DST Output Certified as Quality Mailing Partner of U.S. Postal Service  

Company’s California Operation Receives Certification in Postal Service’s

Mail Preparation Total Quality Management (MPTQM) Program

EL DORADO HILLS , CA , February 16, 2005 — DST Output’s El Dorado Hills operation center recently received certification and designation as a Quality Mailing Partner in the U.S. Postal Service’s Mail Preparation Total Quality Management (MPTQM) program. With that, DST Output solidifies its position as the nation’s largest third-party First-Class mailer audited and MPTQM-certified by the government agency. (Go to www.usps.com/mptqm/lmcert.htm for MPTQM-certified list mailers .)

MPTQM is the Postal Service’s management and standardized assessment system implemented to ensure quality throughout the mail preparation process. MPTQM criteria are based on ISO 9000, Malcolm Baldrige Performance Excellence, and Total Quality Management methodologies.

“MPTQM certification validates the quality processes and practices already in place at DST Output,” said Karl Turner, executive vice president of Operations. “It also gives us another benchmark in our quality program that is beneficial to our clients.”

To receive MPTQM certification, documentation of DST Output’s quality processes and procedures was submitted to the Postal Service. Its El Dorado Hills production facility then underwent a quality verification audit conducted by the Postal Service in November 2004. An audit score of 95 percent earns certification, and DST Output received a noteworthy 99.11 percent. MPTQM is an ongoing commitment to quality excellence, and audits are performed on a regular basis.

“Becoming a Quality Mailing Partner of the U.S. Postal Service demonstrates our ongoing commitment to maintain premier status within the industry,” Turner added. “It is a testament to the knowledge and expertise of our associates and their ability to ensure topnotch quality service for our customers.”

Unlike many of its competitors, DST Output can point to MPTQM certification and its listing as a Quality Mailer to assure clients of the quality mail preparation performed at the facility. MPTQM certification supports DST Output’s company goals relating to operational excellence, quality, and client satisfaction.

For additional information about the Postal Service’s MPTQM program, visit www.usps.com/mptqm/.

About DST Output
DST Output, a wholly owned subsidiary of DST Systems, Inc., provides integrated print and electronic communications for the brokerage, banking, mutual fund, insurance, communications, and healthcare industries. As the largest third-party First Class mailer in the United States, DST Output produces more than 1.6 billion customer communications a year from its state-of-the-art facilities in North America. IndustryWeek magazine has included one of those facilities in its list of "Top Ten Best Plants in North America" in 2002.

For more information visit www.dstoutput.com.