Randy Weiler, SPC’s Director of Postal Affairs and Logistics, is here to help you navigate the labyrinth of the USPS. What does it take to efficiently move your projects through the USPS system? What efficiencies can you gain from SPC’s lettershop expertise? Who determines postal increases?

Every month, Randy fields your burning questions about mail and postal affairs in a Q&A format. You can email him at askrandy@specialtyprintcomm.com or post a question via Facebook or Twitter using the hashtag #AskRandyUSPS. We post the questions and his answers each month both here on the SPC blog and on social media. To see a full list of questions that Randy has answered, check the Ask Randy Index.

1) What are the ramifications if NCOA is not applied to a mail file?

1. Mailers who claim presorted or automation prices for First Class or Marketing (Standard) mail must use an approved Move Update Method, typically via NCOA, to ensure the addresses used on the pieces have been updated within 95 days prior to the postage statement finalization date.
2. The USPS validates Move Update address quality through an automated process. As mailpieces bearing an Intelligent Mail barcode are processed, name and address information from the mailpiece is compared against the Postal Service Change of Address (COA) database to identify mailpieces that have not been updated with a new address. Quality is measured across a calendar month and any pieces exceeding the .5% tolerance level will be assessed $.08 per piece.

2) How do co-pal and commingle effect the in-home delivery date compared to direct entry?

Copalletization (co-pal) and commingle mail entry are used to improve the entry level of a mail tray; moving it from Origin or NDC entry to SCF entry. This will provide an improved in-home delivery date for the piece, but it varies depending on the original entry type to the co-pal or commingle entry. If moving from Origin entry to SCF entry, this can provide an improvement to the in-home delivery of up to seven days for coastal mail. If moving from Origin entry to NDC entry, the delivery will be improved by two days. It is important to note that co-pal and commingle providers generally want the mail tendered to them two days prior to the pool date which can make the delivery improvement moot. However, the postage savings associated with co-pal or commingle mail entry compared to direct entry are still real.

3) Describe your dream vacation.

Answer: Musky fishing in Ontario, Canada.

4) How much faster does the mail drop using SCF/NDC versus dropping at the post office?

The answer to this question really depends on the distance between the mail recipient and the shipper, as well as the shipping method. Here is the typical time frame. All Marketing (Standard) class mail shipped from Chicago (SPC’s home facility):

• Locally entered Origin Mail is typically delivered in home in 6-20 days
• SCF/NDC delivered mail shipped via consolidation is in home in 6-13 days
• SCF/NDC delivered mail shipped via LTL (less than truckload) is in home in 4-9 days

Randy Weiler
Director Postal Affairs and Logistics