CASS NCOA & Move Update Processing 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which USPS regulation establishes the Move Update compliance requirements for First-Class Mail?
- Domestic Mail Manual 602.1.0 (Correct answer)
- Domestic Mail Manual 301.1.0
- Publication 28 Section 4
- CASS Technical Guide Section 9
Correct answer: Domestic Mail Manual 602.1.0
DMM 602.1.0 outlines the Move Update standards and methods that mailers must use to qualify for First-Class presort rates.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of the USPS Address Change Service (ACS) in relation to Move Update?
- To forward physical mail pieces
- To provide electronic COA notifications to mailers (Correct answer)
- To validate ZIP Codes in real time
- To certify mailing software
Correct answer: To provide electronic COA notifications to mailers
ACS delivers electronic change-of-address notices to mailers so they can update their lists without relying solely on physical return mail.
Question 3: An NCOA match returns a new address, but the move date is only 10 days old. What should the mailer do?
- Ignore the match and use the old address
- Apply the new address immediately (Correct answer)
- Hold the piece for 30 days then mail
- Submit the record for manual USPS review
Correct answer: Apply the new address immediately
Regardless of how recent the move date is, a valid NCOA match should be applied to update the delivery address.
Question 4: Which method does NOT qualify as an approved Move Update technique under USPS standards?
- NCOA processing within 95 days
- Address Change Service (ACS)
- Ancillary service endorsements
- Manually correcting returned mail after delivery failure (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Manually correcting returned mail after delivery failure
Manually correcting addresses only after pieces are returned undeliverable is not a proactive Move Update method and does not meet USPS compliance standards.
Question 5: What is the role of the NCOA licensee in the NCOA process?
- They compile the COA database from carrier records
- They are USPS-licensed vendors authorized to run mailer lists against the COA file (Correct answer)
- They certify CASS software for address validation
- They forward mail on behalf of movers
Correct answer: They are USPS-licensed vendors authorized to run mailer lists against the COA file
NCOA licensees are third-party companies that have been licensed by USPS to access the COA database and process mailing lists on behalf of mailers.
Question 6: If a mailer's NCOA processing reveals a high rate of family (F) move matches in a given list segment, what does this most likely indicate?
- Data entry errors in the original list
- High residential mobility in the target geography or demographic (Correct answer)
- A systemic error in the NCOA software
- Duplicate records in the mailing list
Correct answer: High residential mobility in the target geography or demographic
A high rate of family move matches typically reflects genuine residential mobility patterns in the targeted audience or area.
Question 7: Which document does a mailer complete to certify compliance with Move Update requirements on a postage statement?
- PS Form 3553 (Correct answer)
- PS Form 3600
- PS Form 6805
- PS Form 3877
Correct answer: PS Form 3553
PS Form 3553 is the CASS Summary Report that mailers attach to postage statements to certify address quality and Move Update compliance.
CASS NCOA & Move Update Processing 3
Which USPS regulation establishes the Move Update compliance requirements for First-Class Mail?