The USPS' Automated Barcode Evaluator (ABE) Program has been temporarily delayed until further notice. The ABE machines are new pieces of equipment which the USPS plans to install and utilize in their mail processing facilities all across the USA.

Over the past few years, it has become more and more obvious to the USPS that in order for their ongoing automation implementation drive to work most efficiently and effectively, they must be provided with a large portion of high quality (accurate and readable) pre-barcoded letter mail. If mailers submit barcoded mailings with poor quality, non-readable barcodes, the purpose is defeated when the mail either gets rejected or mis-sorted/mis-routed by automated sorting machines known as Barcode Sorters (BCSs) or Delivery Point Barcode Sorters (DPBCSs). Poor quality barcodes cause additional processing time and steps in the delivery process. This problem is magnified and the losses are greatened by the fact that currently, substantial quantities of mail with bad barcodes are not noticed prior to the postage discounts being granted and the mail being entered into the system.

In order to tackle this problem and encourage better quality mail going into the system, the new ABE machines will be used to verify the readability of postnet barcodes pre-applied or printed onto the mail by mailers wishing to take advantage of Letter Mail automation discounts.

The near future plan is for the USPS to feed a random sampling (exact quantity yet to be determined/subject to change) of each First Class or Standard/Bulk Rate "Letter" mailing submitted for automation (barcode) postage discounts through an ABE machine for barcode quality testing. ABE will locate and read the postnet barcodes and determine whether they are readable or not. Barcode location, print quality, size and shape of the individual bars, skew and a few other factors will all be part of the machines evaluation process. The machine then analyses the results of what it read and produces a report showing the test results and score. Based on the score achieved, different things will happen.

Currently, the USPS goal is to see the program be officially launched and then reach the point where a mailing must achieve an overall score of at least 95% quality in order to reap the full automation discounts for the entire mailing. Mailings which score between 70% and 95% will result in a loss of the automation discount for that percentage of automation mail below 95%. Mail scoring below 70% will not qualify at all for any automation rates!

These figures, scores and procedures were to have already been implemented on April 16th, after testing stages and a trial period. However, while in the testing stages, (and even before it started), several mailers voiced their concerns and discomfort of the proposed ABE Program. The fear of having large mailings wrongly rejected or denied from receiving automation discounts has many mailers in a panic and sweating bullets.

Think of the consequences and nightmares which could occur to mailers who drop off thousands or millions of pieces, expecting to pay the "automation" discount postage rates when being informed that the mailings are to be charged at full rate! Take it one step further and imagine the disputes, losses and problems which may be encountered when determining who will eat the financial loss in the event that a lettershop or presort bureau has trouble submitting a mailing for a customer who they already promised the discount rates to and the customer authorized or budgeted the job accordingly! Technically, since the lettershop or presort bureau is to be considered the professional, the blame and responsibility should probably fall on their shoulders.

Will such risks/liabilities cause lettershops and presort bureaus to raise their service charges and fees to cover such situations? Will new, improved or more creative business liability insurance policies be invented to combat/cure such situations? We'll have to wait and see what happens once the ABE program is officially launched and time takes its toll.

Two of the biggest reasons for the delay in implementation is that the accuracy of the machines, as well as the reporting functions are showing weaknesses and are being challenged by the mailers. Some of the ABE machines reportedly had problems or were questioned regarding their ability to maintain accurate calibration (which ensures testing accuracy). The other issue is that in the tests where mailings were failed, the ABE systems lacked the ability to produce adequate proof and documentation to justify the decisions they made and the scores they determined.

Obviously, if the USPS is going to boldly tell a mailer that they will have to give up large amounts of money which they had expected to save from attaining automation discounts, then they will have to be prepared to fight out disputes with adequate ammunition (documentation).

In order to keep the process moving and work out the remaining wrinkles, a joint Customer/Postal Service - Technical Advisory Group (TAG) was formed along the way. The TAG will continue to work closely on the ABE program to provide fairness for the mailers and the USPS as well as to ensure high quality performance and accuracy from the systems.

In all fairness to the USPS though, mailers shouldn't worry so much about ABE because if they operate and maintain good equipment and train their people well to know how to read and spot a bad barcode (as the better mailing operations do), then any barcode problems would be recognized and corrected way before the mail would ever have been brought to the USPS anyway. On the contrary, we should all be happy that the USPS is in fact interested in maintaining quality so that we can ALL get better, faster and more accurate Letter Mail delivery in the USA.

So rather than worrying about ABE, mailers should concentrate their efforts toward checking, improving and maintaining the quality levels achieved on the output and processes of their current systems. There are currently many database, address coding and specialty software programs and printing systems available for businesses and applications of all sizes. They enable mailers to easily and effectively produce high quality automation discount mailings and win the appropriate postage discounts as well as speed the delivery of their U.S. Mail.

Of course in the end it will be important that the ABE equipment works well and has feasible reporting capabilities and maintains credibility so that mailers are not wrongly cheated of any discounts. The TAG certainly has their work cut out for them as they identify and work out the last remaining bugs and flaws in the ABE equipment and program. New software technology, basic electro-mechanical concerns and public acceptance/politics will surely all play roles in the final outcome and implementation dates, yet to be determined. (More to follow as testing proceeds and information becomes available).

Scott DeMayo, CMDSM, MPQCS is President of DeMayo Mail Management and DMM Web, Mailing Operations Consulting and Web Site design firm. Questions or comments are welcomed at (201) 361-0278 or E-mail scott@demayo.com Readers are also invited to visit the DMM Web-Site and download free software at http://www.demayo.com