Central States, Southeast and Southwest Areas Pension Plan

Item #15 

Does the application include a description of the efforts that are being taken to contact participants, 

beneficiaries in pay status, and alternate payees.

See section 4.05(2). 

A description of the efforts being taken to contact participants, beneficiaries in pay status, and 

alternate payees is attached as document number 15.1. A due diligence letter from Small World 

Solutions LLC dated February 19, 2015 is attached as document number 15.2. A due diligence 

letter from Small World Solutions LLC dated July 27, 2015 is attached as document number 15.3. 

15.0
Section 4.05(2). Does the application include a description of the efforts that are being 

taken to contact participants, beneficiaries in pay status, and alternate payees. 

Central States has taken numerous steps to contact participants, beneficiaries in pay status, and 

alternate payees. In February 2015, Central States hired Small World Solutions, LLC (SWS) to 

locate current addresses for individuals that had invalid addresses on file with Central States. 

Central States provided SWS with information concerning those 32,015 individuals. On 

February 19, 2015, SWS was able to provide an address for 25,366 of those individuals. A due 

diligence letter from SWS regarding the February 19, 2015 search is attached. Central States 

updated its addresses based upon the information provided by SWS. 

In April 2015, Central States sent a letter to all participants, beneficiaries in pay status, and 

alternate payees via United States Postal Service First Class presorted which includes forwarding 

and address correction services. The letter advised those individuals that the Board of Trustees 

was considering whether to file an application to suspend benefits. Central States set up a special 

MPRA website (www.cspensionrescue.com) to provide participants, beneficiaries in pay status, 

and alternate payees with information and updates concerning the MPRA process, and Central 

States encouraged those individuals to sign up for updates via email by registering on the 

website. Central States has updated that website throughout the process and those individuals 

that provided an email address received emails alerting them when new information was 

available.

After the April 2015 mailing, the United States Postal Service provided address updates and 

returned mail from those mailings to Central States. Central States updated its records for new 

addresses and compiled a list of invalid addresses from the returned mail. Central States 

provided SWS with information concerning 15,465 individuals that had invalid addresses. On 

July 27, 2015, SWS was able to provide an address for 6,945 of those individuals. A due 

diligence letter from SWS regarding the July 27, 2015 search is attached. Central States again 

updated its addresses based upon the information provided by SWS. In addition, with respect to 

active participants that had invalid addresses, Central States’ staff contacted the active 

participant’s current employer to obtain addresses. With respect to terminated participants, 

Central States’ staff contacted the terminated participant’s local union to obtain addresses. 

The current mailing list for the notice of this application has been updated with respect to both 

searches performed by SWS and has also taken into account any address information provided 

by individuals on the MPRA website. The notice of this application will be mailed via United 

States Postal Service First Class Mail which includes forwarding and address correction services

to a total of 410,209 participants, beneficiaries in pay status, and alternate payees. Of this total, 

10,658 of the addresses cannot be verified. This represents only 2.6% of the total. Any updated 

addresses obtained from the United States Postal Service after the mailing will be used to update 

Central States’ records. To the extent that any of the addresses are undeliverable, Central States 

intends to request that SWS conduct an additional search for those addresses. 

15.1.1