Item 8DAGENDA ITEM #8D
JiILY 12, 2004
CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH
,, CITY COMMISSION MEETING
STAFF REPORT
AGENDA ITEM: Selection of Company to Provide Utility Bill Printing and Mailing Services - RFP # 04-4
e~
SUBMITTED BY: Nelson Van Liere, Finance Director
DATE: July 6, 2004
BACKGROUND: The City advertised and took proposals to outsource the utility bill printing and mailing
function to an outside company. Outsourcing this function will allow the City to change
from postcard billing to statement billing. The many benefits derived by converting to
statement billing are: less opportunity for bill to get lost or discarded by customer with
other mail items received; more room for messages; inclusion of consumption history and
graphical information; description of alternative payment methods; inclusion of
conservation information; and the ability to insert other City notices.
The City is also recommending the "value-added" service of including a return envelope
with the statement billing, for customers to use when paying there utility bill via mail.
The Kurtis Group currently prints and mails the City's monthly newsletter. The City
received proposals from vendors regarding these services. If the City contracts with the
recommended firm to insert the monthly newsletter with the utility bills, the City could
reduce the postage cost of separate mailing.
The City advertised for proposals in May and received seven proposals. City staff,
comprised of five representatives from the Finance Department, met and discussed the
!"'" proposals with regard to the evaluation criteria, including mandatory elements and
technical qualifications -expertise and experience, project approach and pricing. City
staff selected five of the firms to interview, all three local firms and two others that had
~• specific utility bill printing experience. Subsequent to these interviews, final rankings
were tabulated and the top three candidates are presented for your review.
~, Arista Information Systems, Inc. received the highest overall ranking and therefore
receives City staff's recommendation.
BUDGET: There are sufficient funds in the Finance Department's budget for this year's cost and the
remainder will be included in subsequent year's budget recommendations.
Estimated annual cost for base services (printing, stuffing and mailing 96,000 utility
"' bills): $12,960.00 /year
Estimated annual cost for inclusion of a return envelope: $960.00 /year
RECOMMENDATION:
Authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract for outsourcing utility bill printing
and mailing services, including a return envelope, and to negotiate terms for newsletter
printing, insertion and mailing with Arista Information Systems, Inc.
ATTACHMENT: Evaluation Tabulation
CITY MANAGER APP,^ ROVAL,~~
City of Atlantic Beach
Utility Bill Printing and Mailing Evaluation Tabulation
RFP # 04-4
Evaluation Criteria Advanced
Arista Xerographics
Information Imaging, Inc. Payformance
Systems, Inc. (AXISI Cnrnnratinn
a. Capability to design apre-printed
utility hill
b. Capability to receive billing data
in acce table format
y
y t
I,
c. Ca abili to read data; rint
and fold bills; and, insert bills
and other items in envelo es y y y
d. Ca abili to mail documents
economically and timel y y y
e. Ca abili to rovide a monthl ,
itemized bill of services rendered
f. Followed instructions y y y
Meets Mandator Elements y y y
Technical Qualifications
A. Ex ertise and Ex erience
1. Qualifications (10 50 50 40
2. Previous Experience 10 50 50 40
3. References (5 25 25 15
Subtotal Wei ht 25 125 125 95
B. Pro'ect A roach
1. Implementation Schedule 5) 25 25 25
2. Location of Res ondent (5 20 15 2g
3. Workload 5) 20 10 20
Subtotal Wei ht 15) 65 g0 ~0
C. Pricin
Base - rintin , stuffin & $0.1350 $0.1504 $0.1080
mailin utili bills unit rice
Subtotal Wei ht (10) 30 20 50
Total Wei ht 50
Ratin = Score x Wei ht Score: 0 - 5
0 =Non-Res onsive - no information
1 =Poor
2 =Fair
3 = Avera e
4 =Good
5 =Excellent
Overall Rating 220 195 215
Overall Ranking 1 3 2
F:\Finance\Billing Outsourcing\[evaluation tab .xls]Evaluation
AGENDA ITEM #8D
JULY 12, 2004