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