HomeMy WebLinkAbout05082023 City Council Laydown - SOW for Util-Assist 230508 LAYDOWN for Res 23-054
STATEMENT OF WORK—BILLING AND CONTACT CENTER SERVICES
This Statement of Work forms part of the Master Services Agreement between City of
Seward, Alaska ("SEWARD") ("Client") and Util-Assist Inc. ("UTIL-ASSIST) ("Supplier" and
together with Client,the"Parties"and each, a"Party")dated as of[insert date of MSA],as may
be amended from time to time (the "Agreement") and is entered into as of#}a-%%April, 189;,
2023(the"SOW Effective Date")between Client and Supplier in accordance with Section 2.1 of
the Agreement.
RECITALS:
(a) Client and Supplier have entered into the Agreement;
(b) Client requires services related to Billing and Contact Center Services;and
(c) Supplier has agreed to provide such Billing and Contact Center Services as more
fully described herein,and subject to the terms and conditions herein.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein set out, the Parties,
intending to be legally bound,agree as follows:
ARTICLE 1
INTERPRETATION
Section 1.1 Definitions
All capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined will have the meanings set
out in the Agreement including the Schedules thereto.
Section 1.2 Exhibits
The following are Exhibits (including any attachments to such Exhibits)attached to this
Statement of Work:
Exhibit 2.12-4—Services Overview
Exhibit 3.14.4—Service Levels
Exhibit 3.24-.2--Governance Committee
Exhibit 4_14-4—Pricing
Exhibit 4.1 —Description of Services
Section 1.3 References to include Exhibits
Unless the context requires otherwise, references in this Statement of Work to "this
Statement of Work", "herein", "hereof', "hereunder", and "hereto"will include this Statement
of Work and the Exhibits(and any attachments thereto)to this Statement of Work, collectively.
Section 1.4 Deemed Incorporation of Agreement Terms
In accordance with Section 2.1 of the Agreement, this Statement of Work is deemed to
incorporate by reference the terms and conditions of the Agreement (excluding any other
Statement of Work, if any) except to the extent otherwise expressly stated herein. For the
purposes of this Statement of Work, all such terms and conditions incorporated by reference
6864114 v36664884,S
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herein will survive until the termination or expiry of the Effective SOW Term (as defined below)
or as otherwise provided herein.
ARTICLE 2
SCOPE OF WORK
Section 2.1 Services _ _ Formatted: Hidden
Supplier will provide, on the terms and conditions set out in the Agreement as
supplemented and, if applicable, modified by the terms and conditions of this Statement of Work
the services set forth on Exhibit 2.1-2�(the"Services").
Section 2.2 Dependencies
In addition to any Dependencies set out in the Agreement, and without limiting the
generality of Section 3.2 of the Agreement, the Services are dependent upon the timely and
satisfactory completion by Client of each of the following:
(a) responses, approvals and provision of required information by Client in a timely
manner;
(b) accurate, comprehensive and complete technical, operational and any other
relevant data and information from Client in respect of any system, program,
practices or operations of Client relevant to the Services;
(c) access to necessary subject matter experts, personnel and service providers of
Client,as applicable;
(d) access to applicable Client systems and technical experts as applicable;
ARTICLE 3
PERFORMANCE
Section 3.1 Service Levels Formatted: Font color: Light Blue, Hidden
Subject to, and in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth on Exhibit 3.1,
Supplier will perform each applicable Service in the manner that meets or exceeds the
applicable Services Levels set out on Exhibit 3_14�4.
Section 3.2 Governance _ _ Formatted: Font color: Light Blue, Hidden
In connection with the performance and receipt of the Services, the Governance
Committee is comprised of the individuals set out on Schedule 3_24�--2.
ARTICLE 4
FEES
Section 4.1 Fees Formatted: Font color: Light Blue, Hidden
Subject to the terms of the Agreement, Supplier shall charge Client in accordance with
the rates set out on Exhibit 4_14-4.
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Section 4.2 Invoicing
(a) Supplier will invoice Client for the Services on the last business day of each
calendar month.
