4773_Addendum_2_FINAL.pdf

July 25, 2024

Utility Services Customer Portal Solicitation No. PW4-920-4773

Addendum No. 2

Question: Transition from AMR to AMI and Integration with Customer Portals - What specific data normalization processes does the City anticipate requiring to reconcile AMR readings with the new AMI outputs, particularly during the transitional overlap period? Could you specify if there are existing protocols or systems in place to manage potential discrepancies in usage data that might affect customer billing and service notifications?

Response: AMI data will not go live in the portal until the AMI upgrade project is complete. Data will feed from the Neptune equipment to the portal. Billing data will feed to the portal from CIS Infinity.

Question: Transition from AMR to AMI and Integration with Customer Portals - How does the City plan to address real-time data integration challenges, such as timestamp alignment or data granularity differences, to ensure seamless service delivery through the portal?

Response: The portal should be built pull data from Neptune or CIS Infinity, as appropriate. There should be no data stored in the portal environment.

Question: Which specific APIs or service hooks does the Neptune 360 software provide for real-time data syncing with the customer portal? Are there particular data endpoints or webhook configurations, such as for billing updates or consumption alerts, that we should plan to integrate to maintain data consistency and real-time responsiveness?

Response: This information will be made available to the successful offeror as part of discovery.

Question: Given the CIS & Billing system upgrade's projected completion in December 2025, what interim solutions are being considered to bridge functionality with the customer portal? Could you detail any temporary integrations or middleware expected to support services like account management and payment processing during the transition period?

Response: The existing application will remain in use. It is the city’s intent that the portal go-live concurrently with the CIS upgrade.

Question: What is the projected load in terms of concurrent users for the customer portal, particularly in light of the 86,000 AMR endpoints transitioning to AMI? Could you specify peak usage scenarios, such as during billing cycles or major notifications, that we should optimize for in our system design to ensure robust performance and uptime?

Response: The city is not able to provide an estimate of future usage.

Question: Are there particular features or compliance requirements, such as PCI-DSS standards or support for digital wallet services, that are critical for these integrations?

Response: PCI compliance is managed by the city’s third-party payment processor. No data will be stored in the portal.

Question: Are there specific functionalities such as usage tracking, automated alerts for unusual consumption patterns, or interactive educational content on water savings that the city aims to include?

Response: Please propose the capabilities of your product.

Question: Considering the integration of leak analytics into the portal, could you specify the expected frequency and volume of data updates for this feature? Are there particular thresholds for data granularity and update intervals that need to be met to effectively detect and report leaks in real-time to users?

Response: Please propose the capabilities of your product.

Question: Which self-serve functionalities does the city consider most critical for prioritization within the customer portal? Could examples such as real-time billing access, automatic payment setup, or usage history review be among the top priorities?

Response: Please propose the capabilities of your product.

Question: Could you outline the anticipated integration challenges with the existing CIS & Billing systems during the ongoing upgrade process? Specifically, are there concerns about data consistency, temporary data bridges, or user authentication processes that need special attention to ensure continuous service delivery?

Response: This is not relevant to the portal project.

Question: In transitioning to the new customer portal, how does the city plan to manage the migration of existing customer and transaction data? Are specific tools or services being considered to ensure data integrity and minimal downtime during the migration process?

Response: There is not, and will not be, data stored in the portal. Please propose your approach to possibly migrating customer log in/authentication information to the new portal.

Question: Does the new portal need to integrate with or replace existing customer service workflows?

Could you specify if there are particular support ticket systems, service request processes, or customer interaction models that should be seamlessly transitioned into the new platform?

Response: None exist today. If your product offers this functionality, please describe.

Question: Could the city provide estimates on the expected daily volume of transactions and data queries on the new portal?

Response: The city is not able to provide an estimate of future usage.

End of Addendum

Christina Pryor, CPPO

Procurement and Supply Senior Manager Email: christina.pryor@chandleraz.gov mailto:christina.pryor@chandleraz.gov