COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Rebecca Campbell, Director of Finance
DATE: September 1, 2026
SUBJECT: Adoption of a Resolution Approving an Agreement with InfoSend, Inc. for Utility Billing Printing and Mailing Services
Description:
That the City Council to consider adopting a Resolution approving an agreement with InfoSend, Inc. for utility bill data processing, printing, and mailing services
Environmental Notice: The activity is not a “Project” as defined under Sec tion 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act State Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to State Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3) no environmental review is required.
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Adopt a Resolution approving an agreement with InfoSend, Inc. for utility bill data processing, printing, and mailing services; and
2. Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute agreement.
BACKGROUND:
The City utilizes a third -party service provider to process, print, and mail utility bills and related customer notices. These services are an integral part of the City's utility billing operation and provide for the timely production and mailing of utility bills to customers.
In 2010, the City conducted a competitive procurement for utility bill printing and mai ling services. On August 12, 2010, the City requested proposals for these services and subsequently selected InfoSend, Inc. ("InfoSend"). The City entered into an agreement with InfoSend on December 15, 2010. The original agreement provided for a five -year term with the ability to extend the agreement for two additional one-year periods.
InfoSend's services under the City's existing arrangement have included data processing, printing, folding, inserting and mailing utility bills and past -due notices; proce ssing address updates; providing electronic bill -image archiving; and accounting for postage charges.
Rather than conduct a separate competitive solicitation for a new agreement, staff evaluated the availability of a competitively procured cooperative pur chasing agreement that could be utilized by the City.
2 In 2025, the City of Compton conducted a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) process for data processing, printing, and mailing services. The RFP was issued on March 5, 2025, and concluded on April 3, 2025. Compton received proposals from seven vendors and determined that InfoSend provided competitive pricing, compatibility with the City's existing system software, and demonstrated reliability. Compton subsequently selected InfoSend as the most resp onsive and responsible bidder and entered into an agreement for these services.
The City of Compton agreement expressly provides for cooperative purchasing by other governmental agencies through Section 12.8, "Cooperative Agreement ('Piggyback')." Under this provision, another governmental agency may utilize the agreement by entering into its own cooperative purchase agreement with InfoSend. The participating agency is responsible for issuing its own purchasing documents, making payments, and obtaining required insurance and performance bonds. Pricing is established between InfoSend and the participating agency and does not automatically carry over from the Compton agreement.
DISCUSSION:
The City's existing relationship with InfoSend has been in place for approximately 15 years. Given the age of the existing agreement, staff recommends replacing it with a new agreement that reflects the City's current utility billing operations, service requirements, pricing, insurance provisions, and contractual requirements.
The proposed agreement would continue the City's use of InfoSend for utility bill data processing, printing, and mailing services and would be established through the cooperative purchasing provisions of the competitively solici ted City of Compton agreement.
Utilizing the City of Compton procurement provides the City with the benefit of a recent competitive solicitation without requiring the City to duplicate the RFP process. The City of Compton's procurement included competitio n among seven vendors for substantially similar data processing, printing, and mailing services. InfoSend was selected following the City of Compton's evaluation of the proposals.
InfoSend currently provides these services to the City, and continuation with the existing provider also avoids the operational and implementation impacts associated with transitioning utility bill production and mailing to a new vendor. Utility billing involves the regular transmission of customer billing data, processing of bil ling files, production of customer statements and notices, address verification, and timely delivery of mail to the United States Postal Service. Continuity of these services is important to both the City's revenue collection process and customer service.
The proposed agreement would have an initial term of three years, with the City's option to extend the agreement for two additional one -year periods, for a potential total term of five years.
3 The cooperative purchasing provision in the Compton agreement does not require InfoSend to extend the City of Compton's pricing to the City. Accordingly, the City's agreement will establish pricing applicable to Santa Maria based upon the City's service requirements and transaction volumes.
Staff recommends utilizin g the City of Compton cooperative procurement and entering into a new agreement with InfoSend rather than conducting a separate solicitation because the City of Compton procurement is recent, competitively solicited, includes substantially similar services , expressly permits cooperative purchasing by other governmental agencies, and provides the City an efficient mechanism for procuring these services.
Fiscal Considerations
The costs associated with the proposed agreement are dependent primarily upon the number of utility bills and notices processed and mailed, the services utilized, and applicable United States Postal Service postage rates. Funding for utility bill printing and mailing services is included in the adopted budget within the Utility Enterprise Fund.
The estimated annual cost of services under the proposed agreement is $46,294, excluding postage. Over the initial three -year term, the estimated cost is $138,882, excluding postage and any authorized price adjustments. Sufficient funding is included in the applicable annual operating budget to support these services.
Other Agency Review
The Finance Department coordinated with the Human Resources Department regarding the applicable requirements of Assembly Bill ( AB) 339 associated with the proposed contracting of services. Human Resources has reviewed the proposed contracting action for compliance with the applicable AB 339 requirements.
Impact on the Community
Approval of the proposed agreement will allow the City to continue providing timely and reliable utility billing services to its customers. InfoSend provides the processing, printing, and mailing services necessary for customers to receive utility bills and related notices.
Continuation of these services with the City's existing provider will minimize operational disruption and support the City's ability to efficiently administer approximately 23,800 utility accounts.
ATTACHMENT(S)
A. Resolution
B. Proposed Agreement with InfoSend, Inc.
C. City of Compton Cooperative Purchasing Agreement with InfoSend, Inc.