(b) Invoices shall be submitted monthly to the following address:
[EMAIL ADDRESS TO BE FILLED OUT BY CLIENT]
[Attention:TO BE FILLED OUT BY CLIENT]
(c) Invoices shall contain the following details:
(i) the period to which the Fees apply;
(ii) applicable hourly rate and number of hours;
(iii) applicable taxes payable by Client;
(iv) out of pocket expenses payable by Client;
ARTICLE 5
SECURITY OBLIGATIONS
Section 5.1 Unauthorized Access
Supplier shall take measures reasonably required to prevent any actual unauthorized
use, access, disclosure, theft, damage or destruction by Supplier or its personnel of Client
systems accessible by Supplier or Client Data that is stored or hosted by or on behalf of
Supplier pursuant to the Services including using, or causing the use of, (i)anti-virus, firewall,
protection and decontamination tools,in each case consistent with industry accepted practices.
Section 5.2 Audit
Client may,at its sole expense and upon reasonable advance written notice to Supplier,
no more than once per each year of Effective SOW Term, engage an independent auditor
reasonably acceptable to Supplier to conduct an audit of(a)the relevant records of Supplier and
(b)the relevant records of Supplier's subcontractors engaged in the provision of the Services, in
each case solely to the extent necessary to verify Supplier's and its subcontractors' compliance
with Section 5.1. Any such audit shall be conducted: (i)in accordance with Supplier's security
policies and procedures; (ii)during the Supplier's normal business hours for the location at
which the audit is being provided or at other times mutually agreed upon by the Parties; (iii)in
such a manner so as to minimize interference with the Supplier's normal business operations;
and (iv)subject to the reasonable confidentiality restrictions required by Supplier that are at
least as restrictive as the confidentiality obligations provided in the Agreement.
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ARTICLE 6
TERM AND TERMINATION
Section 6.1 Term and Renewal
(a) The term of this Statement of Work will begin on the SOW Effective Date and
continue until terminated in writing at least ninety (90)days prior to the effective
termination date in accordance with the terms of this SOW or the Agreement
("Effective SOW Term").
Section 6.2 Termination
(a) Client may terminate this Statement of Work for convenience upon not less than
90 days of prior written notice to Supplier.
(b) In the event Client terminates this Statement of Work pursuant to Error!
Reference source not found., Client shall pay to Supplier (i) as
liquidated damages and not as a penalty, termination fee equivalent to three (3)
months of fees per Exhibit 4.1 (the"Termination Fee"), such amount representing
a genuine pre-estimate by the parties of the costs that Supplier would reasonably
incur as a result of Client's termination of this Statement of Work for
convenience; and (ii)any Fees that have become due and payable by Client as
of the effective date of such termination within 10 days of the effective date of
such termination;
(c) Notwithstanding Section 4.2, Supplier shall be able to invoice Client for the
Termination Fee immediately following the effective date of the termination of this
Statement of Work pursuant to Error! Reference source not
fou n d.-S��.
ARTICLE 7
AUTHORIZATION
Section 7.1 Authorization
This Statement of Work is between Supplier and Client and together with all schedules
and exhibits attached hereto and the Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the
parties with respect to the matters contemplated by this Statement of Work. Each of Client and
Supplier acknowledges that it has read and understands this Statement of Work. Supplier and
Client agree to be bound by the terms and conditions in this Statement of Work.
(Remainder of page intentionally blank;signature page to follow)
6864114 v36964914-4
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Statement of Work as of the
SOW Effective Date.
CITY OF SEWARD,ALAKSA
By:
Name: •
Title: •
By:
Name: •
Title: •
UTIL-ASSIST INC.
By:
Name:Sabina Fjodorova
Title:Chief Operating Officer(COO)
Signature Page to Statement of Work
Exhibit 2.1
SERVICES OVERVIEW
2.1.1 In-Scope CustomerAssist—Billing, Contact Center Services
The following are a list of tasks that are in scope with the proposed Billing and Contact Center
services.
