Postal Automation Redirection System (PARS)

The Postal Automation Redirection System (PARS) is designed to identify “Undeliverable as Addressed” (UAA) letter mail at the first machine handling and automatically redirect it to the correct destination.

PARS will automate the handling of:

• Change of Address (COA) forms - 3575
• Carrier Changes of Address cards - 3982
• Notification to Mailer of Correction of Address forms - 3547
• Address Correction Services
• Forwarded Mail – UAA due to a move
• Carrier Return Mail – UAA due to a reason other than a move

PARS will not change the handling non-machineable letters, flats, parcels or rolls that are undeliverable as addressed.

On April 9, 2002, the Board of Governors approved funding for the PARS program which had been tested in Dulles, VA. The USPS notified the APWU of its intent to deploy PARS nationally. Phase 1 was tentatively scheduled to begin in July 2003 and completed by February 2004. On April 25, 2003, the USPS notified [PDF] the APWU of updated information. However, technical problems delayed deployment. In a letter dated Aug. 5, 2004 [PDF] the Postal Service notified the APWU that PARS deployment would resume on Aug. 21, 2004. An updated deployment schedule for phase one was included.

The USPS provided an updated deployment schedule, Phase Two for Letters, on Oct. 31, 2005. (PARS for flats is still in the developmental stage.)

PARS is designed to automatically intercept and redirect (initially approximately 50 percent) automated UAA letter mail at its origin and process it on new labeling machines at Processing & Distribution Centers. The new technology will also use OCRs to process the 43 million COA forms the USPS receives each year. The COA form will be redesigned to allow for scanning.

This program is expected to eliminate mechanized terminals at the initial 40 CFS sites included in Phase 1. Since the PARS has the ability to “lift” images, some additional terminals will be needed for data conversion operators at the 20 Remote Encoding Centers.

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