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Frequently
Asked Questions Revision date: 05/10/2010
Table
of Questions Question: What is NCOALink? Answer: NCOALink is a secure dataset
product of approximately 160 million permanent changes-of-address from the
United States Postal Service® (USPS®) that enables
mailers to update name and address mailing lists with new addresses from
individuals, families and businesses that have moved and filed
change-of-address orders with the USPS. Question:
Are there different levels of NCOALink? Answer:
There are six (6)
licensing categories.. A
Full Service Provider uses
NCOALink to perform Move Update processing for mailing lists, 51% of
which must be owned by unrelated third parties. They receive 48 months
of change-of-address (COA) information, updated weekly. An FSP must also implement other
address-quality tools such as SuiteLink (a system for
correcting/appending suite information for business addresses). Each Full
Service Provider pays the USPS an annual license fee of $175,000. A
Limited Service Provider uses
NCOALink to perform Move Update processing for mailing lists;
however, there is no minimum amount that must be from third parties. They
receive 18 months of change-of-address information, updated weekly. An LSP may, but is not required to, use other
address-quality tools such as SuiteLink. LSPs may also use an additional
change-of-address product, ANKLink, which is an add-on product to
NCOALink that provides additional move information for “possible
moves” in months 19 – 48. Each Limited Service Provider pays the USPS an annual
license fee of $15,000. An
End-User Mailer uses NCOALink
to perform Move Update processing strictly for their own mailing lists, and may
not process mailing lists for third parties. They receive 18 months of
change-of-address information, updated monthly.
An EUM may, but is not required to, use other address-quality tools such
as SuiteLink. EUMs may also
use an additional change-of-address product, ANKLink, which is an
add-on product to NCOALink that provides additional move information
for “possible moves” in months 19 – 48. Each End-User Mailer pays the USPS an
annual license fee of $7,500.
An Interface
Distributor licenses the right to distribute the NCOALink
interface that it developed.
Distributors pay an annual license fee of $25,000. A NCOALink
MPE Solution license allows the use of NCOALink data on
multiline optical character readers (MLOCR) to update and spray
change-of-address information on mailpieces prior to submission to the USPS.
The NCOALink MPE solution, which is similar to the FASTforward®
system, can also be used on delivery point barcode sorters to identify, sort,
and remove undeliverable-as-addressed (UAA) mail prior to submission to the
USPS. USPS pricing is not yet
published. Question: How do I become an NCOALink licensee? Answer: You must apply to and get
certified by the USPS before you can license and use NCOALink. Question: Can you describe the certification process
for NCOALink? Answer: There are four separate
steps involved in becoming a certified NCOALink licensee: Step 1 - “Application and Self-Certification Statement Approval” - To
achieve the first level of certification from the USPS, you must fill out and
submit the following information/forms: ·
Application ·
Confidentiality Statement ·
Self-Certification Statements 1.
Narrative describing your company and the nature of
your business. 2.
Description of how you plan to use the NCOALink
technology. 3.
The estimated number of records you will process and
the update cycle you will follow. Also,
the estimated number and frequency of mailings including number of pieces per
mailing. (End Users only.) 4.
Facility name and address of each Postal facility
where mailings are deposited. Identify
USPS National Account Manager or other Business Service Network representative,
if applicable. (End Users only.) ·
Key Personnel List ·
PS Form 1357-W (Web Access Request Form) ·
Security Documentation The Postal Service will review your paperwork, and decide
whether or not you have “passed” Step 1 certification. Upon passing, you will receive an
authorization code from the USPS. Step 2 – “Software Acquisition” - The authorization code
you received from the USPS in Step 1 must then be provided to your software
vendor of choice before you can receive the actual certified NCOALink interface
from your vendor. Step 3 – “NCOALink Testing & Certification”
– Now that you have received, installed and tested your certified interface,
it’s time to move on to the third step.
To begin, you must submit to the USPS a written request and a completed
Software Product Information Form requesting that the USPS perform an
electronic NCOALink certification test. The Postal Service will then notify you when
they have a test file available for you.
The first time you download and run this file is called a “Stage 1”
test. You will submit your answers to
the USPS, who will then grade your test file and work with you on whatever
issues you may have. When you have
completed the Stage 1 test, you will be sent a different test file to use in
your “Stage 2” testing. The Stage 2 test
is what will ultimately determine if you pass NCOALink
certification. Step 4 – “Execution of License Agreement” – Upon passing
your Stage 2 test for certification, the Postal Service will send you a
certification notice, a prorated fee chart and a standard NCOALink
license agreement. The license agreement
must be signed and returned with payment of the license fee. After the USPS approves and counter-signs the
license agreement, they will send a fully executed copy of it to you along with
a set of DVD-ROMs containing the live NCOALink datasets. Question: What kind of security information will I have to provide during my
certification process?
