Questions and Answers Utility Billing Software RFP 012026.pdf
PDF 346 KB Posted
- Attached to
- RFP Utility Billing Software
- Solicitation number
- S-KA0010-00015673
- Issued by
- Jackson County, Amity City, Oregon
About this file
This document is a Questions and Answers clarification issued by the City of Ashland, Oregon Purchasing Department on January 20, 2026, in response to inquiries regarding the RFP for Utility Billing Software. The City of Ashland is seeking a comprehensive utility billing software solution to replace its current Tyler Munis version 2021 system that has been in use since 2018. The procurement allows proposers to submit partial or modular solutions, with the City willing to evaluate and award the contract to a single vendor or multiple vendors. The RFP accepts proposals addressing discrete components such as payment processing and customer-facing payment portals, provided all integration and security requirements are met. Proposals are due February 2, 2026, by 2:00 PM PST, with the evaluation period scheduled for February 3-20, 2026, and final City Council approval anticipated on March 3, 2026. The City's stated needs include enhanced customer-friendly web portal functionality and more responsive, knowledgeable support compared to the current service.
The City of Ashland currently processes approximately 160,000 utility bills annually with 165,000 payment transactions distributed across multiple channels: ACH (62,000 transactions), web credit/debit card (67,000 transactions), mail (37%), phone (12%), in-person (1.5%), EFT (14%), and kiosk (2.5%). Current payment processing is handled by Global Payments for credit cards and Wells Fargo for ACH transactions, with an average transaction value of $250. The municipality serves over 13,000 customers with consolidated single billing per customer across Water, Wastewater, Stormwater, Electric (100% penetration), and Telecommunications (37% penetration) services on a monthly billing cadence. No convenience fees are currently assessed to customers, and no anticipated changes in customer count, service offerings, or billing volume are projected over the next three to five years. The City seeks to display usage data for Electric and Water services in the proposed customer portal.
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www.Ashlandoregon.gov
20 East Main Street
Ashland, Oregon 97520
541.552.2009
ASHLAND | OREGON
Purchasing
Questions and Answers
Utility Billing Software RFP
To: Plan Holders
Date: January 20, 2026
Clarifications to the Request for Proposals:
1. Question: The RFP states that the City may evaluate software application modules independently and may award the system to a single vendor or a combination of vendors. Please confirm that proposals addressing discrete components of the overall solution (such as payment processing and the customer-facing payment portal) will be considered responsive submissions.
Answer: Yes, that is correct.
2. Question: For proposers submitting a partial or modular solution, how will the City evaluate and score Application Software Specification Checklist items that fall outside the proposer’s intended scope (e.g., items marked “Not Applicable” due to an intentionally limited scope)?
Answer: They will be evaluated separately.
3. Question: Would the City consider a customer payment portal and payment processing solution that is implemented in parallel with the selected utility billing system, provided all stated integration and security requirements are met?
Answer: Yes
4. Question: What would you change about your current service and support?
Answer: More responsive and knowledgeable support. A more user friendly product for both customers as well as staff.
5. Question: Why is the City issuing this bid at this time? Is there a critical event (e.g., expiring contract, new functionality needs) that necessitates issuing this RFP at this particular time?
Answer: New functionality needs and customer friendly web portal.
http://www.ashlandoregon.gov/
Ashland, Oregon 97520
541.552.2009
6. Question: Of all payments received today, please provide a breakdown (general percentage) of how many payments are made via the following channels:
• Mail-37%
• Online-33%
• Phone-12%
• Other methods-in person 1.5%, EFT-14%, Kiosk-2.5%
Answer:
7. Question: Of the desired payment options and accepted payment methods sought by this procurement, which are current options? Which are new?
Answer: All are existing and would be required with this procurement.
8. Question: Who is the City currently using to accept payments? What is the funding structure of the contract?
Answer: Tyler Cashiering, Wells Fargo, Global Payments. Part of overall contract with City.
9. Question: For the customer portal, which utility services is the City interested in displaying usage data for?
Answer: Electric and Water
10. Question: Please identify the current utility billing software vendor and system version in use.
Answer: Tyler Munis version 2021
11. Question: How long has the City been using the current utility billing system?
Answer: Since 2018
12. Question: Who is the current payment processing vendor and merchant of record for utility bill payments?
Answer: Global Payments, Wells Fargo
13. Question: Does the City currently use multiple payment processors (e.g., separate vendors for card and
ACH)?
Answer: Global Payments-credit card, Wells Fargo-ACH
14. Question: What is the current billing cadence for utility customers (monthly, bi-monthly, or other)?
Answer: monthly
15. Question: Are utility services consolidated into a single bill per customer, or billed separately by service?
Answer: Single bill by customer
16. Question: Approximately what percentage of customers receive the majority of the available services (water, wastewater, stormwater, electric, telecommunications)?
Ashland, Oregon 97520
541.552.2009
Answer: 100%. We are a Municipality and only our services are offered for utilities. Telecommunication is 37%.
17. Question: Approximately how many utility bills are generated annually?
Answer: 160,000
18. Question: How many payment transactions are processed annually, broken out by payment type if available (credit/debit card, ACH, other)?
Answer:165,000, ACH-62,000, Web Credit/Debit-67,000, Other-36,000
19. Question: What is the average debit card and credit card transaction? What rates are changed for those payment types currently?
Answer: $250
20. Question: Are convenience fees or transaction fees currently assessed to customers? If so, please describe the fee structure.
Answer: No
21. Question: Are there anticipated changes in customer count, service offerings, or billing volume over the next 3–5 years?
Answer: No
Keanna Khlafallah, Procurement Specialist City of Ashland
Ashland, Oregon 97520
541.552.2009
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