BCC and NCOALink™: Frequently Asked Questions

What is NCOALink?

NCOALink is a new United States Postal Service® (USPS®) technology product designed to provide wider access to the USPS Change of Address (COA) database, using a secure process enhancing the security of COA information. NCOALink technology allows mailers to update mailing lists with address changes before they are entered into the mail stream. A proactive Move Update process, it is the preferred method for satisfying USPS Move Update requirements when seeking USPS discounts for First-Class Mail®. What’s more, by using NCOALink technology mailers can speed delivery and minimize Undeliverable as Addressed mail for any mail class.

Previously, NCOA licenses (accessing a full 48 months of COA data) were available to a limited number of USPS licensees, with the USPS FASTforward® process — a hardware solution providing 13 months of COA data — available as a USPS-approved alternative. The USPS discontinued NCOA services on September 30, 2004, and FASTforward Mailing List Correction will follow suit after September 30, 2005. NCOALink essentially replaces both services.

How can mailers access NCOALink technology?

The Postal Service™ wants NCOALink technology to be used by as many mailers as possible, to help thwart the staggering industry problem of Undeliverable As Addressed (UAA) mail. To assist the controlled dissemination of NCOALink, two different methods are available.

Most mailers will choose to have lists NCOALink processed by sending them, usually electronically, to a USPS-licensed provider of the service. This choice requires virtually no up-front costs, asking mailers instead to pay as they go.

The alternative is to become an NCOALink licensee yourself. Bringing NCOALink technology in-house enables maximum processing control and list security, and almost completely sidesteps occasional third-party service delays. But this freedom comes at a price: USPS Licensing and Interface product fees — paid to an intermediary technology provider (like BCC) and the USPS itself — make this option cost-effective only to companies processing very high volumes of mail. If you fit that description, however, you may find nothing beats having address-updating capabilities under your own roof.

What NCOALink services does BCC Provide?

BCC Software is USPS-certified for NCOALink in the followingcategories:

• Limited Service Provider: BCC offers NCOALink LSP processing as a BCC MOVE Update service — one of an array of BCC Data Services that help Mail Manager 2010 users manage list data and improve mailing accuracy and efficiency. (We will continue to offer FASTforward processing until it is phased out by the USPS; other BCC MOVE Update services include DSF²™ (Identifies Deliverable Addresses and Specific Address Attributes), Locatable Address Conversion System [LACS] and DPV™ (Verifies Accuracy of Deliverability).
  
• Interface Developer and Interface Distributor: BCC has made NCOALink technology the backbone of the popular MOVE Manager option for Mail Manager 2010. (BCC Software was among the first two companies certified to offer this technology.) MOVE Manager is BCC’s proprietary interface that enables real time, in-house address-updating — formerly featuring FASTforward technology, and now NCOALink. BCC Software receives weekly NCOALink updates.

The chart below outlines the three “sizes” of the new MOVE Manager options:

How many records are contained in the COA database?

According to the USPS, an estimated 44 million Americans changed addresses in 2002 alone. Of that number, anyone who completed and submitted a permanent COA card was recorded in the USPS COA database, which is accessed by NCOALink. In all, the COA database contains more than 156 million COA listings filed in the last 48 months. (Click here to download a USPS document with additional information.)

How many years of COA data are available via NCOALink?

The COA database contains COA data for the last 48 months, some or all of which are available for an NCOALink job, depending on whether your vendor has access to Limited or Full service.

For those accessing NCOALink via BCC’s MOVE Manager option for Mail Manager 2010, the degree of COA database depth depends on which version of the option is licensed. MOVE Manager EU (End-User) and LSP (Limited-Service Provider) both allow access of up to the past 18 months of COA data, while MOVE Manager FSP (Full-Service Provider) grants access to the full 48 months of COA listings. (All MOVE Manager licensees have the ability to adjust their COA access to as few as six months up to the maximum 18/48 months, depending on the needs associated with a given job.)

BCC Software is currently a licensed Limited-Service Provider, but also offers access to Full Service-level NCOALink processing through a third-party supplier.

What does it mean to be an NCOALink Limited Service Provider?

BCC’s Limited Service Provider status allows us to offer NCOALink processing as a standard BCC MOVE Update choice to users of Mail Manager 2010 software — only because we’re a licensed LSP, we don’t have to send the lists to a third-party vendor for processing. Clicking a single button in the 2010 task bar delivers users to a wizard-driven interface that greatly assists the preparation and submission of lists for the Move Update process.

The intuitive interface built into Mail Manager 2010 helps to ensure that users previously familiar with NCOA or FASTforward processes can enjoy a seamless transition to this new technology.

Will I still get Nixie information with NCOALink processing?

The data will still be provided, but not under the name Nixie; instead, it will now be contained in an expanded return codes section, and will be available in all NCOALink categories. Click here for more information concerning the differences between Nixie codes and NCOALink return codes.

What steps are required to become NCOALink certified?

These can be found at the USPS Web site. Select "FSP Info", "LSP Info" or "EU Info", depending upon which license you are interested in pursuing.

Is NCOALink licensing network-compatible, or available for multiple-site usage?

A single NCOALink license authorizes its holder to use NCOALink technology over a valid network. Multiple-site usage is also allowed, providing the user obtains the proper number of NCOALink licenses and separate valid subscriptions to the host software (e.g., Mail Manager 2010).

How long does it take to install MOVE Manager and NCOALink data?

BCC’s MOVE Manager option takes only a few minutes to load, but the NCOALink database, received on two DVDs directly from the Postal Service, takes considerably longer. On BCC’s internal system (using a 2.5 GHz microprocessor), loading the 18-month Limited Service Provider database takes about 30 minutes. Naturally, your results will depend greatly on the speed of the computer system on which you load the data.

What hardware requirements are associated with running MOVE Manager?

End User or Limited Service Provider NCOALink files contain approximately 6 gigabytes of data, including the COA database (4.5 GB), latitude/longitude files (266 MB), ZIP + 4® files (575 MB), and optional DPV files (552 MB). Your hard drive should have sufficient available space for all of these files. Processing speeds may vary depending on system specifications. (Note: Loading data files into a RAM drive can significantly increase processing speeds.)