Answer: As part the Step 1 certification
process, the Postal Service requires you to submit written information
providing the following: ·
Descriptions about the specific measures you have
taken to secure the physical and electronic environments in which the NCOALink
system will reside. (If the USPS feels
that your descriptions are not clear and/or complete, you may be required to
provide a diagram.) ·
The names and addresses of all parent, subsidiary
and/or affiliate companies or entities, together with the following for
each: (a) state of incorporation or
registration, and (b) principal place of business. (Service
Providers only.) ·
A list of company names for any and all parent,
subsidiary and/or affiliate companies. (End Users only.) ·
A list of all internal files/lists/databases and
those of related entities, which will be processed through licensee applicant’s
NCOALink system. (You must
also identify any relational databases in the list.) Question: Where can I
find all these forms and information? Answer: On the Postal Service website: www.ribbs.usps.gov. Select “Site Index A – Z” and then “NCOALink”. Question: When do I have to pay the Postal Service for my license? Answer: As part of Step 4 during your
certification process, you must submit payment of your license fee along with
the signed license agreement to the USPS before they will send you the live
NCOALink datasets. Question: Is the
fee prorated or the same for every licensee regardless of when they receive
certification? Answer: The license fee will be prorated
according to what month of the year you submit your signed license
agreement. During Step 4 of your
certification process, the USPS will send you a copy of the standard NCOALink
license agreement, which includes a prorated fee chart. Question: If I am
only going to process my own mailing lists, but I want to get weekly database
updates; can I get licensed as a Limited Service Provider? Answer: Yes. As an LSP there is no requirement on how much
of your NCOALink processing is done for unrelated third parties. Question: Can I
switch from being an End User Mailer to a Limited or Full Service Provider? Answer: Yes. However, you will have to go through the
certification process again as it is different for a Service Provider than an
End User Mailer. Contact the United
States Postal Service in Question: Who do
I contact in Answer: You can contact the NCOALink
Certification Department by calling 1-800-589-5766. Question: What reports will the
USPS require me to produce? Answer: The Postal Service requires
various different reports depending on which type of licensee you are, and
these reports also have different schedules for when you need to produce and
submit them. Please refer to the following
table for type, frequency, etc.
FSP = Full Service Provider
LSP = Limited Service Provider
EUM = End User Mailer Question: What
is a Processing Acknowledgment Form? Answer: The Processing Acknowledgment Form, or “PAF”,
is a Postal Service form that must be provided by a Service Provider to their
customer, along with the Required Text Document, before beginning any NCOALink
processing for them. The PAF must then
be completed, signed and returned to the Service Provider by the customer. This must happen before any work is done and
then once annually thereafter. Service
Providers must keep a copy of each signed PAF for a period of 6 years. Question: Where
can I find more information about all these reports? Answer: On the Postal Service website: www.ribbs.usps.gov. Select “Site Index A – Z” and then “NCOALink”. Select “NCOALink Page”, then
select the link representing the desired information. ) In each licensee section, there is a
document titled “Licensee Performance Requirements” that details all the
reports and requirements. Question: Does
the Postal Service review my NCOALink processing? Answer: Yes, in two different ways. The first is through the monthly reports you
must submit to them. These are explained
above. The second is through periodic
electronic testing. At times of their
choosing, the Postal Service will notify you that they have an electronic test
file for you to download and process.
Once you have completed the test, you must send the file and reports
back to the Postal Service to be graded.
This testing is similar to the Stage 2 testing during the certification
process, and will occur on an annual basis. Question: What
are “NCOALink Return Codes”? Answer: “NCOALink Return Codes” is the
Postal Service new name for what used to be called “nixies.” These are informational codes returned from
the NCOALink matching process that describe why a record did or did
not match. These return codes are
available to all levels of NCOALink licensee. Question: Can
you give me some examples of the NCOALink Return Codes? Answer: The following table describes some
of the NCOALink
Return Codes and what they mean.
Address =
“Y” = New Address Provided How
= “D” = derived by data – returned in lieu of 11-digit “N” = New Address Not
Provided
“S” = derived by software Question: How do I receive the updates for the COA
database? Can I download them off the
Internet? Answer: The live NCOALink datasets are delivered on DVD-ROMs only, Monthly
updates containing the 18-month NCOALink Product datasets will be provided via
DVD to Licensees, and are not available via Internet download or other physical
media. Question: Do I have to apply the updates when I
receive them? Answer: Yes. Licensees must install the current monthly NCOALink
database no later than five (5) business days after receipt. Question: What are the “daily deletes” and how do I
apply them? Answer: The Daily Delete file contains
addresses that are pending deletion from the NCOALink database, and
no mail may be forwarded from these addresses.
Service Providers must incorporate this file into their daily processing
by downloading it from the USPS RIBBS website.
It is optional for End User-Mailers.
Question: Can I run internal test files after
certification even if I do not apply the changes? Answer: Yes. The Postal Service recognizes the need for
licensees to test, and has established processing codes that indicate to them
what kind of testing you do and when you do it.
