Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the Director of Public Utilities to renew an existing contract with i3 Milestone, LLC for the Customer Self-Service Portal Solution and Implementation services. The renewal amount being authorized by this ordinance is $295,537.00.
The i3 Milestone ePortal was selected as part of the customer cloud service and Integrated Systems Upgrade Project. This portal is a new self-service software solution that will help support the Department of Public Utilities aka Columbus Water & Power (CWP) and its customers. i3 Milestone, LLC. is the sole developer of the software and will provide all licenses and support. Services under the original contract, authorized by Ord. 0497-2025, cover a one (1) year period from date of execution to and including March 31, 2026, with the option to renew annually for the duration of the software usage, on a year-to-year basis, or a portion thereof, based on mutual agreement of the parties, availability of budgeted funds and approval of Columbus City Council.
The i3 Milestone ePortal is a new software solution that will support CWP and its customers. It is being fully integrated with the Oracle customer cloud service, the interactive voice response system, and the Department’s bill print vendors. It will provide customers with various functionalities including the ability to retrieve historic bills, view and export usage data, and project rate increase and forecasted usage impacts on their budget. It will also provide CWP customers with easy navigation and the ability to update their account including paperless billing, billing alerts, and methods of communication. The new portal can be accessed to pay customers bills electronically via a desktop or mobile device.
The ePortal provides the City with a reduced call volume due to the self-service functions, allowing the Department’s Customer Service and Billing sections to operate more efficiently. Some of the calls that are minimized involve que...
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