PENNSYLVANIA AREA

Location:	UGI Utilities, Inc., 225 Morgantown Road, Reading, Pennsylvania
Date:	Wednesday, September 18, 2002
Time:	9:00 a.m.
Topic:	This meeting will be a class for CODE-1 Plus.
Contact:	Susan Miller - smmiller@ugi.com and Dennis Bratcher - dbratcher@dimarkinc.com

Earlier this year, Group 1 Software became the first North American company to acquire distribution rights to the Universal Postal Union's (UPU) worldwide database. The data for this database is provided to the UPU by all its member countries and dependencies (approximately 200 all together) and is the only complete postal database available anywhere.

As a first step towards reaching our goal of global data coverage, we are integrating an initial 40 countries into the database currently in use with CODE-1 Plus International. This new data set will be available with CODE-1 Plus International, version 1.6, which will be released shortly.

This will result in a product with the ability to perform address data correction/validation for 123 countries and pattern-based validation for 97 countries. In addition, version 1.6 has full Dispatcher4 access and will be able to deal with a variety of delimited files.

The remainder of the UPU's database is expected to be incorporated into CODE-1 Plus International by the end of 2002.

Following is a list of the new databases added to version 1.6:

Does your company use a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system? Are you looking to implement one? If your company does not have the ability to identify new and unique customers across the enterprise, then it may be time to consider a CRM system.

Group 1 Software is pleased to announce it's Siebel 7 validation option for Data Quality Connector version 7. We are the only Premiere Siebel Partner in the data quality space, and we are now validated for Siebel Enterprise versions 6 and 7. Group 1 is also the first data quality vendor to be validated on Siebel 7 MidMarket.

The Group 1 Data Quality Connector is a data quality solution that provides address verification, standardization, and duplicate elimination within Siebel for over 220 countries and dependencies worldwide. For more information regarding the our Data Quality Connector, please visit our Web site at www.g1.com or email us at info@g1.com.

Excited? You should be. Group 1 Software's 21st Annual Users Conference is just around the corner. Register before July 9, 2002, and receive the Pre-Conference Registration fee. To register online, visit www.g1.com/uconf or fax your registration form to 301-918-0464 Attention Conference Coordinator. Don't miss your chance to participate in informative sessions on Group 1 products (DOC1, DM1, and Enterprise Data Solutions).

While you're there, stop by our Solutions and Technical Help Centers to speak with technical support representatives, developers, and professional service representatives on hand to help you. Get your questions answered and learn about some of the newest technology from Group 1 vendors and business partners.

Take a break and relax Thursday night at the Group 1 Block Party. Enjoy good food and live entertainment. It is a great way to network with the Group 1 staff and other users. Let's work together on "Building Better Relationships" with everyone.

Omnibus postal reform legislation will not be brought to the floor of the House of Representatives this year. The House Committee on Government Reform voted yesterday to defeat HR 4970, the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act. By a roll call vote of 20-9 the bill was defeated. Nine members of the panel voted "present" - similar to abstaining. Eight members of the Committee did not vote. To see a complete vote count, go to www.nonprofitmailers.org/hr4970vote.htm

HR 4970 was the product of intense compromise negotiations between Committee Republican and Democratic leaders. The USPS Governors supported the proposal, granting broad new powers to an independent Postal Regulatory Commission.

The bill built upon earlier proposals promoted by Rep. John McHugh (R-NY) and included the notion of an "enhanced postal regulatory regime" or "Super Rate Commission" promoted by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA). The measure was aimed at controlling rate increases for "Market Dominant" products while allowing the USPS Governors more flexibility in setting prices for "Competitive" postal products.

Perhaps the more surprising development in the House Committee markup was the depth of influence that United Parcel Service lobbyists had on the Republican side of the aisle. UPS had engaged in a very aggressive lobbying campaign to defeat the bill.

If no Democrats had shown up at the markup, the bill still would have failed. By the time the votes were counted, twelve Republicans had abandoned Chairman Dan Burton (R-IN) and Rep. McHugh to oppose the measure.

Back issues of NewsCast are being archived. Click previous issues to go the NewsCast homepage to review any prior issues.

Below are some links that may be of interest to our customers:

Group 1's Web Page - http://www.g1.com. The Group 1 Software Web site provides customers with valuable information concerning different areas of the company. From this Web site, you can access education information, recent press releases, support, and much more useful information.

USPS Web Site Business Section - http://www.usps.com/smallbiz

The USPS Web Site - www.usps.gov. This Web site allows customers to check out the latest information regarding postage rates and fees, news and events in the postal community, locations of local post offices, and provides various other links. There is also a place where postal service customers can track the status of a package or access other online mailing forms.

Canada Post - http://www.canadapost.ca/splash.asp. This is the direct link to the Canada Post Web site.

USPS PostalOne - http://www.pilot.uspspostalone.com. This is the direct link to the USPS PostalOne Web site.

USPS Rapid Information Bulletin Board System - http://ribbs.usps.gov. This is the National Customer Support Center for the United States Postal Service. It provides you mail-service updates, current weather conditions, and other interesting facts pertaining to the Postal Service.

Postal Rate Commission - http://www.prc.gov. The Postal Rate Commission Web site provides information about the organization, its function and procedures, along with postal rates and fees. It also provides a location where you can voice your opinion to the Consumer Advocate.

Nonprofit Mailers - http://www.nonprofitmailers.org. The Alliance is the primary representative of nonprofit mailers before the Postal Rate Commission, at the United States Postal Service's (USPS) Headquarters, and on Capitol Hill.

Postcom - http://www.postcom.org. Postcom is the Association for Postal Commerce. Its Web site provides you with up-to-date information regarding what is going on in the "postal world." It includes links to other helpful sites, as well as a place to contact your U.S. Senators or Representatives.