HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 08/20/2013 - FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 113, 2013, AUTHORIZDATE: August 20, 2013
STAFF: Gerry Paul
Lori Clements
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL 18
SUBJECT
First Reading of Ordinance No. 113, 2013, Authorizing the City Manager to Extend the Term of the Agreement
Between the City and Kubra Data Transfer for Utilities Electronic Customer Billing Software.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this item is to request a one-year extension of the contract for Fort Collins Utilities’ e-Bill
vendor, from October 23, 2013, to October 23, 2014, with the option to extend for additional one year periods
not to exceed four additional one-year renewals.
This extension will give the Fort Collins Utilities staff time to complete necessary research and development for future
e-Bill services, as well as support alignment of customer interface services related to advanced meters and related
customer software systems.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading.
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
In May 2008, Fort Collins Utilities (Utilities) selected Kubra Data Transfer to provide a secure online system for
customers to view and pay their utility bills. Through Fort Collins Utilities e-Bill system, Kubra provides customers with
secure, seamless access to their utility accounts 24 hours per day, seven days per week. In June 2013, nearly 21,000
Utilities customers paid utility charges via e-Bill, through the Utilities web site, customers’ banks, or financial
aggregators, such as Check Free. Approximately 18,500 of those customers subscribed for e-Bill through the Utilities’
web site. Through e-Bill, Utilities uses a sustainable, triple bottom-line approach in its billing operations, by reducing
costs to Utilities and customers and decreasing the environmental impact of billing with a paper bill, which includes
postage.
More recently, Utilities has been focused on implementing the Advanced Meter Fort Collins program. This includes
customer-facing systems, such as a web portal, that will provide customers even more visibility to their utility accounts,
bills and usage information. The web portal must be integrated with e-Bill, both from a technology and customer
service perspective.
In June 2013, Utilities determined the contract with the initial web portal service developer would be discontinued, and
steps have been taken to arrange for a replacement developer. As a result, the contract extension with Kubra is
critical to allowing e-Bill services to continue, as well as to allow Kubra to assume responsibility for timely and
seamless integration of account authentication services for the web portal.
FINANCIAL / ECONOMIC IMPACTS
Funds are included in the 2013 and 2014 budgets to cover expenses related to e-Bill, which is one of the least-cost
options for processing customer payments. The web portal project is funded through federal grants for the Advanced
Meter Fort Collins project. In a previous change order, Kubra was supporting integration of account authentication only
at a third party cost of $37,700. Under this contract extension, Kubra will take full responsibility for account
authentication services and integration services with no added third party costs above the $37,700.
August 20, 2013 -2- ITEM 18
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
Customers who subscribe for e-Bill no longer receive paper bills. This is a cost-saving measure and prevents printing
and mailing of bills as well as bill inserts.
ORDINANCE NO. 113, 2013
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXTEND THE TERM OF
THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND KUBRA DATA TRANSFER
FOR UTILTIES ELECTRONIC CUSTOMER BILLING SOFTWARE
WHEREAS, after a competitive bidding process, the City entered into an Enterprise
Services Agreement with Kubra Data Transfer (the “Agreement”) in August, 2008, for the
provision of a secure, online system for customers to view and pay utility bills (“e-Bill”); and
WHEREAS, the Agreement will expire October 23, 2013, unless the term is extended;
and
WHEREAS, Fort Collins Utilities is currently developing a web portal to implement the
Advanced Meter Fort Collins program (the “Program”), which portal will provide customers
greater access to their utility accounts and bills; and
WHEREAS, the web portal must be integrated with e-Bill to reach the technology and
customer service objectives of the Program; and
WHEREAS, the web portal will not have been completed by October, 2013; and
WHEREAS, due to the significance of the web portal project, Utilities staff needs
sufficient time to research the feasibility of integrating the existing e-Bill services into that
project and to determine if a new request for proposals is needed in order to find a service
provider to provide on-line bill payment services that will integrate with the final web portal; and
WHEREAS, the City and Kubra desire to extend the term of the Agreement for a period
of one year, with the option for future extensions as may be required to coordinate web portal
implementation; and
WHEREAS, Section 8-186(a) of the City Code provides that no contract for services,
including renewals, shall be made by the City for a period longer than five (5) years, unless
authorized by ordinance.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
FORT COLLINS, that the City Manager is hereby authorized to execute on behalf of the City a
one-year term extension to the Enterprise Services Agreement for a secure online system for
customer access and payment of utility bills with Kubra Data Transfer, including the option of up
to four additional one-year extensions, in order to coordinate with implementation of the Fort
Collins Utilities web portal and Advanced Meter Fort Collins program.
Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 20th day of
August, A.D. 2013, and to be presented for final passage on the 3rd day of September, A.D.
2013.
Mayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk
Passed and adopted in final reading on the 3rd day of September, A.D. 2013.
Mayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk