HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - September 18, 2019 C-08AGENDA ITEM c-g
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AGENDA TITLE:
MEET| NG DATE: September 18,2019
PREPARED BY: Revenue Manager
Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Professional Service
Agreement with Business Recovery Services lnc., of Alameda, to Provide Lockbox
Services for Processing Utility Check Payments Received ($39,942.00)
RECOMMENDED ACTION Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a Professional
Service Agreement with Business Recovery Services lnc., of Alameda, of
Alameda, to Provide Lockbox Services for Processing Utility Check
Payments Received in the amount of $39,942.00.
BACKGROU ND IN FORIVIATION The Revenue Division is responsible for collecting and processing all
utility bill payments. Approximately 36,000 utility bills are issued monthly
Of this amount, approximately 5,000 payments are with paper checks,
processed by Customer Service Representatives.
Check payments are labor-intensive, requiring manually opening payment envelopes and running checks and
remittance stubs through a rapid processing service machine to upload the checks to the bank. About 10
percent of the checks must be manually entered into the City's software system for various errors or
discrepancies. At the end of each business day, all payments must be balanced and prepared for bank
deposit. Due to the cumbersome nature of check processing, check payments divert staff time from other
tasks, including front line customer service to the City's residents and businesses and completing other daily
departmental fu nctions.
Staff has researched lockbox services as an alternative to manual check processing in order to improve
operational efficiency and better utilize staff time and resources. A lockbox service is a third-party service that
will receive and process payments on behalf of the City. From beginning to end, the third-party service will
handle the payments it receives in the following manner:
1. Check payments will be collected and opened daily.
2. Check payments will be processed through the third-party's high-capacity, automated equipment.3. A data file will be generated and sent to the City of Lodi each day for posting to the City's software
system.
4. Funds received for all check payments will be deposited into the City's bank account before the close of
each business day.
5. A physical image of each payment stub/coupon and check will be saved on a secured portal and will be
available to the City to access for reference purposes.
Lockbox services are widely used in the payment industry to streamline check processing and to accelerate
the deposit and availability of funds. Staff solicited responses through a request for bids, receiving a total of
five proposals. After careful consideration of all proposals received, Staff identified Business Recovery
Services lnc. (BRS) as the most responsive bidder that best meets the needs of the City. The City selected
BRS based on the following criteria:
1. Ability to perform the services required.
2. Familiarity and experience integrating with the City's software
3. Vendor's references
4. Pricing
Lockbox Service Provider Term of Contract Price
BRS 3 vear contract $39,942.00
Check Processors lnc.3 year contract $46,800.00
Deluxe 3 year contract $68,245.66
F&M Bank 3 year contract $185,000.00
Wells Fargo 3 year contract $134,640.00
BRS has more than twenty years experience in providing payment processing services to government
agencies. During the selection process, staff completed reference checks and received positive feedback and
exemplary reviews from other municipalities using BRS for utility bill payment processing.
Currently Revenue division staff spend approximately 1,090 hours annually processing check remittances (see
table belowO. These resources, equivalent to approximately 0.66 FTE will be redeployed in the department to
providing more responsive customer service, including improving phone, voicemail and email response times.
Position Annual Hours Spent Processing
Ut¡l¡W Payments
Customer Service Representative 750
Supervisor 260
Manager 80
Total Hours 1,090
FTE Equivalent (Based on
1660/work hours per vear)
0.66
F¡SCAL IMPAGT:Based on initial estimates, lockbox services are estimated to cost approximately
$13,314 annually. The estimate is based on current volumes of check payments
Actual costs will be based primarily on transaction volumes. As residents
continue to transition to online payment options, the cost may decrease over
time.
FUNDING AVAILABLE: Fiscal Year 2019/20 account number 11020203.72450
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Andrew Keys, Depufy City Manager/lnternal Services Oirector
Tarra Sumner lnformation Revenue Manager
APPROVE
bauer, City Manager
RESOLUTTON NO. 201 9-190
A RESOLUTION OF THE LODI CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZING THE
CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
AGREEMENT WITH BUSINESS RECOVERY SERVICES, INC., OF
ALAMEDA, TO PROVIDE LOCKBOX SERVICES FOR
PROCESSING UTILITY CHECK PAYMENTS RECEIVED
WHEREAS, the City collects and processes all utility bill payments paid via check; and
WHEREAS, the current collection process for is done manually by City staff; and
WHEREAS, five lockbox services compatible with the City's current software system to
process utility bill payments were reviewed by Revenue and Fire staff:
Lockbox Services Total System price
Business Recovery Services, lnc
Check Processors, lnc.
Deluxe
Farmers & Merchants Bank
Wells Fargo
3-year contract
3-year contract
3-year contract
3-year contract
3-year contract
NIFER
Clerk
$39,942.00
$46,800.00
$68,245.66
$'185,000.00
$134,640.00
WHEREAS, staff recommends that the City Council approve the lockbox services
agreement with Business Recovery Services, lnc., because the service meets the City's
functionality requirements needed to process utility check payments.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE lT RESOLVED that the Lodi City Council does hereby
authorize the City Manager to execute a three-year Professional Services Agreement for
lockbox services with Business Recovery Services, lnc., of Alameda, California, iñ the amount
of $39,942.
Dated: September 18,2019
I hereby certify that Resolution No. 2019-190 was passed and adopted by the City
Council of the City of Lodi in a regular meeting held September 18, 2O1g by the following vote:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS - Johnson, Kuehne, Nakanishi, and Mayor Chandler
NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS - None
ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS - Mounce
ABSTAIN: COUNCIL MEMBERS - None
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