9.A.
City Council Meeting - FINAL
- Meeting Date:
- 02/18/2014
- Co-Submitter:
- Candace Schroeder, Senior Procurement Specialist
- From:
- Andy Wagemaker, Revenue Director
Information
TITLE:
Consideration and Approval of Utilizing the Cooperative Purchase Agreement Through the City of Goodyear Contract # CON-12-2155: Utility Billing Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
-
Approve the contract with Infosend through the cooperative purchase agreement with the City of Goodyear contract, #CON-12-2155-Utillity Billing Services.
Policy Decision or Reason for Action:
The City previously utilized a cooperative purchase agreement for bill print and mail services through the City of Tucson which has expired. The proposed contract is effective through October 1, 2018.
Subsidiary Decisions Points: None.
Subsidiary Decisions Points: None.
Financial Impact:
The City currently has $134,500 budgeted for this service. The contract with Infosend is estimated to be approximately $125,000 annually realizing a net savings through this vendor. The proposed vendor charges a lower per piece rate for services that the City utilizes. The price for postage will remain the same with this vendor as postage costs are passed through to the City.
Connection to Council Goal:
Effective governance
Has There Been Previous Council Decision on This:
No.
Options and Alternatives:
Option A) Approve the cooperative agreement with Infosend through the City of Goodyear contract, #CON-12-2155-Utillity Billing Services.
Option B) Do not approve the cooperative agree with Infosend through the City of Goodyear contract, #CON-12-2155-Utillity Billing Services. Staff will continue to utilize the current vendor on a monthly basis and return with another option at a later date.
Option B) Do not approve the cooperative agree with Infosend through the City of Goodyear contract, #CON-12-2155-Utillity Billing Services. Staff will continue to utilize the current vendor on a monthly basis and return with another option at a later date.
Background/History:
The City has utilized bill print and mail services for approximately 10 years. The City currently has a third party vendor print and mail three separate monthly mailings: utility bills, sales tax returns, and sales tax account statements. Periodically, the City may insert materials in utility bills or with sales tax documents at a small additional charge.
In addition to the standard bill print and mail services, the City also has consistently utilized an archiving feature offered by bill print and mail vendors. With this feature, the City is able to outsource the storage of bill images on the vendor’s data infrastructure. The City utilizes the vendor's software via the internet to view and print older bill documents.
The proposed cooperative purchasing Agreement will continue with the City’s long practice of outsourcing bill printing, mailing, and archiving.
In addition to the standard bill print and mail services, the City also has consistently utilized an archiving feature offered by bill print and mail vendors. With this feature, the City is able to outsource the storage of bill images on the vendor’s data infrastructure. The City utilizes the vendor's software via the internet to view and print older bill documents.
The proposed cooperative purchasing Agreement will continue with the City’s long practice of outsourcing bill printing, mailing, and archiving.
Key Considerations:
Utilizing a bill print and mail service is a common activity for municipalities with utility services. Purchasing staff contacted several municipalities that utilize bill print and mail services and after a thorough review of options, staff opted to move forward with Infosend. Infosend is a highly recommend partner of other Arizona municipalities.
Community Benefits and Considerations:
Customers will notice no change in the level of service provided by the new vendor.
Community Involvement:
Inform