Bulk Mail 101

Understanding Bulk Mail Terminology will help in obtaining quotes, understanding what your paying for and more!! Below are terms that you should become familiar with!!

Data Processing
CASS System
DPV: Data Point Validation
NCOA Link System
Pave Program

Letter shop
Pressure Seal

Bulk Mail Postage
Standard Pre-Sort
1st Class Pre-Sort



CASS System
The CASS system improves the accuracy of carrier route, five-digit ZIP®, ZIP + 4®, and delivery point codes that appear on mail pieces. CASS is offered to all mailers, service bureaus, and software vendors who want to evaluate their address-matching software and improve the quality of their ZIP + 4, CRIS, and five-digit coding accuracy. This process is graded by the United States Postal Service®, National Customer Support Center (NCSC), and the results returned to mailers in order to provide useful diagnostics for correcting deficiencies.

CASS allows vendors/mailers the opportunity to test their address-matching software packages and, after achieving a certain percentage of compliance, to be certified by the Postal Service. CASS does not measure the accuracy of ZIP + 4 delivery point, five-digit ZIP, or carrier route codes in a mailer's existing files. CASS enables mailers to measure and diagnose internally written, commercially-available, address-matching software packages. The effectiveness of service bureaus' matching software can also be measured. Back to the TOP

DPV: Delivery Point Validation
The Postal Service™ DPV® database is essentially a "yes/no" table for checking the validity of any known individual house, apartment, Post Office™ box, rural box, mail drop, or commercial address that receives mail.

The DPV database allows enhanced address validation beyond what's possible when only the ZIP + 4® database is used.

Without DPV, the ZIP + 4 database is only capable of confirming whether addresses fall within the "low to high" address ranges specified in ZIP + 4 records. For example, "100 to 198 (even) MAPLE AVE" is a typical house number range listed in the ZIP + 4 database, and any even house number in that range will match that ZIP + 4 record, whether or not the address is a valid Postal Service delivery point.
With DPV, ZP4 can confirm whether any individual address is a valid delivery point, regardless of what the ZIP + 4 database range implies. For example, only three addresses might actually exist in a given range like "100 to 198 (even)". Using DPV, ZP4 will validate the three known addresses and reject any other address in the range.

In other words, with just a ZIP + 4 database, you can only determine a candidate ZIP + 4 for an address. But since the ZP4 product includes both ZIP + 4 and DPV databases, you can also determine whether the address is a valid delivery point and produce valid ZIP + 4 codes.

In addition to allowing ZP4 to return a "yes/no" indication for any specific mailing address, DPV also allows ZP4 to detect if an address is a Commercial Mail Receiving Agency (a "mail drop" that rents mail boxes), or if an address is vacant. Back to the TOP


NCOA Link System
Over 40 million Americans change their address annually, which creates formidable obstacles in maintaining a high-quality mailing list. The NCOA Link product makes change-of-address information available to mailers to help reduce undeliverable mail pieces before mail enters the mail stream.
The NCOA Link process consists of computer software purchased, leased or developed by the licensee to access the NCOA Link data. The Postal Service certifies the process and licenses the NCOA Link product to private sector companies for commercial mail list processing or internal mail list management. Updated, computerized change-of-address information is provided on a regular basis to the NCOA Link licensees by the Postal Service. The NCOA Link process improves mail deliverability by providing mailers with current, standardized, delivery point coded addresses for individual, family, and business moves.
Input address information must first be standardized to conform to USPS® requirements, including the ZIP + 4® code. An attempt is made to match each name and address against the NCOALink product. Address change information is derived from the PS Form 3575, Change-of-Address Order, filed by relocating postal customers. If a match is made with the name and old address information in the NCOALink file, then the NCOALink licensee is permitted to provide the current move information (new address or undeliverable status) to update the mailing list.

The full NCOALink Product contains approximately 160 million records or 48 months of permanent address changes and is available to Full Service Provider Licensees. The limited NCOALink product contains approximately 60 million records or 18 months of permanent address changes and is available to Limited Service Provider and End User Licensees.
NCOALink helps reduce undeliverable-as-addressed (UAA) mail by correcting input addresses prior to mailing. Since 1986, Move Update predecessors such as ACSTM Service, National Change of Address (NCOA) and the FASTforward® system have saved mailers millions of dollars that otherwise would have been wasted in materials and postage. NCOALink continues this trend and, like its predecessors, provides the following benefits to mailers:

• Reduces undeliverable mail by providing the most current address information for matches made to the NCOA Link file
• Prevents re-mailings after address corrections are received because the address correction is applied prior to the mailing
• Reduces mailer costs by reducing the number of undeliverable mail pieces by using most current address information
• Provides the opportunity for faster product/service marketing through accurate mail delivery

In addition to change-of-address information, NCOA Link also utilizes Return Codes to provide explanation of match and non-match status. Return Codes which indicate that a match was obtained are accompanied by a new address or undeliverable status. Return Codes which indicate a match was not obtained provide the reason a match could not be made to the NCOA Link file. The analysis of Return Codes can help the mailer determine the deliverability of specific address records. Back to the TOP

Pave Program
The PAVE program is a process designed in cooperation with the mailing industry to evaluate presort software and determine its accuracy in sorting address files according to DMM® standards. Although this program evaluates and validates presort products manufactured by developers, PAVE does not guarantee acceptance of mail prepared using PAVE-certified hardware and/or software; however, it does provide national approval of computer-generated facsimiles of USPS® postage statements, standardized documentation, and other presort documentation.

The USPS defines a PAVE-certified software product as a presorting product with source code specifically written to operate on a particular platform or operating system and assigned a specific version number. Many products use different language compilers to process files within different operating systems or on different hardware platforms. Therefore, to maintain the highest standards of quality assurance, PAVE will certify each product that operates on a particular platform at the current version number. One platform will be tested completely according to the test files ordered, and additional platforms will be tested randomly. The developer may either submit all platforms or just a few for certification. PAVE will evaluate each platform of the presort product separately and will issue a certificate for each platform that meets the PAVE accuracy requirements. Back to the TOP


Pressure Seal Form

Also known as Versa Seal, Snap Pack, and other industry specific names.  Pressure Seal Mailers eliminate the Need for Envelopes!

• Pressure seal forms are sealed by a unique bonding process that does not use liquid or heat.
• Patterns of a pre-applied "cohesive" are aligned during the folding process and stick only to each other when high pressure is applied.
• Pressure seal forms are securely folded and sealed when processed by a folder/sealer.
• Blank pressure seal forms are available in several sizes, colors and layouts and are compatible with most laser printers. Back to the TOP

Presort Standard Postage
third Class mail, or what has been traditionally referred to as Bulk Business Mail (BBM), has been reclassified using the term Pre sorted Standard mail. The Postal Service offers huge postal discounts for Pre sorted Standard mail. In many cases, the rates are about one – half of First Class single piece rates. For Pre sorted Standard mail to be accepted at the BMEU, the Bulk Mail Entry Unit, the pieces of mail presented must be identical in size and weight. This includes letters, flats, postcards, tri-folds, magazines, and brochures. The minimum number of pieces required to qualify for a Pre sorted Standard mailing is 200 pieces. While there are no guaranteed delivery standards for Third Class or Pre sorted Standard mail, typical delivery time once the mail has been presented, verified, and postage paid at the BMEU is between 7 – 14 days. Is Pre sorted Standard right for you? Ask the mailing professionals at ABC Direct Marketing to determine if Pre sorted Standard BBM, Bulk Business Mail, is a good fit for your direct mail needs. Back to the TOP