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Plan Now for New Postal Requirements
We are entering a new era of postal rates and regulations with the passage of the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006.
The good news is that future rate increases will be capped by the increase in the consumer price index. The increases may be more frequent, but they won’t induce the sticker shock the industry has experienced in past years culminating with the increase in May 2007.
This new era will increase the challenge for mailers to keep up with changing technical requirements. Advances in technology will bring some real benefits, but the costs of non-compliance will be high.
Here are upcoming postal changes you need to plan for:
New Move Update Standards – November 23, 2008
The United States Postal Service® is increasing its efforts to reduce undeliverable mail by requiring mailers to update their mailing lists within 95 days of mailing.
On November 23, 2008, mailers must use addresses that were updated no earlier than August 20, 2008.
Authorized methods for Standard Mail® to qualify for the Move Update standards include:
- NCOALink® processing.
- FASTforward® MLOCR processing (letter mail only).
- OneCode ACS® in conjunction with an Intelligent Mail® barcode (IM™ barcode) and business entity ID.
- Address Change Service used with an ACS™ participant code and an appropriate on-piece ancillary service endorsement.
- Use of an appropriate on-piece ancillary service endorsement without ACS.
Mailers who rely on ACS or on-piece ancillary service endorsements without ACS, must incorporate the address changes received prior to subsequent mailings.
For more information go to: http://www.usps.com/mailpro/2008/mayjune/page5.htm
New Address Requirements – March 29, 2009
The Postal Service® is implementing new address requirements effective March 29, 2009. Clear, legible addresses ensure accurate sorting, redirection, and delivery; enable high-speed processing; and minimize service delays. Consistent address placement is needed to take advantage of new flats processing technology and will significantly increase efficiency, which helps lower costs.
The new requirements affect address characteristics (how the address looks) and address placement (where the address is located) for Periodicals, Standard Mail and Package Services (Bound Printed Matter, Media Mail® and Library Mail) flats mailed at presort, automation and carrier route prices; and automated and presorted First-Class Mail® flats.
- Mailers must address each piece using a minimum of 8-point type. Each character must be at least 0.080 inch high.
- If the mail piece bears a POSTNET™ or IM barcode with a delivery point routing code, mailers may use 6-point type in all capital letters. Each character must be at least 0.065 inch high.
- On all automation pieces, the characters in the address must not overlap, the address lines must not touch or overlap, and each address element may be separated by no more than five blank character spaces. (A blank character space can equal the width of the widest letter used in the type.)
- Mailers must place the delivery address in the “top half” of the mail piece, except on First-Class Mail flats.
For more information, go to:
IM barcode – Guidelines to be issued May 2009
In May 2009, the USPS® will create the new categories of mail using the IM barcode. There will be a full service and a basic service, but the details are not yet available.
The IM barcode combines the capabilities of several current barcodes – ACS, POSTNET and PLANET® Codes – and replaces them with one barcode with enhanced tracking and address correction services.
The tracking capabilities of the IM barcode will allow marketers to track the path of every mail piece and know its exact location from printing to delivery. Marketers will have access to specific information on delivery times which will help in planning campaigns. Mailers will know exactly when pieces arrive for follow-up phone calls. These are only a couple of examples of the benefits of the IM barcode.
Mailers will have a year to qualify for automation rates with either the POSTNET or IM barcode, but by May 2010, all barcodes must be IM barcode to qualify for automation rates.
For more information, go to: https://www.trackmymail.com/Guide/
The following trademarks are owned by the United States Postal Service: Standard Mail, NCOALink, FASTforward, OneCode ACS, Intelligent Mail, IM barcode, ACS, The Postal Service, Media Mail, First-Class Mail, POSTNET, PLANET, United States Postal Service and USPS.
AD#8.08
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