# Presentation: 673864

## MTAC Workgroup 106 Improve, integrate, and optimize data sources...Brian Euclide, TEC Mailing Solutions LLCBob Galaher, USPS Business Mail Acceptance

- August 02, 2007
- Washington DC

## MTAC Workgroup 106 – Agenda

- Business Needs
- Group Goals
- Objectives
- Status
- Next Steps

## MTAC Workgroup 106 – Business Needs

- There is a business need for a comprehensive data source and business process standards that supports the mailing supply chain from mail preparation to mail induction and delivery:
- Mail preparation – containerization for work-share discounts, and destination induction
- Mail induction – destination entry discount to appropriate entry point facilities
- Operational efficiencies – policies and procedures, business rules, and business processes for data management, consistent practices, conflict resolution, and quality management.

## MTAC Workgroup 106 – Business Needs

- Why a comprehensive data source and standardized processes?
- Current disparate data sources are interdependent, need to establish linkage for consistency, accuracy, timeliness, and access
- Current usage and processes implemented independently throughout the industry creates inconsistent application and occasional confusion/conflict
- USPS Initiatives such as Seamless Acceptance
- Service Performance Measurement?

## MTAC Workgroup 106 – Goals

- Recommend solutions that optimize the integration of data sources used in the mailing life-cycle from preparation to delivery (i.e. Drop Ship products, Labeling Lists, and Facility Information).
- Identify a consolidated data set and determine communication methods to disseminate information in a timely manner.
- Identify business rules and processes to ensure data integrity, currency, standardization and implementation.

## MTAC Workgroup 106 – Objectives

- Define problem
- Disconnects between preparation (i.e. containerizing, labeling) and induction (i.e. destination entry)
- Determine needs
- Consolidated Data Source
- Data Solution – No Ambiguity, Standardizes Usage
- Maintainable – Integrated, Reliable, Quality Assurance
- Responsive – Change Management, Timely
- Supports – Preparation to Delivery
- Develop recommendations/solutions
- Centralized Data Source
- Identifies Container Contents
- Defines Container Zip Code Groupings
- Discount Options
- Physical Entry Locations (facility to induct mail)
- Physical USPS Destination Locations (facility working the mail)

**Notes:**
Define problem
Disconnects between “labeling” information used in preparation and “drop ship product” use in discount determination and drop off points
Current processes not integrated and difficult to maintain. Lack quality assurance, adequate feedback, and update processes. Current data have some ambiguities, lack some elements, and lack effective synchronization and user availability.
Determine needs
Need to establish a comprehensive data source that provides support in the mailing cycle from preparation to drop shipment dispatch. 
The data needs to be easily maintained. Easy to update and maintain the linkages necessary for preparation (construction of the containers) to locating discount eligibility and physical “geo-codable entry point facilities. Must facilitate changes keeping data synchronized. Provides all the data elements necessary to support cross functional supply chain activities (presort, preparation, entry point planning, load planning, etc....
Develop recommendations/solutions
Propose centralized data source containing elements necessary to identify how the mailing is to be prepared, what discount options are available, and what physical location does the mail need to be dropped at to receive the discount.

## MTAC Workgroup 106 – Status

- Developed a recommendation for a data structure to integrate the disparate data sources (Labeling Lists, Drop Ship Products, and Facility Information)
- Comprehensive
- Centralized and Standardized
- End-to-end (from preparation to entry)
- Closes gaps
- Held discussions with Workgroup 87
- Making great improvements in some data areas
- No plans for solutions relative to mail preparation
- Workgroup performing final review and comments to solution
- Will not address implementation level issues

## MTAC Workgroup 106 – Next

- Develop business process for system
- Data management and Business process/rules
- Data integrity
- Change management
- Change implementation rules
- Feedback / validation loop
- Complete report – extension of 6 months
- Business needs and benefits
- Proposed solution
- Business process/rules recommendations
- Discuss proposal and processes at next general session (Aug 2007)
- Submit solution to MTAC leadership by October 2007

## MTAC Workgroup 106

- Questions?
- Contacts:
- Bob Galaher,
- _[robert.i.galaher@usps.gov](mailto:robert.i.galaher@usps.gov)_
- Brian Euclide,
- _[brian@tecmailing.com](mailto:brian@tecmailing.com)_