BMP recognises Mail Houses who have invested in processes to make Mail Lodgement more efficient and effective.

The scheme has its roots in the AP/MMUA Code of Practice, which aims to encourage a total quality culture within the Mailing industry.

The BMP scheme is part of an overall collaborative commitment between Post and the Mailing Industry to work together to make mail a more efficient, effective and low risk channel for communication.

BMP has three key prerequisites: e-LMS, CBQA and PIP.

• e-LMS (Electronic Lodgement Mailing Statements) is an electronic gateway, allowing Mail Houses to lodge Mail Statement information via a web-based application, using either direct entry or file transfer from the Mail House production control systems. Note that it is a requirement that the latest version of e-LMS is being used and that e- LMS is being used for at least 95% of all lodgements.
• CBQA (Customer Barcoding Quality Assurance System) utilises a hand held scanner to check the barcodes on addresses. It allows Mail Houses to verify that the printed barcode meets print specifications and that the DPID contained within the barcode matches the printed address. It is also used to check the DPID assignment accuracy, barcode print specifications and to check that letters within a tray have been sorted to the correct barcode sort plan.
• PIP (the Process Improvement Program) involves a review by a joint Mail House / Post team, of the production control process within a Mail House to ensure their quality. Once a Mail House has successfully gone through the PIP process, Australia Post places a higher level of reliance on the information supplied by the Mail House and reduces the level of acceptance checking that is required.
• From 1 July 2006 it will be mandatory for Mail Houses that lodge Print Post to have implemented PIP for Print Post. BMP is supported by the Lodgement Quality System (LQS). LQS is an on-line system used by Australia Post and by BMP Mail Houses to record and analyse issues that arise with the lodgement of Bulk Mail.

LQS is used to provide information to support collaboration between Post and Mail Houses by providing information to support meetings that include discussions regarding lodgement quality, and other joint process improvement initiatives. LQS is also used to calculate a percentage of issues (weighted by severity) to total lodgements. The benchmark for acceptable BMP performance is an issues rating of less than 5%.

Once a Mail House has e-LMS, CBQA and PIP in place, they are eligible to apply for BMP status. The BMP assessment process consists of a self-assessment of internal controls by the Mail House, and a review of the quality of lodgements measured by LQS.

The benchmark performance for entry to the BMP scheme is an issues rating measured by LQS of less than 5%. If a Mail House is exceeding 5% during the BMP assessment process, the applicant will not be eligible to receive BMP status.