DATE:
November 21, 2023
TO:
Chair and Board Members, Hesperia Water District
FROM:
Rachel Molina, City Manager
BY:
Casey Brooksher, Assistant City Manager
Keith Cheong, Senior Accountant
SUBJECT:
Amend Agreement with InfoSend for Interactive Voice Response, Online Bill Pay, Presentment Services, Data Processing, and Printing and Mailing Services for Water/Sewer Utility Bills
RECOMMENDED ACTION
It is recommended that the City Council and Board of Directors of the Hesperia Water District authorize the City Manager to amend the existing agreement with lnfoSend, Inc. (lnfoSend) in the amount of $160,000, for a total revised not-to-exceed amount of $609,066, and approve a one-year contract extension for continued Interactive Voice Response, Online Bill Pay, Presentment Services, Data Processing, and Printing and Mailing Services for Water/Sewer utility bills.
BACKGROUND
The Hesperia Water District (District) has used lnfoSend since 2010 to provide customers with the ability to pay their water/sewer bills online. lnfoSend hosts a secure website that is available 24- hours a day where the customer can view and pay their bill. A customer can make a one-time payment as a guest or, upon enrolling for an online payment account, the customer can setup automatic payments. Additionally, the customer can elect paperless billing. To help remedy wait times, as well as provide further customer options, the District, as a result of an Request for Proposal (RFP), added additional payment options, including, Interactive Voice Response System (processing electronic ACH and debit/credit card transactions, via phone), as well as a text-to-pay option for mobile payments. In addition, for cost efficiencies, bill printing and mailing services were also added to the agreement with lnfosend.
The added components have provided District customers with additional options for payment, including automated English and Spanish phone service; reduced need for face-to-face transactions; ability to pay multiple accounts under one shopping cart; ability for text message notifications and text-to-pay. In addition, the inclusion of printing and mailing services into the lnfosend agreement has enabled the District to substantially reduce its printing and postage costs.
ISSUES/ANALYSIS
InfoSend has agreed to maintain their current contract pricing for the Interactive Voice Response System, Online Bill Pay, Presentment Services, and Data Processing services. A minor increase in mailing and return envelope pricing would be included as part of the Printing and Mailing services for Water/Sewer utility bills that would result in an approximate 1% increase in the annual cost.
An amendment to the agreement with InfoSend is needed to facilitate the continuation of timely and efficient water/sewer utility billing services through December 31, 2024.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-24 Budget includes sufficient funding for Interactive Voice Response, Online Bill Pay, Presentment Services, Data Processing, and Printing and Mailing Services for Water/Sewer utility bills for the District. Funding will be included in the FY 2024-25 Budget for the ongoing services through the remainder of the contract extension period.
ALTERNATIVES
Provide alternative direction to staff.
ATTACHMENTS
None
City of Hesperia STAFF REPORT City of Hesperia STAFF REPORT City of Hesperia
STAFF REPORT
City of Hesperia
STAFF REPORT
Staff Report to the Chair and Board Members of the Hesperia Water District Amend Agreement with InfoSend for Interactive Voice Response, Online Bill Pay, Presentment Services, Data Processing, and Printing and Mailing Services for Water/Sewer Utility Bills November 21, 2023