Item 17: Contract for Printing and Mailing Services for Utility Bills and Reminder Notices

[COSM_Admin]

Consider approval of Resolution 2022-120R, approving a contract with Infosend, Inc., through the City’s Cooperative Purchasing Interlocal Agreement with the City of Brownsville/Brownsville Public Utility Board, for the provision of Printing and Mailing Services for Utility Bills and Reminder Notices in the estimated annual amount of $210,000.00 and authorizing five additional one-year renewals; authorizing the City Manager or her designee to execute the contract on behalf of the City; and declaring an effective date.

 

[MBaker]

Are these notices actually mailed from California?

Can we have people opt in at sign up whether they want paper or paperless? Could we get text reminders instead of paper? To what extent are our customers choosing paperless, and would more participation result in lower rates?

 

[COSM_Admin]

Response provided by Ernest Cavazos, Utility Customer Service & Information System Manager:
All bills and notices for San Marcos are mailed out of their Carrollton, TX distribution location. Customers have the option to receive paper or paperless bill. Online move in customers are set to paperless at move in and can opt-out. Texting is not available at this time. Presently, 51% of utility customers accounts are on paperless billing (ebilling). The overall generation cost per bill will be less for paperless billing because the cost per ebill ($0.05) is lower than the cost per paper bill ($0.115).