MERLIN

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MERLIN Mail Evaluation Readability and Lookup
INstrument
Mailers Technical Advisory Committee August 8,
2002
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Agenda

• Activities Report Since April 4th MTAC Mail
  Preparation Quality Workgroup Meeting
• MTAC Barcode Quality Industry Practices Workgroup
• Flats Correlation (Sensitivity) Testing
• 60 Day Grace Period
• Outstanding Issues
• Website Information

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MERLIN
Mailing Evaluation Readability Lookup INstrument
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Simultaneous Verification
MERLIN

• Presort / Mail Makeup
• Piece Count by Weight
• Barcode Readability
• Tray Label Accuracy
• Address and Barcode Accuracy

• Walk Sequence Accuracy
• Mailpiece Dimensions
• Endorsements and Rate Markings
• Combined Mailings
• Meter Identification and
• Date

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MERLIN Deployment
Southeast Area Alabama Atlanta Central
Florida Mississippi North Florida South
Florida South Georgia Suncoast Tennessee
Southwest Area Arkansas Dallas Houston Louisiana O
klahoma Ft Worth Rio Grande
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MTAC Mail Preparation Quality Workgroup

• Formed at January MTAC Meeting
• USPS Co-Chair Michelle Denny
• Industry Co-Chair Bob OBrien, Time Customer Svc.
• February 20 Meeting
• Established 20 Industry Recommendations
• April 4 Meeting
• Update on USPS Actions
• Action Plan Agreed To
• Agreement to Sunset

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MTAC Mail Preparation Quality Workgroup

• April 4 Resolutions
• Action Taken on 20 Recommendations
• 60 Grace Period To Begin No Earlier Than June 1
• Flats Barcode Assessments No Earlier Than August
  1
• 80 Threshold Until Completion of Flats
  Correlation Testing
• Formation of Barcode Quality Industry Best
  Practices Workgroup

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MTAC Barcode Quality Industry Best Practices
Workgroup

• USPS Co-Chair Scott Hamel
• Industry Co-Chair Wanda Senne, World Marketing
• Focus
• Industry Best Practices
• MERLIN Report Enhancements
• Barcode Error Reference Guide
• Mailers Guide
• Communications (Boston NPF)

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Industry Best Practices

• Two Sub-groups Formed
• Mailers Best Practices
• Ernie Broennie, Mail Unlimited
• Vendors Best Practices - Universal Inkjet
  Addressing Guidelines
• Mark Breunig, Domino Amjet

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Barcode Error Reference Guide

• Hernan Borja, USPS Engineer
• Update to Existing Publication
• Methodology
• Thresholds
• Reporting Errors
• Easier to Understand

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MERLIN Mailers Guide

• Kathleen Siviter PCSI, Inc. (Postcom)
• Outline Completed
• What is MERLIN?
• Preparing for MERLIN Deployment (Phases)
• Mailer Tips for Successful Barcode Readability
  Testing
• Resources
• Contacts

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Correlation (Sensitivity) Study

• Kathleen Siviter PCSI, Inc. (Postcom)
• USPS Asked Industry For Critical Parameters
• USPS Engineers Could Not Create Barcode Errors
• Further Refinement of Parameters
• Industry Will Provide Samples
• USPS Goal is 98 Read Rate Yet Discounts Based on
  93

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60 Day Grace Period

• June 1 in Southeast Area
• Push-Back if USPS/Site Not Ready
• Southwest Area Has Not Begun

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Outstanding Issues

• Appeals Process
• Strappers
• Mailpiece ID Legibility
• Flats Template
• Co-palletization
• Different Orientation of Address
• CPP Publications
• Co-Mail (Variable thickness)

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MERLIN Website Information

• Three Ways to Access
• www.usps.com/merlin (Most Up-to-Date)
• www.pilot.uspspostalone.com
• www.ribbs.usps.gov
• MTAC
• Latest on Mail Quality

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MERLIN

• Questions?