Postal Automated Redirection System (PARS) John Keegan Manager, Automation Equipment Engineering

1. Postal Automated Redirection System (PARS) John Keegan Manager, Automation Equipment Engineering Mailers´ Technical Advisory Committee (MTAC) November 5, 2003  Washington DC

2. What is PARS • Key Concepts and Components • Improved Change-of-Address Process • Redirection of UAA mail • Processes Automated by PARS • Electronic Address Corretion Service - ACS • Memphis NCSC ACS – Print System • Advanced Forwarding Reader - AFR • Limitations of the System - Examples • Project Timeline

3. What is PARS? • … A system that reduces the cost of forwarding mail to a customer’s new address by automating each of the currently manual or mechanized processes.

4. Key Concepts and Components • Change of Address Forms Processing System (CFPS) • 86 CFS Sites Scan Change of Address Forms • Remote Encoding Site operators Key Images • PARS - Interception/Forwarding/Return to Sender • CIOSS Machine (Combined ISS/OSS) • CARS (Change of Address Record Server) • Address Correction Printers and Servers at the Memphis National Customer Service Center

5. Improved Change-of-Address Process Redesigned Change-of- Address form Scanned and processed by OCR software along with remote video operators at 4 locations National Customer Support Center

6. Distribution Process Today Correct Destination Origin Delivery Unit CFS Unit

7. The PARS Concept Origin Correct Destination A majority of the UAA volume is identified and redirected at the originating P&DC

8. Processes Automated by PARS • Notification to Mailer – PS Form 3547 • Delivery Unit Receives Cards from NCSC (Memphis) Bearing Image of Mailpiece and Collects Fees • Address Change Service • Electronic Enhancement to PS Form 3547 • UAA Information is Provided Electronically to Mailers by NCSC Versus Hardcopy Notification PS Form 3547 • Electronic ACS • Immediate transmission to NCSC after automatic recognition by AFR

9. Electronic Address Correction Service - ACS NCSC ACS Fulfillment P&DC Image Controllers nationwide Memphis NCSC Image Controller and ACS Server • ACS instantly forwarded electronically from P&DCs to NCSC • P&DC Image Controllers nationwide send ACS information to NCSC Image Controller ACS Server • NCSC ACS Server submits information to the ACS fulfillment system

10. Address Correction Notification - PS FORM 3547 Mail piece image Return Address as new Delivery address Addressee’s Name Old Address New Address Return Address’ Postmaster Barcode • Bar coded with Return Address (faster delivery) • Postmaster code for postage due handling • Name & Addresses printed for better readability

11. Address Correction Notification – Print System • PARS 3547 print system • NCSC Memphis • Central processing of nationwide collected data • Up to 800,000 forms daily • Fully automated • Printing, cutting, auto-traying in presort sequence • Conveyer to Postal One • One day turnaround

12. Advanced Forwarding Reader – AFR Indicia Return Address Endorsement line • Automatic reading of • Addressee’s name • Address information • Return Address Information (front and back side) • Mail Class (any type of indicia) • Ancillary Service Endorsements • ACS Information

13. Current Limitations of the PARS System Endorsements not compliant with Postal Standards Interference of Information Bad type face Reverse print Exceptional address format “current resident” not in address block

14. Current Limitations of the PARS System First class meter Over Standard imprint Interference of Information Participant ID shifted out of window Wrong position No clear space Fonts too small Light meter prints “low ink” prints

15. Project Timeline • Nov 2003 – First Article Test (FAT) • Jan 2004 – Start Phase I Deployment • 53 P&DCs, 40 CFS, 20 RECs • 209 CFS for COA Forms processing (86 scanning sites) • Sept 2004 – Complete Phase I Deployment • September 2006 – Complete Phase II Deployment • Remaining 230 P&DC’s • Remaining 180 CFS