
Update method currently being used and the related confirmation
process.
[ssquf] This requirement applies to federal, state, and local
government mailers.
[ssquf] Submit the request to the following USPS location: NCSC,
225 N Humphreys Blvd., Suite 501, Memphis, TN 38188-1001
Mailer Inquiries
Listed below are responses to some of the more common commercial
mailer inquiries derived from ongoing Move Update dialogue.
Mailer Inquiry
Are mailpieces eligible for discounted mail preparation prices when
the addresses are classified by the Postal Service as follows?
[ssquf] Moved, Left No Forwarding Address (MLNA)
[ssquf] P.O. Box Closed, No Forwarding Order (BCNO)
[ssquf] Foreign (new address is foreign)
USPS Response
Mailpieces bearing addresses that are classified by the Postal
Service as MLNA, BCNO, or Foreign are exempt from the Move Update
requirement. Therefore, these pieces are eligible for discounted mail
preparation prices.
Mailer Inquiry
Are pieces where NCOA\Link\ returned a FN (footnote) 5, 14, or 19
(indicating a known move, but not providing the new address) eligible
for discounted mail preparation rates?
USPS Response
When a mailer uses NCOA\Link\ as the Move Update method, there are
situations when an input address may receive a Return Code of 5, 14, or
19, which indicates a COA was found. However, a new address could not
be provided due to one of the following reasons for new address:
[ssquf] Ambiguous information
[ssquf] Unconfirmed primary number
[ssquf] No ZIP+4 Code
[ssquf] Only temporary COA filed
[ssquf] Run-time issues
In such cases, using the original input address for the mailing
would satisfy the Move Update requirement towards qualification for
discounted mail preparation prices.
Mailer Inquiry
Are mailpieces for which ACS returned a new address that fails
Delivery Point Validation (DPV) and the mailer uses the original
address, eligible for discounted mail preparation prices?
USPS Response
There are situations where the ACS method will provide a
notification of a new address for the intended recipient that is not
DPV. To satisfy the Move Update standard, all new addresses returned by
the ACS method must be used to update the addresses used on future
mailings. Electing to utilize the original address for the mailing,
means the Move Update standard is not satisfied and the piece is
ineligible for discounted mail preparation prices.
Mailer Inquiry
Are mailpieces eligible for discounted mail preparation prices when
addresses include COA information that is more than 18 months old?
USPS Response
Each address used on mailpieces must be updated via an approved
Move Update method within 95 days prior to the mailing date, as
follows:
[ssquf] If the COA is older than 95 days, it is expected that the
new address has been updated to the mailer's system for use on future
mailings.
[ssquf] If the Move Update method that was used did not provide a
match and new address because the COA data was not available, the
mailer is considered to have satisfied the Move Update standard
assuming that the mailer had properly performed the Move Update
processing in a timeframe and configuration compliant with USPS-
approved methods.
[ssquf] If the mailer obtained a new address before the COA was
more than 18 months old and failed to update the address, the old
address would not be compliant with the Move Update standard just
because the COA had become more than 18 months old.
We will update the online version of the Guide to Move Update on
RIBBS at https://ribbs.usps.gov/index.cfm? page=moveupdate to reflect
all changes.
Stanley F. Mires,
Attorney, Federal Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2016-15648 Filed 6-30-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P