[Baypiggies] CASS certified Postal Mail Verification free RESTful API?

[Glen Jarvis]

I have the need to consume an API service. I'd like it to be an Open
Source/Creative Commons service instead of paying for it.

There are several commercial equivalent RESTful APIs that I could consume.
Some examples follow:

* http://www.cdyne.com/terms/address-standardization.aspx
* http://www.experian.com/small-business/address-verification.jsp
*
http://www1.intelligentsearch.com/address-verification/CA-online-DPV+LACS.htm

The reason I want to consume this service is to verify that if I have a
business from one source and I want to intelligently/programmatically match
that same business from another source, one of the steps in that
validation/verification is to compare addresses.

Half way through looking at this, I think "There's no API to do this. I
could make a Python service to do this as an open source project." Any time
I get in that mode, I usually find someone has attempted it or has a very
successful version of it already running.


Q1) Does anyone know of a package/service that already exists like this --
as a free API?



Q2) If the answer to Q1 is no, then I want to create an open source
project/free service that is consumable by anyone. I am looking for the
original data from the USPS. Does anyone know where I can find it.


I've found other resources, such as these:

This is the US Government certification for evaluation of such software:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coding_Accuracy_Support_System

A list of software suppliers that already do this:
http://ribbs.usps.gov/files/vendors/cassn01d.TXT

Tech Guidelines:
http://ribbs.usps.gov/cassmass/documents/tech_guides/CASS%20Cert%20Req%20MAILERS%20Guide.pdf

Example Error codes
http://www.ccamedical.com/ZirMed%20Address%20Cass%20Error%20Codes.htm


I'm still trolling through data to find something. I'd hate to do all of
this work if someone else already provides this service. I am also trying to
find the raw address data.

Thanks in advance for any help that you may provide....

Cheers,



Glen
-- 
Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter
least.

-- Goethe
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