Utility Billing and Lockbox Services

The vendor is required to provide utility billing services, including printing, processing, and mailing, as well as lockbox services for the daily collection and processing of mailed utility bill payments.
- Utility billing services - printing, processing and mailing:
- The selected vendor will be responsible for printing the city’s regular utility bills, reminder bills, final bills, and reminder final bills five (5) days a week (Monday through Friday), upon receiving an electronic file transfer from department, which will be sent by noon (12:00pm) eastern standard time (EST) each weekday.
- The bill images will be provided in pdf or another approved electronic format, as mutually agreed upon by the city and the selected vendor; no data will be transferred on city holidays (10 days per year).
• Print approximately 71,000 bills per month, with 3,000 to 5,000 printed daily
• Supply pre-printed billing stock or other approved 20 lb. stock paper, subject to department approval
• Supply pre-printed #9 return envelopes and #10 envelopes, subject to department approval
• Process and mail/postmark the bills on the same day they are printed
• Prepare and submit a daily audit report detailing the number of bills printed and mailed, along with an exception report that clearly identifies any bills not printed, providing an explanation for the issue.
- Regular billings: approximately 63,000 per month; fold and insert the following items into a #10 envelope:
• One (1) utility bill
• One (1) insert (provided by department periodically throughout the year)
• One (1) 9 return envelope
- Approximately 50 monthly billings consist of multiple pages, typically two (2) pages; the vendor shall have the capability to process multi-page billings and ensure proper postage is applied.
- Past due reminder notices: approximately 7,800 per month; fold and insert one (1) reminder notice into a #10 envelope; no return envelope or additional inserts are included.
- Final past due reminder notices: approximately 150 per month; fold and insert one (1) final past due reminder notice into a 10 envelope; no return envelope or additional inserts are included.
- Direct debit notices: approximately 13,000 per month; fold and insert the following items into a #10 envelope:
• One (1) direct debit utility bill
• One (1) insert (provided by department periodically throughout the year)
- Final debits (closed accounts): approximately 100 per month; fold and insert the following items into a 10 envelope:
• One (1) final utility bill
• One (1) #9 return envelope
- Utility billing lockbox services – remittance processing
- Provide utility billing remittance processing services for the city; the city maintains a post office caller service box (PO BOX) at the county international airport post office in state.
- Daily collection: the vendor shall collect all remitted payments from the PO BOX Monday through
Friday, no later than 6 a.m. est. all items shall be opened and reviewed for processing as specified.
- Internal security: the vendor shall implement strong internal security to ensure proper handling and processing of all received deposits.
- Electronic payment processor agreements: the vendor shall have established agreements with electronic payment processors, including at least check free, and online resources.
- Contract Period/Term: 3 years