–      Document with sample code available to facilitate end-user
                 automation of download processes

• New user accounts and passwords required when moving to EPF system       

• Moving to EPF

        –      NCOA^Link Daily Delete – Complete (access form returned)

        –      ACS / FASTforward Move Update Notification (FFMUN)

Option available to customer to request CDROM fulfillment
Migration to EPF in-process – beta testing underway
EPF process standardized / available to all customers by May 6^th

        –      Address Element Correction

Customers sending/receiving data via email using password protection as temporary solution
Download function thru EPF to be provided by May 31^st
Upload function to be migrated to new system using https by September 1st

        –      Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS), Presort Accuracy
                Verification Evaluation (PAVE)

CDROM/DVD fulfillment media being used as short-term solution
Download function thru EPF to be provided by May 31^st
Upload function to be migrated to new system using https by September 1st

The answer is set our in the fourth paragraph in Section 3.8 of the USPS’s “A Guide to Intelligent Mail for Letters and Flats” which reads as follow: 

“When a mail owner has provided a small amount of mail, the MLOCR mailer has the option to combine that mail with mail from other low volume mail owners and will not be required to identify the mail owners associated to those mailpieces. The MLOCR mailer is allowed to combine mail from customers who individually provide less daily volume than 1% of the total average daily volume processed at the MLOCR mailer’s facility or 3,000 pieces (whichever is less). If the MLOCR mailer chooses to combine multiple customers using their [sic "its"] own MID, they [sic "it"--the MLOCR mailer] will be responsible for the address quality of those pieces. (Emphasis and bracketed material added)”

The added emphasis is on the word “individually.”  There is no limit on how many different customers have mail in your “jackpot.”  The only two limits are: (1) no individual customer may provide more than 3,000 pieces and (2) no one custoemrs with mail in your jackpot may provide more than 1% of your total average daily volume of mail procesed at that facility.  If 101 customers each gave you 2,999 pieces of mail and your average total daily volume was 300,000 or more pieces of mail, you could have a mailing consisting of  302,899 pieces of mail that was one giant jackpot.  No one customer would have provided more than 3,000 pieces of mail and no one customer would have provided more than 1% of your total average daily volume.

Why you would create such a mailing, I don’t know; but you could do so without violating the limit on jackpotting mail from multiple customers.  Remember you are responsible for Move Update compliance with regard to jackpotted mail.

The first meeting of the subgroup is tentatively scheduled for Monday April 25, 2011 at 11:00 am Central Time. That’s next Monday.

If you would like to participate in the subgroup, and I strongly recommend that you do, please contact me or Garrett Hoyt of the United States Postal Service.  Garrett’s e-mail address is: garrett.m.hoyt@usps.gov.

Electronic Induction (“eInduction”) is the door to seamless acceptance.  To get in on seamless acceptance you will have to do eInduction.  It appears that, at least initially, participation in seamless acceptance will be voluntary, but I doubt it will remain “voluntary” forever.  So, you must speak now or, in all probability, forever (or nearly forever) hold your peace.

The work group’s a target completion date is May 31, 2012.

The issue Statement is: 

This work group will identify process changes, feedback and reports necessary to achieve a seamless entry and automated verification approach for letters, flats and parcels. 

Impact on Other Issues/Procedures

This new initiative will affect and require changes to current business processes. Some of the impacted organizations or functional areas are identified as, but not limited to:

1. MPTQM – current standards and processes outlined in the MPTQM program.
2. Business Mail Acceptance – current acceptance and verification process
3. Mailing Standards and Preparation – current regulation assessment and development of new requirements
4. USPS Mail Processing Operations – current preparation to processing assessment, business process integrity, data collection/management, and exception reporting
5. Mail Service Providers & Mail Owners – acceptance evaluation of mail preparation, additional data requirements for mail makeup support information, and postage adjustment processes.
6. Pricing – current mail preparation standards and pricing.

Desired Results: 

The work group will focus on the following:

1. Establish the process changes necessary to achieve a streamlined entry and automated verification approach leveraging the advances made through Intelligent Mail and Full Service.
2. Define the information and reports necessary to provide mailers and the Postal Service with actionable information.
3. Define value proposition and approach to promote the adoption of seamless acceptance.

 If you have an interest in participating in this WG please contact Industry WG Co-Leaders Bob Rosser or Erv Drewek or USPS WG Co-Leaders Garrett Hoyt or Marty McGuire.  Their contact information is as follows: 

Industry:

     Bob Rosser  - tel. #:  562-382-4725  and email:   bob.rosser@iwco.com

    Erv Drewek  - tel. #.  507-837-4772  and email:   erv.drewek@bpc.com

USPS:
   Garrett Hoyt – tel. #: 414-287-2209 and email:  garrett.m.hoyt@usps.gov

   Marty McGuire - tel. #. 202-268-8081 and email:   marty.j.mcguire@usps.gov

“MASS customers will be allowed to test with both POSTNET and IMb [bracodes] for Cycle N since the USPS has delayed implementation of the IMb for automation discounts.  At this time the USPS has not set a new date for the required usage of IMb.  Customers who currently have the capability of spraying an IMb should take their MASS tests with the Intelligent Mail barcode.  If a customer tests with POSTNET and upgrades to IMb at a later date, they will be required to test the IMb before it can be sprayed on production mail. The fee for an IMb test is $300 per test deck.”

I concur with Jim’s recommendation that you take your recertification test with IMbs because CASS/MASS cycles appear to be in the process of becoming two-years instead of one.  That means that if you recertify with POSTNET barcodes for Cycle N, but switch to IMbs anytime before August 1, 2013, you will have to recertify.  It is quite possible that prior to August 1, 2013 (1) the USPS will mandate the use of IMb barcodes or (2) that you will find that you need to switch because of USPS incentives.

EVENT TITLE: Migration to IMb

Dates and Times:

Monday, April 18, 2011, 2:00 pm   3:30 pm, Eastern Time – Event number: 996 029 402

Friday, April 29, 2011, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm, Eastern Time – Event number: 992 773 103

Monday, May 2, 2011, 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm, Eastern Time – Event number: 992 001 578

Tuesday, May 3, 2011, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm, Eastern Time – Event number: 999 620 120

The easiest way to sign up is to pick which one of the remaining four presentations you want to participate in.  Then, at the appointed day and hour, go www.ribbs.usps.gov.   That should take you directly to the Intelligent Mail Latest News page.  Scroll down the page and you will find the events listed above.  Pick event that is about to start and click on the “Click here” under the listing for the day and time you have sleeved and then click on “Join now.”

As the presentation makes clear, the policy has been modified since it was initially presented to us in 2010. 

The most important things to note about the revised policy are:

• The USPS intends to replace FASTforward as we know it with an NCOA^Link product in October of 2012.
• The fee for the NCOA^Link product that will replace FASTforward is $15,000.  That is a very steep increase or the current $5,000 (though a bit less step when you recall that only two or three years ago, the price for FASTforward was $10,000. This fee and what we should do about it will be one of the topics we will address at a meeting of the Strategic Planning Committee meeting later this month.