Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the Director of Public Utilities to enter into an agreement with KUBRA Data Transfer, Ltd. for Bill Presentment services. The contract amount being authorized by this ordinance is $9,000.00.
The City of Columbus (hereafter also referred to as “Client”) has approximately 300,000 water meters and 18,500 electric meters that serve approximately 1.2 million people with a projected growth of about 1% or less per year. Client produces annual water sales of approximately $234 million, sewer sales of $286 million, and electric sales of $85 million respectively. The Client remains primarily a residential community with approximately 94% of its meters being residential customers and 6% being commercial and industrial customers.
KUBRA will provide bill presentment services for the Department of Public Utilities which includes the printing and mailing of service bills for the approximate 1.2 million, and growing, customers of the City’s water, sewer, and electric services. The bill presentment service will also include the ability to access bills electronically. This new system will replace the current bill presentment solution with Doxim in 2026. After this initial contract for the testing service portion of the contract, the Department of Public Utilities intends to modify this contract with KUBRA annually for billing services.
For this testing phase contract, KUBRA will perform test bill production runs prior to implementation including up to multiple days of full volume. The number and quantity of testing is at the discretion of the City and we estimate the total cost of testing not to exceed $9,000.
The original term of this contract will be from date of execution to and including March 31, 2027 with the option to renew annually for three (3) additional one (1) year periods contingent on funding availability, mutual agreement between the parties, approval of City Council, and certification of funds by the City Auditor. This contract will not automatically renew. The initial contract funding of $9,000.00 is for the testing portion of this contract, a modification is expected in early 2026 to authorize the funding for the first full year, April 1st, 2026 to and including March 31st, 2027, of the contract.
This ordinance authorizes the initial term of the contract and is being submitted in accordance with the relevant provisions of Chapter 329 of City Code.
Procurement:
The Department of Public Utilities solicited competitive proposals through Vendor Services and Bonfire from September 27th, 2024 to October 18th, 2024 for Bill Presentment Services in accordance with the relevant provisions of Chapter 329 of City Code, RFQ028833. Four (4) bids were received by KUBRA Data Transfer, Ltd., APS LLC DBA Doxim Inc., JP Morgan Chase, and Infosend, Inc. They were deemed responsive and were evaluated in December 2024. The evaluation committee determined that KUBRA Data Transfer, Ltd. submitted the strongest proposal because of the relevant experience of its project team, its understanding of the Department’s scope of work, and presented a tailored approach to address those needs.
The term of this bill presentment testing phase contract will be from the date of execution by the City of Columbus to March 31st, 2027. The contract does not automatically renew.
Principal Party:
KUBRA Data Transfer, Ltd.
30 Knox Drive
Piscataway, NJ 08854
Anders Ness, (612) 232-1117
Contract Compliance Number: 000673
Contract Compliance Expiration Date: PENDING UPDATE
Emergency Justification: Emergency action is requested to allow for six months of proper bill presentment testing, both print and digital options, to allow for corrections if needed during the six (6) month testing period prior to the go-live date in April 2026, ensuring there are not interruptions to the customer information system solution implementation projects.
Fiscal Impact: $9,000.00 is available from within the Public Utilities Operating Funds to meet the financial obligations of this contract.
$00.00 was spent in 2024
$00.00 was spent in 2023
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Public Utilities to enter into contract with KUBRA Data Transfer, Ltd. for bill presentment services; to authorize the expenditure of $9,000.00 split among the Electricity Operating Fund, Water Operating Fund, Sewerage System Operating Fund, and Stormwater Operating Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($9,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the Director of the Department of Public Utilities to enter into an agreement with KUBRA Data Transfer, Ltd. for Bill Presentment services; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Utilities solicited proposals for Bill Presentment Services in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 329 of City Code through RFQ028833; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Utilities wishes to enter into a service agreement from the date of execution to and including March 31, 2027; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the expenditure of $9,000.00 from the Public Utilities Operating Fund, split among the Electricity, Water, Sanitary Sewer, and Stormwater Operating Funds; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the Department of Public Utilities in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into an agreement with KUBRA Data Transfer, Ltd. to allow for proper bill presentment testing and corrections to the process if needed during the six (6) month testing period prior to the go-live date in April 2026, of the new customer information system, all for the preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare and, NOW, THEREFORE
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Public Utilities be and is hereby authorized to enter into a contract with KUBRA Data Transfer, Ltd. for Bill Presentment services in the amount of Nine Thousand Dollars ($9,000.00).
SECTION 2. That this contract is in accordance with the relevant provisions of Chapter 329 of the Columbus City Codes.
SECTION 3. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 4. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 5. That the expenditure of $9,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized from object class 03, Services, split among the Electricity, Water, Sanitary Sewer, and Stormwater Operating Funds, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 6. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.