How to ensure that mailings work with USPS requirements

[Bob Stromberg]

Hi, a local business wants to use MS Office 2003 to produce direct mailings.
My contact said that they need to meet the US Post Office's PAVE
requirements. See http://ribbs.usps.gov/files/PAVE/PUBS/WHATISPAVE.PDF

I am not sure this is absolutely necessary. The WHATISPAVE.PDF says that
PAVE (and a related requirement called CASS) is a certification for software
products, and in certain circumstances "you have the option of using
PAVE-certified software or producing standardized documentation" as described
in the DMM (Domestic Mail Manual).

I gather that anyone using MS Office to roll their own mailing list would
want to reduce their costs by going the standardized documentation route.
Also, unlike support for Avery labels, support for this is not built into MS
Office.

Can anyone confirm this?

Thanks!