• Billing services
Meter reading file output/input as needed
o Manual entry of meter read service orders(up to 200/month)
o Meter verifications(hi/low,skipped,estimates,zero usage,inactive with usage)
o Billing calculation validations
o Journal printing and posting
o Bill print file preparation for Client
o Service order management for Final meter reads
o Weekly Final bill services
o Billing adjustments as needed
•o Monthly Cycle billing services Formatted
Formatted
• Administration services
o eMove-in/outs
o On-hold account management Formatted: Bulleted +Level:2+Aligned at:
aPA-Pre-Authorized Payment setups �0.75"+Indentat: 1"
o Weekly deposit refund processing and reporting for Client's Accounts Payable Formatted: Indent:Left: 0.5", No bullets or
team numbering
o Month-end reporting Formatted
• Contact Center services
o State-of-the-art Genesys platform for voice and email ' Formatted
o Infrastructure queue management services
o Access to standardized scripting library Formatted
• Supervisory services
• Account management services
2.1.2 Out of Scope Services
The following services are out of scope for this proposal:
• Client will continue to manage cash receipt processing and collection activities; Supplier
can scope these services separately as needed.
sssassa vs 2.1-2-4-1
• Data conversion or migration services
• IT hosting or licensing services
• Customer Web Portal services
• Sync and meter reading services
• Field collections and disconnections
• Non-billing related processes with systems integrated with Customer Information System
(CIS)(financial integration, GIS integration,etc.)
o Bank reconciliation,deductive calculations and/or related bookkeeping
o Remittances and/or financial requisitions
o Accounts Payable systems to generate customer returns
• Configuration changes which require a significant level of effort to test,such as
implementation of a new banking provider or integration with a new financial or third-
party system
• CIS report customizations
• Manage mailed payments(through a P.O.box),such as cheques and money orders
• Document fulfillment services(bill printing,stuffing, postage,delivery); Supplier can
scope these services separately as needed.
• Manage regulatory requirements(rate updates,filings,or new regulations).The Client is
to provide direction and communicate any changes to ensure all regulatory requirements
are met.
• Perform mass outbound calls or email campaigns; Supplier can scope these services
separately as needed.
• CIS upgrade deployment or testing services;Supplier can scope these services
separately as needed.
• Contact Center solution can expand to include future enhancements(Web Chat,SMS,
Dynamic Billboard Messaging, and self-serve options)to improve the end customer
experience.
6864894 v3 2.1-2-4-2
Exhibit 3.1
SERVICE LEVELS
Client Responsibilities
Provide utility process documentation and/or Standard Operating Procedures (SOPS)to
prepare for Discovery and Onboarding
Provide CIS permissions and administrative tools to perform activities outlined in SOW
Timely provision of Supplier's representative CIS accounts and ongoing administration
(i.e., password resets)
Provide Subject Matter Experts(SMEs)for IT troubleshooting and escalations
Give direction on important regulatory updates(i.e., rate updates, messaging for Contact
Center representatives)
Provide reasonable availability of customer representative(s)when resolving an
escalated service-related incident or request
Payment for service costs outlined in SOW
3.1.2 Supplier Responsibilities
Meeting service response times associated with service-related incidents
3.1.3 Service Availability
The Supplier will aim to address all service incidents in a timely manner and will be available
during regular business hours Monday to Friday, and in accordance with Alaska state holiday
schedule:
• Telephone support: 8:30 A.M.to 4:30 P.M.Alaska Standard Time (AKST)
• Email support: Monitored 8:30 A.M.to 4:30 P.M.Alaska Standard Time (AKST)
• Voicemails received outside of office hours will be collected; however, no action can
be guaranteed until the next working day
• Emails received outside of office hours will be collected; however, no action can be
guaranteed until the next working day
3.1.4 Service Levels
In support of services outlined in this Agreement, the Supplier will follow performance-related
levels outlined in this Schedule:
sssassa,3 3_1 4�4-1
Billing Activity Service Level Agreement
Service Level .-
Cycle Billing Supplier will issue monthly customer bills for a cycle within three(3)
Performance business days of the date identified on the billing schedule.
Processing of Supplier will enter the data from validated forms into the billing system
Move-in/outs within five(5)business days of receipt from the customer 95%of the
time.
Final/Check Supplier will issue bills for finalled accounts within five(5)business
Reads days of receiving a completed service order for said account 95%of the
time(if the final reads are available or estimated reads are approved).
