What Is CASS?
The United States Postal Service is in the business of receiving, routing, and delivering mail. In order to make this process as economical as possible the USPS is constantly searching for ways to streamline the system.
In cooperation with the mass mailing industry, the USPS has developed a process of evaluating address-matching software known as CASS (Coding Accuracy Support System) certification. CASS has developed a common platform for the measurement of the quality of address-matching software. CASS certification's purpose is to improve the accuracy of 5-digit ZIP Codes, ZIP + 4 Codes, delivery point codes and carrier route codes applied to mail. Mailers using automated mailing are given automation rates and all their address lists must be matched by CASS certified software.
CASS is important to the USPS because it establishes a strict set of performance standards for all automated mailings. These standards allows the USPS to streamline mail handling and sorting and provide feedback to mailers. The feedback allows mailers to evaluate and diagnose internally written, commercially available address matching software packages. Service bureau's matching software can also be measured.
CASS is also important to the mailers. Using CASS can qualify mailers for Substantial postage discounts. CASS Certification Software Certification of your CASS software is done in two Stages. Stage I is not compulsory but provides valuable feedback on the accuracy of address matching software in the following areas: (1) five-digit coding, (2) ZIP + 4/ delivery point (DP) coding, (3) carrier route coding, (4) DPV®, (5) DSF2®, (6) LACSLink® (7) eLOT® and (8), RDI� products. It is invaluable in preparation for Stage II. The CASS file contains in the neighborhood of 150,000 test addresses to test your software against. Customers can then evaluate the accuracy of their software against the test data. If software modifications are then required they can then be made before proceeding to Stage II. Stage II is a pass - no pass evaluation of the CASS software. It also contains approximately 150,000 address but does not provide answers for the errors. In order to obtain CASS certification, software must produce a minimum score of 98.5% for ZIP+4, carrier route, five-digit and LACSLink. 100% accuracy is needed for delivery point coding, eLOT, DPV, RDI, and Perfect Address. Certification is valid until the end of the current annual period. Annual certification is required by applying the Stage II test. If vendors wish, once they are certified, they can be published in the CASS/MASS Certified Products Guide located at http://ribbs.usps.gov/files/vendors.
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