These tests are included in the monthly reports you submit to the USPS. For example, here is a table defining the
different testing categories established for Full Service Providers of NCOALink
. Be sure to reference the License Performance Requirements document
specific to your desired licensee level.
F = Full Service Provider L
= Limited Service Provider E = End-User
Mailer Question: Can I apply to become an End-User Mailer
if I process files for a wholly owned subsidiary? Answer: No. An End-User Mailer may only process files
that they own, and may not provide service to anyone, including wholly-
or partially-owned subsidiaries, affiliates or parent companies. Question: What is LACS? Answer: The Locatable Address Conversion
System (LACS) program was originally created almost 20 years ago when the USPS
recognized the value of offering conversion information for addresses that had been
changed by local governments or municipalities primarily due to the
implementation of a “911” emergency
response system. The change is generally
from rural-route-and-box-number addresses to city-style addresses with street
names and house numbers, although some existing city-style addresses may be
renamed or renumbered too. Question: What is LACSLink? Answer: LACSLink is a program
available from the USPS to replace the original LACS program. Similar to
NCOALink and DPV, the Postal Service has converted the LACS database
into their encrypted storage technology for LACSLink, and wishes to
make it available to a wider audience. Question: Can you give me some examples of the
different LACSLink address conversions? Answer:
Question: What are the USPS requirements for LACSLink? Answer: CASSTM and NCOALink
software developers were required to integrate LACSLink into
their products as of the CASS certification period beginning September 1,
2005. This means that the developer’s
software interface must not only be able to return a code from the USPS ZIP + 4®
file indicating an address can be converted, but also provide the option to
convert the address. Beginning August 1, 2007, all users of CASS Certified™
software must use LACSLink in their address correction and
standardization processing in order to generate a PS-3553 form, and then mail
at automation presort postage rates. Question: What benefits can I gain from running
LACSLink? Answer: By taking advantage of the LACSLink
functionality, you will have the most current and accurate addresses from the
USPS. This will not only improve the
overall deliverability of your mail, but it could speed up delivery as
well. In addition, it can help eliminate duplicates if the
customer has already provided a change to the mailers, and it can keep you from
introducing data entry errors when manually keying address changes into your
database. Question: What is ANKLink? Answer: ANKLink is an enhancement to the existing 18-month NCOALink product that Limited Service Providers and End User Mailers employ. The 18-month NCOALink database provides change-of-address information for moves that occurred during the past 18 months, including the new address of the recipient. ANKLink will enable NCOALink Limited Service Providers and End User Mailers to optionally acquire an additional 30 months of change-of-address information. Question: Does ANKLink return the new
address? Answer: No. ANKLink will not return the actual new address. ANKLink
will, however, provide users a return code indicating a probable move occurred
in months 19-48, along with the move-effective date. Question: How does ANKLink help me? Answer: ANKLink allows you to make more informed
decisions regarding a specific customer or prospect that you wish to mail to.
If the ANKLink return code data indicates the intended recipient has
moved you may choose to either remove the individual from the mailing or
attempt to determine the actual new address by seeking the services of an NCOALink
Full Service Provider. Question: What are the USPS certification
requirements for ANKLink? Answer: ANKLink was created as
an enhancement to the existing NCOALink product, and as such its
development, distribution
and use are all covered under existing NCOALink licenses. ANKLink certification is covered
under the testing and certification procedures for Developers and Distributors
of NCOALink. Question: How do I acquire ANKLink? Answer: Limited Service Provider and End User Mailer licensees who
wish to obtain the ANKLink product need to visit the USPS website, www.ribbs.usps.gov, and download the “ANKLink REQUESTFORM.DOC” from either the “NCOALink Limited Service Provider Documents ” or “NCOALink End User Documents” page of the ANKLink
section. Once they complete and submit
this form to the USPS, they must then contact their NCOALink
Distributor to purchase and license the ANKLink functionality within
their NCOALink interface. The
USPS will send the Limited Service Provider or End User Mailer an invoice for
the ANKLink fee. Question: What are the USPS fees for ANKLink? Answer: Limited Service Providers will pay $3,500 per year, and End
User Mailers will pay $750 per year.
These fees are in addition to the normal NCOALink fees. Question: If I only own a CASS Certified™ software
interface, can I still use ANKLink? Answer: No. Only licensees and users of a certified software interface for NCOALink
can take advantage of ANKLink.
Question: What is SuiteLink? Answer: SuiteLink is a USPS address-quality initiative that will provides
mailers a tool to correct or append suite information for business addresses on
their lists. Question: Will SuiteLink return an
actual company name? Answer: No. SuiteLink will only return suite information for
address-matches that already have a company name on the input record. Question: How much will it cost to license SuiteLink? Answer: There is
no additional USPS license fee to use SuiteLink.
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