Processing of Supplier will enter the data from validated forms into the CIS within five
New Service/ (5)business days of receipt from the customer or Client 95%of the
Account Requests time.
Processing of Supplier will set up Pre-Authorized Payment(PAP)requests in the
Pre-Authorized billing system within five(5)business days of receipt from the customer
Payment"PAP" or Client 95%of the time.
Forms
day 95,0 of the tirne
Note:
Any CIS-related billing incident will be triaged by Supplier's team. In the event where the CIS
issue is unresolvable, and after reasonable troubleshooting efforts, Supplier can log a service
help ticket with CIS provider for support. Supplier will work with the Client to determine the
severity of the CIS billing incident before logging a CIS help ticket. Supplier can ensure the
ticket is reviewed and actioned in accordance with the support levels provided by the CIS
provider to the Client. Supplier can work with Client under the direction of the CIS provider to
treat and resolve the issue in a timely manner. The process of troubleshooting any IT-related
incidents is not included in this process and will need to be reviewed and documented during
the Discovery phase of the project.
Service Level Agreement
Service Level Service Level .-
Telephone Qualified Incoming Calls'to the Contact Center telephone number
Accessibility should be answered 65 percent of the time within 30 seconds.Supplier
will measure the Service Level Metrics monthly and provide a report to
the Client within ten(10)business days of the last day of the month.
Response Time to Supplier will respond to customer voice mails within two(2)business
1114114 vs 3_144-2
Service Level Service Level . -
Customer Voice days 95%of the time.
Mails
Response Time to Supplier will respond to customer emails within two (2)business days
Customer Email 95%of the time.
Enquiries
*"Qualified Incoming Calls" means telephone calls that are received at the Supplier Contact
Center where the customer has reached a Contact Center Representative.
The following are not"Qualified Incoming Calls":
Telephone calls that are abandoned by the customer prior to reaching Contact Center
Representative.
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3_144-3
Exhibit 3_2-3-.2
GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE
Client Members:
• Account Manager: [TO BE FILLED OUT BY CLIENT]
• Senior Officer: [TO BE FILLED OUT BY CLIENT]
Supplier Members:
• Account Manager:Jacquelyn Beaty, Director of Managed Services
• Account Manager:Tyler Whalen, Director of Business Development and Sales
• Senior Officer:Sabina Fjodorova,Chief Operating Officer(COO)
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3.4�-3-1
Exhibit 4.1
Pricing
4.1 DISCOVERY(ONE-TIME)
Activity Price
Workshops(3 days)
• Preparation for workshops
• Lead four half-day(four-hour)workshops onsite at City of Seward office
• Provide consulting on solutions $20,000
• Document business processes and include any gaps required
• Build project plan
• Reasonable travel expenses factored in price
4.2 ONBOARDING(ONE-TIME)
Pricing below may change following the Discovery workshops and the addition of optional
services. If additional time is needed for Onboarding above and beyond the four-week schedule
due to delays and unpredicted events at no fault of Supplier,additional efforts will be priced at
Supplier's hourly rate of$200/hour.A status update will be provided weekly to ensure the
project timelines are being met and any remedial steps can be taken.
Setup and Training(4 weeks)
Week 1 • Assign Project Manager
• Confirm Project Plan with Client $16,000
• Finalize Post-Discovery workshops documentation and agree on
processes with Client
1114114 vs 4_14-4-1
Week Activity I Price
Week 2 • Onboard new Client Contact Center-Design/Programming/Testing
o Build front end number(local or toll-free)
• Build and Configure Queue(Voice)
o Initial greeting
o Route to ACID
o Setup estimated wait time
o Create on-hold music
o Agent delivery to next available agent routing
o Time of day profile setups(open hours versus closed hours)
o Voicemail(converted to way.file for email delivery)
o Wrap up codes for inquiry, handling and reporting to
understand call topics/categories
o Programming and testing efforts
• Build and Configure Queue(Email)
o Inbound email received and acknowledged with an auto-reply
o Canned responses and usable links built and available to
agents(as approved by customer)
o Wrap up codes for inquiry, handling and reporting to
understand email topics/categories
o Programming and testing efforts
• Build Basic Reporting
o Assist with setting up reports based on discovery
requirements
o UA to provide report template that other utilities use for
similar data
• Update staff call scripts and FAQs for customers based on direction
from Client
Week 3 • CIS Configuration
o Setup site-to-site connection
o Validate secure access to Client's environment
o Provision new CIS users
• No user limit on using the secure tunnel
• Supervisors begin training Billing and Contact Center resources on
Client processes
Week 4 • Supervisors finish training Billing and Contact Center resources on
Client processes
• Hypercare extended oversight provided during first month of
services and entire billing run
Notes:
• The Client is responsible for their own Internet connectivity and bandwidth.
