• 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.

The Postal Service and the mailing industry believe these revised standards are crucial to the business interests of mailers as well as the continued vitality of the postal system. 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. These revised standards will result in better address quality by removing incorrectly addressed pieces from subsequent mailings, which will reduce UAA mail.

Move Update Requirement for All Standard Mail

A key reason for this extension is that one of the conclusions of an independent study of the cost, volume and characteristics of UAA mail found that mail entered as Standard Mail accounted for 62.8 percent of all UAA mail volume.

For Standard Mail mailers, the new Move Update standard does not mean that you begin an updating process on Nov. 23, but rather, starting Nov. 23, mailers must begin using addresses that were updated within the previous 95 days. For example, a mailing entered on Dec. 1 must bear addresses that were updated no earlier than Aug. 28. 

Authorized methods for Standard Mail to qualify for the Move Update standards include:

• NCOA^Link processing.
• FASTforward MLOCR processing (letter mail only). 
• OneCode ACS (Address Change Service) in conjunction with an Intelligent Mail barcode and a mailer 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.    

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 in Domestic Mail Manual 602.3.0, 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.

Outback Communications can NCOA your mailing list, and we can sort the list and get your mail into the world of automation discounts. Contact us today!

However, there are some lower rates if you look at the entry discounts.  Specifically DSCF and DBMC discounts. (DDU no longer apply, except parcels) DSCF? DBMC? 

• DSCF = Destination Sectional Center Facility Read more HERE
• DBMC = Destination Bulk Mail Center
• DDU = Destination Delivery Unit
• ASF = Auxilliary Service Facility

These are important discounts that are easy to get, but they require even more work on your part. Basically the more automated and closer the mail gets to its destination, the lower your rates. By sorting and barcoding you accomplish the 1st part, easier mail processing. Drop Shipments do the 2nd part, get the mail closer to the destination, so the post office does not have to transport the mail.

There are two ways for you the mailer, to transport the mail closer.

1. You drive it
2. You mail it

In my area 75080, the SCF facility is 15 miles from my office. Not a great distance. Hassle yes. Time consuming yes.  However the pay off on taking a 15,000 letter mailing that all went to the area served by that SCF is .04 per item, and thats $600 in postage saved. 

Thats the hitch, all of the mail that is served by that SCF. So you the mailer has to do an additional sort of your trays to determine what goes to that facility. Its more time and more work, but as you can see might a nice pay off if the quanties are right.

The other option is to mail it. Yes, you mail your mail to the closest destination. In a sense you are paying for postage twice, so it does require some math to make sure you are saving money doing the drop shipment. There are two options for mailing, Priority Mail and Express Mail.  I have found that Express Mail is not cost effective.  There are many rules about Priority Mail drop shipments. You can read more @ the DMM M072, if you are so inclined. Mailing the above example might cost $300 in Priority Mail, so the savings is not as large, but you gain it all back in time. (My opinion)

DBMC discounts are not as good as DSCF, but the BMC does handle mail for a much wider area, so more of your mail can be sent to one location. There are over 150 SCF offices, and only 21 BMCs. There are these things called ASFs, thats the subject of a different post.

There are savings out there, as a mailer you can always figure them out, or you can let us do the work for you. Outback Communications, is a direct mail company that knows how to Drop Ship your mail to lower your cost, and get the mail delivered faster.  Contact us and we will show you how we can help.