USPS
Restrictions on Address Correction Software
As of July 2007, the USPS (United
States Postal Service) intends to enforce a new regulation that
requires all commercial incentive mail destined for the United
States to be run through CASS then Delivery Point Validation,
and new, proprietary LACS software for address correction. Both
the DPV and LACSare encrypted for privacy reasons and the USPS
is restricting their use to the boundaries of the United States
and its territories. For privacy as well as possibly Home Land
security reasons, all the software vendors are restricted from
sending the data updates to off-shore mailers, including
Canadian mailers and service providers.
The impact of this new restriction
for the Canadian mailing industry is under assessment.
From what can be seen to date, at
minimum this restriction could impose the necessity of working
with a domestic partner in the United States for address
validation and correction, or possibly the use of a US mailing
software that allows the mailer to connect to the LACS database
through an internet connection. Issues here would include
supporting the cost of software re-development by the vendor as
well as pricing due to a possible lack of competition. At
maximum, it could prevent Canadian commercial mailers from
properly preparing incentive mail bound for the United States,
disqualifying them from receiving the best rates for having
certified, clean addresses. The restriction will have impact on
other media that work in synergy with the mail: i.e. non-United
States based Call Centres could be unable to validate/correct
addresses for good bound for the United States.
NAMMU is ascertaining the extent
of the restriction with the USPS NCOA (National Change of
Address) team in Memphis, through several concerned members and
will provide updated information.
To help determine industry impact
and the best course of action, NAMMU is asking any member
impacted by this restriction to contact
executive@nammu.org with their organization's impact
assessment by
November 15.
In addition, an information
session will be held at the next
Toronto Chapter meeting, November 23. Help us to
help you by responding to this information request.