• There is an IT requirement to build out the voice and email routing to Supplier team.The
traffic/design will need to be reviewed by the Client team and Supplier team.
1114114 vs 4_14-4-2
4.3 ONGOING SERVICES FEES
The following pricing is for Supplier to deliver a full turnkey Billing and Contact Center solution.
The pricing for ongoing services in the table below includes the following:
Staffing support(volume up to 2,500 accounts;any adjustment will require price
modifications)including:
o Billing staff
Gash PFGGess�Rg
-o Administration(Fneve OR and Fneve eut ono)...,.�staff Formatted
o Contact Center staff
o Voice and email infrastructure queue management services
o Account management
o Supervisory staff
Item AnnualFee Monthly Fee Formatted Table
Support Staff(billed at a flat rate on the monthly fee for up to 2,500 accounts)
Service Offering: Formatted Table
Billing Staff
$75-;99952,000 $6,15g4, 333
Administration Staff
Account Management
Supervisory Staff
Contact Center Staff
Account Management $25,500 $2,125
Supervisory Staff
Voice and Email Queue Infrastructure:
o Includes local or Toll-free number,
o No limit on number of users
$1,500 $125
o No limit for interactions voice or email
o No additional per minute cost under
license model
1114114 v3 4_14-4-3
4.4 ADDITIONAL SERVICES FEES
Fee Cost Notes
Rate change updates in CIS $65.00/hour(minimum 4 hours) This fee covers updates
per request required to existing rates in the
CIS.
Meter changes in CIS Price to be determined
(if required)
Collection letters Price to be determined
(if required)
4.5 PRICING ASSUMPTIONS
• Change Requests may be required as a result of the Discovery. Supplier and Client will
mutually agree to these changes before moving forward with the full implementation.
• It is assumed that the meter read data file format generated by Client's meter data
management system can be consumed into the CIS without custom development
required in the CIS.
• Financial and Accounting services:
o It is understood that the Client will perform any bank reconciliations, deductive
calculations and/or related bookkeeping.
o The Client will be responsible for preparing any remittances and/or financial
requisitions for customers.
o An existing financial Accounts Payable interface will be used and provided by the
Client(otherwise,custom programming costs may be incurred).
• Integrations Fees:
o It is understood that the Client will pay for all third-party system integration and
licensing fees as required.
4.6 PAYMENT SCHEDULE
The payment schedule is as follows:
• One-time charges (Discovery and Onboarding) are invoiced for the activities in the
calendar month they are completed
• Monthly fees begin as of the go-live date
• Prices are in US dollars.
sssassa,s 4_14-4-4
4.7 APPLICABLE TAXES AND INFLATION FACTORS
• All prices are subject to any applicable taxes.
• Increases: On January 1 of each year,the ongoing service fees will increase by 3%or
the then-current Customer Price Index(CPI)increase,whichever is greater.
sssassa,s 4_14-4-5
Exhibit 4_1&.4
DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES
5.1.1 Project Team
Supplier will allocate a professional services team comprised of the following resources to
successfully complete the conversion project:
• Project Sponsor to oversee the project as a whole
• Project Manager to handle day-to-day communications with all parties and manage the
required resources and overall plan
• Supplier Subject Matter Experts(SMEs),as required
• IT resources to assist with site-to-site secure connection, build queue for voice and
email,validations
• Billing and Contact Center Supervisors to lead training efforts
• Billing and Contact Center Staff to learn new processes for go-live target date
5.1.2 Approach
5.1.2.1 Discovery
Supplier will lead and Client will participate in on-site Discovery workshops with Client's and
Supplier's management. The Supplier recommends that this meeting be held at the Client
location.The purpose of the session is to:
• Review business requirements
• Ensure setup criteria and functionality is understood for Billing and Contact Center
services
• Secure all relevant information to complete timelines/details
• Discuss the recommended end state goals.
The Supplier's project team will be made available for the Discovery period. It is assumed that
the Discovery will be attended by the appropriate decision makers at Supplier and Client, as
well as any other relevant SMEs. The Supplier will work collaboratively with the business users
as needed throughout the project. Included in the Onboarding phase is a weekly call that will be
hosted by Supplier to review progress and address defects.
5.1.2.2 Onboarding
Supplier understands Client's timelines outlined in Section 4.2 of Exhibit 4.1 and has developed
a schedule to help support it. Note that this Onboarding plan is an estimated timeline and is
subject to change following Discovery with Client.
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5.1.3 DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES
5.1.3.1 BILLING SERVICES
Supplier's Billing team will address Client's customer billing needs, from providing subject
matter expertise when creating billing schedules and processes, to ensuring the accuracy of
bills is calculated properly and any variances are investigated. The following services will be
performed by Supplier:
Account Management
Supervisory oversight for validations and controls
Meter read file request and upload
o Create DCI files
_Process DCO files
o Manual entry of meter read service orders(up to 200/month)
o Run meter reading verification reports
• Batch processing service includes one (1)cycle billing batch per month and one (1)final
billing batch per week
Billing processing
o Billing calculation validations
o Journal processing
o Variance checks
o Bill print file preparation
Adjustment billing
• First bills
Final bills
Reporting,generate billing reports available in CIS
Process service orders
Formatted: Indent: Left: 0"
C 1 4 9 CASH PROCRSSING RRRVICRS
Suppliep will FAaRage GpeGifiG Gash PFGGeGG;Rg en behalf ef Glie t thFeugh the fellewing payment
• T496igh Pre Am'h„erized PaymeRt (PAP) file ed daily RIiRe by de.-.i.Rated
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C 1 3 3 COI 1 RCTIONS; CCRVICPS;
The Supplier's team will pe4orm gellept!GAG RgtiGGG,
5.1.3.4 ADMIN(MOV9_IWO I PIPAP l2onGr_=RS lr_)ISTRATIONSERVICES
Supplier's administration processing services consist of setting up new customers in the CIS.
Supplier will follow a "move-in, move-out" process in which a service order is created, the
previous occupant receives a "final" bill, and the new account holder is set up with an account.
Supplier's team can update CIS with PAP information if the information is provided by the end
customer.
The following services will be performed by Supplier:
o Processing Move-in/outs
o On-hold account management
o Pre-Authorized Payment set ups Formatted: Bulleted + Level:2+Aligned at:
o Weekly deposit refund processing and reporting for Client's Accounts Payable 0.75"+ Indent at: 1"
team
o Month-end reporting
5.1.3.5 CONTACT CENTER SERVICES
Supplier's Contact Center offers phone and email support during the participating Client's
regular business hours (8:30 A.M. —4:30 P.M.)Alaska Standard Time (AKST). Contact Center
staff will take all incoming calls on Client's behalf and complete outbound calls to follow up on
customer inquiries.
Supplier will work with Client to develop a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document to
address customer inquiries,as well as develop Center scripts as part of this engagement.
Supplier's service level objective is to answer 65% of customer calls within 30 seconds, and to
respond to emails within two (2)business days.As part of our service, customers are delivered
reports outlining Call Center activities.This includes the number of calls received and answered
by staff. The Center report outlines call performance in the past 24 hours, over the past week,
and over the past month. The Supplier can provide call reporting and further insights during our
planned reviews.
5.1.3.6 ASSUMPTIONS
Supplier assumes the following:
Client will manage the bank reconciliation process (i.e., Client will confirm that the
payments that Supplier registers balance to the payments in Client's bank account).
sssassa,3 Error!Reference source not found. -3
Client will manage all new rate adjustments. The Client can request the implementation
of new rates in the CIS.
1114114�1 Error!Reference source not found. -4